Evening star., 1944-10-29

arc ShcptlCdl ONcT IIic
new international organization as it has
been drafted at Dumbarton Oaks by rep
resentative of the big four.
They believe that so long as the many
political differences among the principal
guardians of world peace have not been
eliminated, the entire plan may suffer
from the same troubles as are now be-
setting UNRRA. These same observers
leave aside the important fact that the
representatives of the United States,
Great Britain and Russia were COM
PEELED to leave unsolved the question of
whether the veto right can be exercised
by any one power in the event another
becomes involved in an act which might
be interpreted as an aggression.
The UNRRA, which was conceived by
men with the sole aim of aiding human
ity, is badly needed by the starving peo-
pie of the world. Since it Is not intend
ed to be partisan organization, no one
could logically have any objection to its
agents, who are international" officials
representing many nations. races and
creeds, going into the suffering liberated
territories to distribute food, clothing
and medicine.
No Discrimination Permitted.
Yet, some heavy handicaps already
have been placed on its path. All the
efforts of its director, who happens to be
an American, former Gov. Herbert n.
Lehman of New York, to send shiploads
to the suffering Poles and Yugoslavs
have met with polite refusal. The
reason for this refusal was that the
director has insisted on strict observ-
ance Of the UNRRA resolutions, which
without exception were adopted at At
lantic City last year by all the repre-
sentatives of the participating nations
In addressing the Polish government
in Lublin and Marshal Tito's govern
ment Of Yugoslavia, Mr. Lehman has
asked permission to send goods to the
people Of those areas escorted by care
fully picked supervising staff. This he
had to DO because the first paragraph
of the seventh resolution of UNRRA,
dealing with the relief and rehabilita-
ton policies, provides specifically that
"at no time shall relief and rehabil-
itation supplies be used as political
weapon and no discrimination shall be
made in the distribution of relief sup
plies because of race, creed or political
belief
In order to fulfill this obligation con-
scientiously, Mr.. Lehman feels that there
must be nonpartisan supervising body
which shall see that the supplies are not
used to promote the cause of this or that
political organization Of political buc-
cancers Mr.. Lehman's requests to both
provisional and internationally unrecog-
nized governments were turned down.
Following the advice of political experts,
he sought an invitation to Moscow in
the hope that Premier Stain, whose
word is law with these two provisional
governments, might lend helping hand.
Millions without Aid.
The Russian Premier must remember
how the American relief distribution was
carried out in the years of intense
famine in Russia after the World War,
n
expected assistance for the work of his
good Samaritans from that quarter. The
Moscow government in September &C
ceded to Mr. Lehman's request, but
early this month withdrew its assistance
temporarily"
In the meantime, winter is coming and
there will be many millions who will not
be aided by supplies from the United
States. The Russian government Is said
to be in position to help directly by
diverting to Poland and Yugoslavia some
of the supplies it receives under lease
lend from the United States and some
of the excess crops from Siberia. This
was confirmed in a statement made by
Marshal Tito, who said 100000 tons of
corn were expected in Yugoslavia from
Russia.
But political observers, while not TAX
ing too tragically the present f1asco of
the UNRRA, draw parallel between
what is happening in that international
organization and what may happen in
the far more important setup planned
at Dumbarton Oaks.
Those who read history cannot help
but think that the main source of in
spiration of the planners for lasting
peace was derived from no other docu-
ment than the Holy Alliance of 1915. Al
that time America was not yet in the
picture as world power and the Far
East was still closed book. Hence, the
agreements dealt with Europe exclu-
sively.
-Four Great Powers"
BY the Congress of Vienna in 1915 il
was laid down as law for Europe that
there were five great powers: England
France, Russia, Prussia and Austria. A
similar decision was taken at Dunbar
ton Oaks, where it was decreed that
there were four great world powers
The United States, Britain, China and
the U. S. S. R. But it also was provided
that France would be added as the fifth
power when the heads of states get to-
gether at final meeting.
The Congress Of Vienna divided the
rest Of the European states in secondary
and third-rate nations, the latter being
under the wing of one of the great pow
ers. This Dumbarton Oaks does no,
provide explicitly, but the fact that Rus.
sia insists that certain number o1
states at or near her borders shoule
have friendly governments" handpickee
by Moscow, and the fact that Britain
insists that some other states such a.
Greece and possibly some sections ol
Italy should be in her sphere of influ
ence. brings the matter to the vienns
Congress level.
The moot subject of the veto" which
could not be solved by the minor ofYicial.