NEED OF NATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 99, 28 April 1945, Page 8

NEED OF NATIONS

FRAMING WORKING PLAN

Addressing the plenary session, Mr. Stettinius said that the forces of tyranny and aggression were facing utter and complete defeat. Their doom was sealed ,at Washington on January 1, 1942, when the United Nations Declaration was signed. Our enemies had hurled propaganda and armed might vainly against the common will and common strength of the United Nations.

"Men for centuries to come will point to the United Nations as history's most convincing proof of what miracles can be accomplished by nations joined in a righteous cause," Mr. Stettinius said.

Our first objective had been the defeat of our enemies, but we had also pursued another objective which gave ultimate meaning to all the sacrifice and suffering of these tragic years, namely, a just and enduring peace.-. "We have made a better beginning towards the fulfilment of this purpose than nations have ever made before." he said. SEPARATE TASK. . "I believe it was a wise, indeed a necessary, decision to limit: the work of the conference to the great task of preparing a charter to maintain peace with justice in a free world. "Writing a constitution for the maintenance of peace in the future is a task wholly separate from the punishment of the international gangsters who started the war. Furthermore, the establishment of tfle world organisation must be kept above and apart from the peace settlements if the organisation is to be able to deal freely and justly with future threats to peace that may arise from any cause, including these settlements. Mr SMtinius said the imminent colIrtss-? of Germany made it important *hat the. world organisation should be established at the earliest possible mom°nt. Its success would not alone secure enduring peace. The whole structure . would. take years to build,

but it could not be built at all without agreement on a charter.

The Dumbarton Oaks proposals outlined the charter, but many constructive suggestions had since been made, and those, and others which might arise in the conference, would undoubtedly be reflected in the final draft of the charter. Experience might later dictate further amendments as wise.

"One essential condition to success is that the peace-loving nations must have the requisite military and industrial strength and must agree and act together against aggression, otherwise aggression cannot be prevented or suppressed without a major war," the Secretary of State said. "Another essential condition of success is the voluntary co-operation of all peaceful nation's to promote justice among the nations, to foster respect for basic human rights, and to solve those common problems on which the security and economic and social advancement of their-, peoples so largely depend. BREEDERS OF WAR. v . . . "Widespread economic insecurity and poverty, igno^nce and oppression breed conflict, and give aggressors their chance. Measures for security against aggression will not alone assure lasting peace. We must also work effectively in close co-operation towards raising the standards of living and giving greater freedom and opportunity for all peoples irrespective of race, creed, or colour. "We cannot expect to produce -a charter to answer all questions or resolve all problems. No basic document was ever drafted that was not open to improvement. "Only four years after the American Constitution was written first 10 amendments went into effect, and 11 other amendments have been made since then. "Let us act in the sure knowledge that oui* work can be improved upon with time, but that if we fail to act now we are likely to lose altogether ihe opportunity which is given us to prevent another world war. "We have sought to build upon realities and hard-won experience. To build upon millennial idealism would be to build upon quicksand. To build only on the collaboration of interests of major nations would be to deny, the community of interests of all nations.

"We have sought to assure that the strength of the major nations will be used -. justly and effectively for the common welfare.

"The organisation we seek to build is based upon the inescapable fact that peace and security will be the right of those nations willing to share in the responsibility for keeping them. Tyranny and barbarism have never recognised neutrality and never will.

"We do not intend to build a world organisation that overlooks this cardinal fact, but we propose that after its establishment the organisation shall be open to the membership of all other nations demonstrating their willingness and ability to fulfil their obligations under the charter." •