Failure Of Big Powers

Northern Advocate, 14 June 1947, Page 5

Failure Of Big Powers

(11.50 n.m.) NEW YORK. June 13. Colonel Hodgson (Australia), in the commission on conventional armaments, today attacked the failure of the big' Powers to break the deadlock between the United States and Russia on a basic working plan for disarmament.

He also directed attention to the Big Five’s inability to agree on a governor for Trieste. “We are back where we started in this commission," he said. ‘When one great Power submits a proposal another great Power submits a counter-proposal.

“When one Power submits a name for the governorship of Trieste, another power immediately submits another name.’’

He urged the commission to “get on with the job the major Powers had failed to accomplish.” Colonel Hodgson expressed Australia's approval of the United States plan for regulation and reduction of armaments and armed forces. UNACCEPTABLE TO RUSSIA M. Gromyko warned the commission that “there was serious underestimation of the link between a reduction of armaments and armed forces and prohibition of atomic weapons.” He added that the United States plan (which would keep study of atomic control and general disarmament separate), was “absolutely unsatisfactory and unacceptable,” and would not fulfil the tasks before the commission.

M. Gromv/co claimed that the Soviet plan (linking atomic control and general disarmament), stated in concrete terms how the problem could be solved.

The commission adjourned without acting on either plan.