Agreement on Principle At Dumbarton Oaks

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 211, 6 September 1944, Page 5

Agreement on Principle At Dumbarton Oaks

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Tuesday, 11.40 p.m. NEW YORK, Sept. 6.

The Washington correspondent of the New York Times learns that the Dumbarton Oaks Comterence has reached a general agreement on the basic principle that force must be made available to the proposed League Executive Council to prevent and repel aggression. It is understood that all three delegations have agreed to recommend to their Governments a system under which all member States would be obligated to place certain forces and facilities at the Council’s disposal whenever a majority, including Britain, America, China and Russia, vote to do so. One point which has apparently raised considerable discussion among the delegates concerns the veto power which can be granted to all large permanent member States. All are agreed that whenever one permanent member votes against the use of force against a potential aggressor that vote automatically vetoes any proposal that the forces of that nation should b 8 used. A question has arisen, however, as to whether that veto should cancel action by all other members against a potential aggressor. No Power is eager to have others taking action. For example, if the United States opposes taking military action against the Argentine, but Britain and Russia approved, it would be difficult for the United States to sanction action by those countries in this hemisphere and uphold the Monroe Doctrine. This is the dilemma. On the one hand the great Powers wish to be free to take action in an area where their interests are most vitally affected without having their hands tied by a negative vote of other great Powers, while on the other hand each wants to protect itself against other Powers entering its special sphere of influence against its will. It seems unlikely that this dilemma will be solved to the satisfaction of everybody, particularly small Powers bordering on great Powers. The general feeling here is that the Powers while retaining the right of individual action will agree that a veto by one of the permanent members should halt all action by the League as such. Officials who know what has been done at Dumbarton Oaks believe that the general agreement to put a force at the Council’s disposal is by far the most important step that could be taken at this conference at this time. The decision to use force, of course, does not answer other related questions. It does not determine how the force will be applied. For example, whether the Russian proposal for an international air force has been accepted. Nor does it determine how the United States delegate is to be selected or whether Congress will insist that the United States delegate return to Washington for affirmative approval every time before voting to use force.