Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-10-25
Dumbarton Oaks Offers Peace Plan
New League of Nations Force Back of Decisions; Russia
Objection; Vital Issue for Americans

New League OF Nations Force Back OF DECISIONS; RuSSIaS
Objection; Vital Issue for Americans
The peoples of the world, regardless of race, creed 0 color, are
time. Therefore, we should all be interested in what has been accom-
pished at Dumbarton Oaks, where the representatives of the United
on tentative plans. President Roosevelt and his rival, Governor Dewey,
agree that substantial progress has been made. Marshal Stain approves
in principle"
1t is proposed to set up a new kind of League of Nations. Peace
loving nations, large and small will be granted membership in the
vast powers vested in the Council consisting of Il members. Five
will be permanent-the United States, Great Britain, Russia, China and
The Council may do almost anything to preserve peace. Nations
which refuse to submit their grievances to the tribunal set up may be
'quarantned" in the most drastic fashion. If necessary, armed forces
of unlimited strength will be moved against them.
The new League will be empowered to do many things for the
social and economic benefit of mankind. Here lies a vast field of
hmtless possibilities.
All plans are tentative, as we have suggested. For example, two
very grave points have not been determined:
Russia insists that if a member of the Council is charged with
make it impossible to condemn any power which is likely to start a
major war. The Russians take the position that if the United States
of consequence, but if they can't stand together, it would be futile to
attempt to condema each other.
An effort will be made to induce Marshal Stain to agree to some
acceptable compromise, but. frankly, those who arc "in the know
in Washington are not very hopeful.
Then there is something that touches Americans o a very tender
spot !. IS proposed that our representative on the Council shall have
authority to order troops into action against a aggressor, without
consulting our Congress. Senator Ball Rep, Mimi is very much in
favor of that arrangement.
He insists that our representative on the Council would not be
declaring war but would be keeping the peace"
The average American will not be able to see much difference be-
tween the two. However, he will appreciate that it is proposed to set
aside a provision of the Constitution which vests in Congress sole power
to declare wa and to transfer that power, without check, to some
gentleman appointed by the President but never elected by the people.
Members of the Dumbarton Oaks conference decided the provision
was too hot for them, 20 they put is aside for future consideration.
Thus, while Dumbarton Oaks produced an extremely interesting
document, som grave issues remain to be decided. The old world has
been fighting for % many centuries that it won't be easy to induce it
to reform.
Enduring progress can only be achieved by frank and full dis
cussion. We an afford to take reasonable time, for Hitler and his
satellites will soon be down and out and Japan will succumb in due
course.
There will be no immediate danger of another great war. Therefore
we can pause long enough to determine what w are doing and why
Labor.