AMERICA SUPPORTS ARMAMENTS REDUCTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 November 1946, Page 8

AMERICA SUPPORTS ARMAMENTS REDUCTION

EFFECTIVE SAFEGUARDS

FULL INFORMATION FROM • SOVIET REQUIRED STRENGTH OF ARMED FORCES NEW YORK, October 30. Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly today, Mr. Warren Austin, a former member of the United States Senate, who is leader of the'United States delegation, deplored Mr. Molotov's speech, but said the United States endorsed the Russian proposal for immediate action on disarmament if safeguards were provided. Mr. Austin reminded the Assembly, however, that after the first world war “we made the mistake of disarming unilaterally. We shall not repeat that mistake. The United States is prepared to co-operate fully with all other members of the United Nations in disarmament. It .advocates effective safeguards for inspection and the adoption of other means against the hazards of violation and evasion."

Mr. Molotov’s speech indicated “distrust and misunderstanding” of the motives of America and other members of the United Nations; Mr. Austin said he did not believe in recriminations, and he hoped the struggle for peace henceforth could be conducted without them. The United States believed that Mr. Molotov’s disarmament proposal, including his demand for end mg the manufacture of the atomic bomb, should be fully discussed by the. Assembly. “Nothing to Hide.” The United States interpreted Mr. Molotov’s demand for a report on troops in non-enemy countries plus his statement that Russia was willing ‘to co-operate as meaning that Russia was .now prepared to report on the strength of its armed forces in Germany, the former enemy Balkan States, and Poland or any other place. Therefore, the“ United States urged the prompt fulfilment of this policy. . The United States had nothing to’hide regarding its armed forces at home or abroad. The proposed inquiry should include all mobilised armed forces whether at home or abroad. (The Associated Press notes that this major statement of policy was •approved beforehand by Mr. James Byrnes, the United States Secretary of State, and presumably by Mr. Truman). The Veto Power. The United States objected to any immediate eradication of the veto in the Security Council, but it hoped that some time in the future the Big Five would agree unanimously to remove the veto from the peaceful settlement of disputes. Meanwhile, the veto did not relieve the permanent members of any of the responsibilities or- obligations they assumed under the Charter, and the Security Council’s voting system should be interpreted to carry out the spirit of the Charter as well as the letter. "

He added: “This is the policy of the United States.” Mr. Austin said the Soviet’s initiative in urging a reduction of armaments was appropriate because of its mighty armies. Similarly the initiative of the United States was appropriate in proposing . measures for the prevention of the manufacture and use of atomic weapons. Mr. Austin said the whole world knows where the United States stands and where it has always stood. For 20 years before the war and for 15 months since, the United States has consistently been in the forefront, striving to reduce the burden of armaments upon' the peoples o’f the world. Since the end of the wars in Europe and the Pacific the United States has progressively and rapidly reduced its military establishment.

1 he Atom Bomb. In a speech supporting Mr. Molotov, the Jugoslav Foreign Minister, Mr. Stanoje Simic, accused Britain and America of repeated violations of the United Nations Charter. He diecared that certain circles were attempting to use the atom bomb “as a means of intimidating the world.” He said both Britain and America were violating the Charter by maintaining troops on the territory of friendly nations and by voting against, the admission of Albania to the United Nations. He accused the United States of holding Jugoslav vessels illegally on the upper Danube and of refusing to turn over to Jugosalvia thousands of quislings now in camps for displaced persons. Mr. Simic strongly opposed the United States plan for atomic energy control. He claimed that the whole responsibility of handling this question should rest with . the Security Council. He agreed "with Mr. Molotov that the first step in atom control should be the outlawing of the production of atomic weapons. Mr. Simic said Mr. Moloto’s proposal for the limitation of armaments corresponded with the true desires, hopes, and aspirations of the peoples of the world, who would re-, gard it as the first ray of hope that mankind would one day be free of the constant fear of armed conflicts and of the present nightmare of war psychosis and intimidation.

MR. WALLACE CRITICISES MR. CHURCHILL NEW -YORK, October 30. “Mr. Churchill is the world’s great Red baiter,” said Mr. Henry Wallace, the former Vice-President of the United States, in an address at the Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota. He added that Mr. Churchill led the mischief-making against Russia when he spoke at Fulton on March 5, and he was, in effect, fighting the Russians long before the end of the war. Commenting on Mr. Molotov’s speech, Mr. Wallace said that it was likely now to be regarded as too Communistic to be for peace. Mr. Molotov’s speech was a “fine, constructive statement.” '■‘Americans express horror at Russian criticism of the United States, but for every inch of criticism in Pravda there are 1000 inches of criticism against Russia in the American newspapers,” added Mr, Wallace.