The Rotary Balita no. 688 [January 17, 1952]

What's New About the West's Proposals? As in other years, the opening of the General Assembly found the Russians in a gay mood. Delegate Malik teased impartially the wives of other delegations for not leaving their husbands alone in Paris. Delegate Vishinsky carried into a plenary session a live dove given him by a nightclub singer. He "could not sleep all night for laughing" at the West's proposal for a census and verification of all armaments with a view to their reduction by stages. In the general debate which followed, speaker. after the speaker declared that the burden of fear and expense occasioned by the arms race was no laughing matter! In calling for specific steps towards disarmament, the West had won at least a tactical victory. But was there more to it than that? Did the West's proposal add anything to the fruitless debate that has gone on so many years-some channel of hope that might lead to a Russian "Da" instead of the customary "Nyet?" Britain's Anthony Eden, in a speech noted for its moderation, thought that it did. First, he said, the suggested procedure of dealing with the simpler categories of armaments before going on to the more secret and complex was new. Another new proposal was to seek agreement on a basis (like population or national production) for regulating the size of armed forces And in the third place, the readiness to include atomic weapons and conventional arms in the same system of disclosure and verification was a fresh concession to the viewpoint long held by Russia. How Would Russia Go About Disarming? Possibly moved by the rebuke of many speakers to hu laughter, Mr. Vishinsky took the unprecedented step of asking to speak again in the general debate. This time, he showed evidence of having read the West's proposal, but his own differed little from others Russia has presented in the past. Un conditional prohibition of atomic weapons, one-third reduction of conventional armaments and armed forces by the great powers, announcement of the present status of their own armaments, and the checking of this information by an international control organ "within the framework of the Security Council" where the veto would prevail; these remain the Russian recipe for disarmament. He accused the West of "a propaganda maneuver" to mask re-armament and delay disarmament. Is Inspection Practical? U.S. Secretary of State Acheson sought to reach the core of the difficulty when discussion opened in the Political Committee "Inspection," he said, "would have to be carried out by men who are nationals of countries other than the one being inspected." Like bank examiners, they must be allowed to pry around and report so that "everybody knows, everbody in the world knows, what the situation is in regard to armaments," Apart from this condition, Mr. Acheson waved aside all other demands for demonstrations of good faith with which he had hedged the West's proposal in his first statement. He denied that the U.S.A. would seek to dominate the proposed disarmament commission. He assumed that fighting in Korea would be over "much sooner than these difficult questions can be worked out." If Russia would only consent to lift the Iron Curtain for international inspection, everything else can be worked out, Mr. Acheson contended. After the Russian delegate had categorically rejected the West's Plan for disarmament, Iran, Pakistan, and Syria proposed private talks to iron out differences in an atmosphere free from the temptations of public debate. Britain, France, and U.S.A. accepted this proposal. To roll aside the cloud of propaganda that has surrounded this most crucial problem of disarmament to prepare a practical, fool-proof plan for disclosure, verification, and reduction by stages -is the task now being undertaken by the General Assembly. While Russia says "No" such a plan cannot be put into effect, but it would be ready for the day when circumstances might dictate to the Soviet Union a different response. Why Were These Issues Shelved? It is rare for the General Assembly to refuse to discuss any issue. But the vote to deny a place on the agenda for the question of seating Communist China in the United Nations was 37-11. Though the Bur mese delegate said that he had just returned from China and "was personally convinced that its government was honest and sincere and effectively in office"-an increasing number of nations seemed to agree with Mr. Acheson that "the international conduct of Communist China was so low that it would take considerable improvement to raise it to the general level of barbarism." The Assembly's General Committee also recommended postponement of debate "for the time being" on charges that France is violating human rights in Morocco. The Arab states challenged this decision, and may bring the matter before a plenary session. Meanwhile, they raised it in the Trusteeship Committee which is discussing the reports of colonial powers. With similar questions raised concerning Aden, Cyprus, and British Honduras, a resolution was submitted by Iraq that would allow the committee to discuss "political aspects and political matters" in the dependent territories, but was later withdrawn.