SEEKING SECURITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25289, 24 August 1945, Page 7

SEEKING SECURITY

WAR'S NEW TERRORS HOPES IN WORLD CHARTER (Reed. 8.10 p.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 22 The resolution moved by Mr Attlee in the House of Commons, that the United Nations.Charter be ratified by Britain, forms the subject of most of the leading articles in the London newspapers today. The comment takes the form of appreciation of the world position in the light of recent events and discoveries. The Tirate says: "New developments of warfare culminating in a new distribution of world power and in the coming of the atomic bomb have given the new organisation a universality _ to which the old League of Nations aspired but never really attained, 'lhe supreme test of its efficacy is as likely to come in Asia as in Europe; in the Pacific as in the Atlantic. Role of Small Nations "The same cogent reason deprives the smaller nations of the right of veto which the unanimity rule of the Covenant of ihe League of Nations conferred on them. The irrefutable lesson of experiences proves that, save for altogether exceptional circumstances, the smaller nations are inextricably involved in the fortunes of their larger neighbours and must, within the limit of their resources, play an active and co-operative part in the business of security. "The new Charter makes no attempt to define aggression or to lay down rules by which the action of member States may be adjudged legitimate or illegitimate. The weight of responsibility for decisions rests on the more or less unlettered discretion of the Security Council, in which the authority of the principal nations will necessarily remain predomifiant.The principal nations alone possess the power of enforcement —a fact which explains and justifies the veto accorded them in the Charter. The Council's Mandate "The mandate of the Security Council," the newspaper concludes, "is no longer to sit in judgment, but to take action in any situation which appears to it to threaten the maintenance of peace and security throughout the world." The Daily Telegraph says; "Whether it will prevent war altogether no one, as Viscount Cranborne said in the House of Lords, can be certain, but it certainly does provide means by which war can be prevented, if the nations of the world are willing to prevent it. "All nations, even the strongest, have been .taught in these grim six years that no one can stand secure alone. Territorial and political security is unobtainable without economic security and no nation, however great its resources, can now be prosperous apart- from the rest of the world. We are all members one of another. Through the spirit and principles which form the United Nations Charter the world may hasten its approach to that general welfare which alone can ensure the victory won by the men who fought and died for it." ELECTIONS IN BALKANS RUMANIA SEEKS AID RUSSIAN VIEWS ON GREECE (I-tecd. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 23 The British Government is considering the proposal made by King Michael | of Rumania that Britain, the United 1 States and Russia should help in establishing a Government in Rumania which might be recognised by them all. The United States Secretary of State, \lr Byrnes, said in Washington that his Government was ready to join in consultations with Britain and Russia on this matter. Air Byrnes re-empha-sised his Government's hope that the political situation in Rumania would develop so as to permit the re-estab-lishment of diplomatic relations. This was not possible so long as the Rumanian Provisional Government did not represent adequately all important elements of democratic opinion in the country. Mr Byrnes added that the first official reaction in Washington was that the proposal envisaged an early election, it was thought, that Russia, following her policy regarding Greece, would decline the Rumanian request. The newspaper lzvcst-ia criticises the British and American decision to send observers to watch the situation in Greece, which, it says, is "characterised by the spreading of terror by reactionaries, .Monarchists and Fascists, and which excludes the possibility of a free expression of the people's wilt." It adds that the most important task for the Allies is to provide conditions for really democratic elections. When this is provided there is no necessity for observers. Izvestia says Russia has" turned down the proposal that she should send observers to Greece because such a step is incompatible with Greek independence and sovereignty. "No matter what form the so-called observation takes it will lead to the establishment of control over internal policy, which should not be subjected to foreign influence. It is a form of interference which cannot strengthen democracy, but is capable only of undermining democracy." CARE OF PRISONERS CAMPS IN PHILIPPINES (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 23 The plans for looking after Allied prisoners in Japanese hands are well under way. Two great camps have been set up in the Philippines to receive about 32,000 prisoners of war and internees who will be evacuated from Japan by air and sea. Of these 14,000 are from the United Kingdom, between 5000 and 8000 from Australia and about 1000 from Canada. Repatriation to their own homes will be arranged the moment they set foot on friendly soil Representatives of the Australian Red Cross and Australian Comforts Fund will be on hand to assist British nationals. PHILIPPINES RULE GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER MANILA, Aug. '2i' General Mac Arthur announced that his command was discontinuing participation in the Philippines administration as from September 1, because it was no longer necessary. The Associated Press says that all army hospitals and health services will be handed to the Philippines Government. Fully equipped and staffed schools have been reopened for hundreds of thousands of students. The United States Army is expected to continue building major bases which it will hold after independence. Large numbers of men will remain in the Philippines, particularly servicemen, for the handling of supplies for the occupation forces throughout Asia. DEATH OF DIPLOMAT SIR RONALD LINDSAY (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) . LONDON, Aug. 23 The death is anhounced in London of Sir Ronald Lindsay, who was British Ambassador to Washington from 1930 to 1939. He was 68 years old. Ronald Lindsay, son of the 26th Earl of Crawford, began his foreign service in Russia and Persia, where his knowledge of the languages hastened his advances. After serving in Washington and Paris, he entered the Foreign Office, where he became assistant private secretary to Sir Edward Grey. His first ambassadorship was in Constantinople, where his handling of the Mosul question was considered one of the finest diplomatic achievements of the age. Sir Ronald was married twice, both his wires being Americana.