Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-10
.Purley Seen Forced
Into Narrow Course

d INV sN01IOW SOOU Dc
Molotov Left Behind Only Vague
Promises, Says Observer
BY David Laurence
SAN FRANCISCO. May 1o.-Foreisn
Commissar Molotov has left behind him
the wreckage of great hope, namely,
that this world was ready for collective
security by means of an international
organization which would enforce peace
against any or all nations, large or small.
Instead Mr.. Molotov has committed
the United Nations Conference to
narrow course, namely, that special al
liances between two or more nations
shall, for the present at least, maintain
peace. He holds out the vague promise
that at some future time there will pe
collective security, but not now.
A system of special agreements has
been given validity. Out of it could
grow broader scheme some day, but
that's in the dim future. There could
even be drafted new five-power treaty
to guarantee against renewal OF agrees
sion by present enemy states, somewhat
as Senator Vandenberg proposed last
January, but that, too, is in the future
realm OF diplomacy. In any event. MIR.
Molotov says that in the interim the set
Of alliances Russia has built up in Eu-
rope must stand.
What has happened may be surprise
to the American people, who placed such
high hopes on what could be accom-
plished at the San Francisco Confer
ence. But it will serve no good purpose
to conceal the significance of these fail
ures or to assume that, because our
course has been frustrated, we must stop
hoping or stop trying in the future to
get better result.
Russia Wants Peace.
There's no use either in giving eoun-
tenanee to the silly talk of a possible
clash some day with Soviet Russia. Such
a suspicion wholly misconstrues what
has happened in San Francisco. For
Russia really wants peace. The last
thing in the world she wants Is any
conflict with the United States. Her
position is plainly one of isolation and
intense nationalism, and in that respect
her evolution has reached the point
where the United States was in 1920
It took Is years to change Americas
thinking. Perhaps Russia's may be
changed sooner by moral suasion and
debate.
At FIRST officials here were bewildered
by the Russian technique and tactics
in the conference. Now there is no
longer any bewilderment For Russia
has made it clear, through Mr.. Molotov
that she does not intend to allow any
limitations on her sovereignty. She re-
CARDS her bilateral treaty with France
and her treaty with Czechoslovakia as
meaning that these countries have the
right to join with her at any time to
renew the war against the present
enemy states. If the Security Council
objects, then, of course, the Russian
power of veto given her at Yalta pre-
vents the council from doing anything
coercive about it.
Russia, on the other hand. frankly
invites all other countries to make
similar treaties of alliance. The United
States and Russia thus could make one
and the, United States and Britain
could do likewise. This merely means
Mat Russia thinks each nation should
have free hand to ignore the Inter-
national Security Organization II that
course seems desirable in dealing with
resurgent Germany, or with activities
in neighboring countries that are dis
tasteful to Russia and presumably help
full to Germany.
The moment these special treaties
were excluded from the Security Coun-
ellis jurisdiction, the way was opened
for special alliances and regional agree
ments to operate independently every
where. This Immediately raised among
the Latin-American states the question
of the status of the Act of Chapultepec,
which among other things, requires
action by any or all signatories against
any aggressor inside or outside this
hemisphere threatening any American
state. The terms of this treaty are in
conflict with the provisions of the Dunn
barton Oaks plan. which say force can
not be invoked except by the Security
Council and, of course, Russia has a
veto on that council. So Mr.. Molotov
as matters stand now, has a veto on
any military action inside this hemi-
phere and we have none insofar as the
use of force under regional agreements
or treaties in Europe is concerned.
President Truman has been asked by
the American delegation to guide them
in formulating our policy. Shall we
insist on right to voice in Europe
because We have already granted Rus
STA and other countries a voice in the
affairs of this hemisphere Or should
we postpone the whole issue by merely
stating, as did Russia, that all these
special treaties, including the Act of
Chapultepec, should remain in force
until such time as the governments
concerned felt that the International
Security Organization was really in a
position to undertake the accomplish
ment Of the tasks of preventing aggres-
sion laid down in these treaties"
This is not permanent solution at
all, but it may be adopted as one means
of deferring until a later international
conference the question OF how peace
is to be enforced.
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