EFFORT OF,NATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 123, 26 May 1945, Page 7

EFFORT OF,NATIONS

STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS

(By Teloeranh —Press Association— Copyrißht.)

SAN FRANCISCO, May 24.

The news that President Truman wilt fly to San Francisco for the closing plenary session of the security conference has been applauded on ~all sides, says the "New York Times" correspondent. The spokesmen^ of delegation after delegation declared that the President's visit would give UNCIO the lift it needed during the closing weeks. The "New York Times" correspondent lists the following important achievements by UNCIO during the first month: — First, it has emphasised that though linden, the Big Five's veto the world organisation cannot take enforcement action against an aggressor who is a member of the Big Five, all the member States are obliged to settle disputes peacefully, abide by the rules of justice and international law, and promote respect for human rights and the fundamental freedoms. STRENGTH AND LIMITATIONS. Secondly, UNCIO has demonstrated the strength and limitations of the machinery for the consultation among nations. On the one hand, it has shown that the Big Five can work out complex controversial questions, such as regional arrangements and trusteeships, through patient consultation. On the other hand, it has de» flated the idea that the new league can solve all international problems. The growth of problems among the Big Three demonstrates that no machinery of consultation can work if it is not used. Many delegates have emphasised this point to put the new league's capacities in the proper perspective. Thirdly, the conference has removed the three greatest weaknesses in the Covenant of the League of Nations. It has reduced .the veto power from that of the 60 members of the League of Nations to the Big Five. The conference has kept together the 'nations who now control almost all the world's war-making capacity. It has not, as the League of Nations did, disre- • garded the economic problems leading to war. The conference has made the economic and social council one of the world organisation's principal organs, instead of a mere appendage to the general assembly, as was proposed at Dumbarton Oaks. ' The "New York Herald-Tribune* correspondent says that Russia is no longer insisting in the trusteeshipcommittee that the, security council shall be given the sole power to designate strategic areas. The United States view has been accepted, leaving the designation to the administer" ing nation after consultation with other interested Powers and also with . the trusteeship council. Russia, in rej turn, is expected to receive a per- ! manent seat on the trusteeship council. CANADIAN SUCCESS. Canada has won acceptance in the committee on the security council of an amendment going beyond the language of Dumbarton Oaks, and also the Big Five's compromise amendments. This states .that the security council shall submit an annual report and. when necessary, special reports to the general assembly. Canada has also obtained a ruling from Senator Tom Connally, of the United States delegation, that the security council cannot require military action by a member Power beyond that provided for in the member's agreement to supply forces to the world organisation. The agreements would presumably have to be approved by the legislatures of the individual Powers. Norway has failed to have an antiappeasement clause written into the world charter. Czechoslovakia, remembering the Munich appeasement of 1938, supported Norway, but Britain, America, Mexico, and the Ukraine led the opposition, contending that the sense of the Norwegian proposal is implicit in the principles and purpose of the proposed world security organisation.

The United Press says that Norway obviously feared that the Big Five's veto cowers might be an instrument whereby a belligerent Power could be appeased. If one or more of the Big Five vetoed any measure to halt a potential aggressor they might be able to institute appeasement measures as Britain and France did on behalf of Germany during the Czech crisis.