UNITED NATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 30 November 1945, Page 5

UNITED NATIONS

PROPOSED POLICE FORCE MOST ADVANCED WEAPONS URGED SUGGESTIONS BY SCIENTISTS London, Nov., 28. An international committee of scientists to ensure that the United Nations police force is at all times equipped with more advanced weapons than any group of potential aggressors is suggested in a statement drawn up by a number of distinguished British, French, Belgian and Norwegian professors and Parliamentarians. The signatories propose that the committee should advise the Security Council what restrictions and safeguards should be imposed on the application of science to industry and also advise the military staff of the Security Council on the best method* of establishing and maintaining a system of world-wide inspection to ensure that industrial products such as rockets should possess technical features making difficult their conversion to purposes of war. The statement declared that the permanent members of the Security Council —not only Britain, America and Canada—should draw up proposals for the creation of a commission to control the atomic bomb, these to be submitted to the United Nations Assembly in January. It added that further explanation should be given of the conditions on which it was proposed to arrange the exchange of information now secret. Th 3 creation of the new commission was obviously of first urgency, but the peoples of the world must realise from the outset that the minimum further requirements for adequate peacetime organisation included som* 1 merging or modification of national sovereignties, toward which public opinion was now moving. The signatories called for revision of the security arrangements of the United Nations Charter in the light of recent developments to ensure the existence 6f a true international police force instantly available to deal with any threat. The War Security Council should decide the size of the force. The contributions from each member nation should approve the strength and equipment of the national police forces of each country. Major weapons adaptable to mass destruction must be eliminated from national aisenals. The Security Council should approve the manufacture of all other types of weapons. Secrecy as to types should be ended. Each country must disclose any new important cientific discovery to give free access for inspection of 1 all laboratories, industries and military in. stallations.

The signatories conclude with the suggestion that an international development body attached to the United Nations should be formed to coordinate and promote research and production in relation to the development of atomic energy for peacetime purposes.

“Full accomplishment cl this longterm programme by stages will necessitate such a constitutional development of the United Nations as to prevent the danger of a deadlock while giving adequate expression *o the varying strength and responsibility of different countries.”