Evening star., 1945-12-19
WeIIes Sheds Light
On Peace Transition
Writer Sees Pause Accomplished
Before Setting up UNO
BY David Laurence

DeIOre Oettln2 up OI%O
BY David Laurence
What Sumner Welles, former Under
secretary of State, told the committee
investigating the Pearl Harbor tragedy
about his conversations with the late
President Roosevelt in mid-August.
1941, throws light on the hitherto un-
explained insistence of both the WASH
ington and London governments on .
transition" period before setting UP
an international organization to pre-
serve peace.
Welles to have feared the isolationist
sentiment in the United States if he
agreed to a revival of the League of
Nations Assembly. Apparently the Brit.
ish government wanted in 1941 some
kind Of declaration for an international
organization which would be interpreted
as definite promise of American par
ticipation in the settlements following
the war. Prime Minister Churchill is
revealed as having thought it would be
heartening to his people and the Allied
peoples generally.
Anticipated Friction.
The late President, on the other hand,
Is pictured as having an eye on do
mestic political friction. He knew from
his experience in 1919 and 1920 that
whatever he agreed to would be seized
on as a basis for criticism If he ap-
peared to go along with another League
Of Nations. Yet, as Mr.. Welles ex-
plains it, what Mr.. Roosevelt wanted
a transition period during which Great
Britain and the United States formed
some kind of international police force
would have been much more likely to
stir up opposition.
The ideas of Mr. Roosevelt in favor
OF transition period were reflected in
various ways and were discussed in a
magazine article by writer's with access
to the State Department paper so
that the country learned soon enough
about the proposed transition period
Fortunately, the proposal itself came ini
for severe criticism and was eventually
dropped at Yalta, where Mr. Roosevelt
began to realize that only by the early
establishment of an international or
ganization could the way be opened at
all to an attainment of the ideals which
had been written into the Atlantic
Charter.
1t would not be surprising, however,
II it developed that the Russians, on
the other hand, got from Mr.. Roose-
velt's point of view the foundation for
their oft-repeated contention that the
United Nations Organization is all right
as an ultimate goal but that the set
Elements growing out of the war in
Europe must be made solely by the
three big victors-the United States,
Russia and Great Britain. Again and
again the French have been excluded
from certain Big Three discussions be-
cause of the insistence of the Russians
that the victors alone have the right
to make these settlements.
Valuable Concession.
| The American Government began to
realize shortly after the death of Presi-
dent Roosevelt that the promise which
he had obtained at Yalta for an early
meeting on the United Nations Organ
ization was the most valuable conces-
sion derived from the many confer
ences with the Russians 1t was for
this reason that President Truman,
within "a hours after taking the oath
OF ohice, announced that the San Fran
cisco meeting should be held as planned.
Some American officials and advisers
still have hopes that the United Ma
tions Organization can some day revise
some of the European settlements which
are being made under the. impassioned
conditions OF the hour.
The fear that the world might de-
mand some such revision led the Rus
slams to insist on the veto power in the
Security Council of the new organiza-
ton. Looking back over what San
Francisco accomplished in writing into
the Charter certain provision spon-
sored by Senator Vandenberg for thA
investigation at any time of any sub
ject threatening world peace, 1t begins
to appear that check on unwise ac-
tion now has been provided for the
future, though, to be sure, the tran
sition" period which Mr. Roosevelt en-
visioned is actually coming to pass. ~
1t would not be surprising if those
familiar with the late Presidents views
would some day reveal that he switched
from his August 194l views and came
to realize that it was imperative that
an international assembly be set up
Immediately after the wars end.
Reproduction rights reserved3