Evening star., 1945-04-03
Conference Foes Seek
Any Excuse for PorIey
u. S. From Start Alone in Desire
to Organize League, Says Writer

u. S. From Start Alone in Desire
to Organize League, Says Writer
By David Laurence
Talk of postponement of the San
Francisco Conference is not unexpected.
The American Government has been
alone from the outset in its desire to
organize the United Nations into a
general international organization dur
ing the war and without waiting in
definitely to accomplish that purpose.
1t is natural, therefore, that the ele-
ments which have not wanted to hold
the conference during the war should
seize upon any excuse to bring about a
postponement.
The excuse now is that big events
will be happening soon in Europe and
that some of the important officials in
various governments will be needed at
home. This may be true, but there Is
no reason why any government should
hesitate to attend conference because
one or more of it's cabinet officers have
other pressing tasks at hand.
The United States Government has
been pressing for the meeting of the
United Nations. and the setting of the
April rs date was in sense one of the
few things the President got out Of
Yalta. After all, America wants no
territory or reparations or any sphere
of influence - in fact, nothing is
wanted out of this war except a ma
chinery to prevent another war.
Job for Jurists.
Under the circumstances, the Lead
ership of the United States ought to
be sufficiently powerful at this time to
persuade Britain and Russia to go
along with the plan set at Yalta. Maybe
Anthony Eden will not be able to come,
as he may be needed in London, and
maybe there will have to be other
changes in the personnel of the British
delegation but this ought not to in
terfere with the holding of the con-
ference.
1t may we'll be that American COM
mentators who have interpreted Stains
decision to keep Foreign Minister Molo-
tov in Moscow and let the Russian AM
bassador to Washington handle the San
Francisco Conference as a disparaging
move, have overlooked the possibility
that military triumphs in Europe will
create new political problems which re-
quire Molotov's assistance.
AS matter of fact, the writing of
the San Francisco charter is a job for
jurists or men versed in international
law and the proceedings of interna-
tional conferences 1t would be healthy
turn of events if the strictly political
statesmen were not present anyway and
conference of jurists could adopt
workable charter based on fundamental
principles of international intercourse.
Also in these days of rapid communi-
cation by plane and telephone, it is
possible for Anthony Eden to come to
| Washington for a few days this month
| and confer with the American delega-
ton and get back to Europe the same
/ week. He can keep in touch with the
San Francisco conference through his
able envoy, Lord Halifax.
Device to XIII Ideas.
| Pressure to postpone is one of the
devices used to kill legisla ton in parlia-
ments and congresses, but it also is
true of international bodies. During
the early part of 1919 the Republicans
in the Senate, as well as certain ele-
that President Wilson postpone the
creation of a League of Nations until
the peace conference was over. He
knew that if the drafting of the League
Covenant was postponed, it would mean
none would ever be written. That's why
he tried so hard to keep the treaty and
the League of Nations interviewer.
Critics have since arisen to say this
was a mistake and that he should have
agreed to postponement. But the events
of this week show conclusively how ef-
forts to postpone can be used to kill
the whole idea of Dumbarton Oaks.
There isn't any really persuasive rea-
| son for postponing conference on
| the setting up of an international or
! ganization to preserve peace and pre-
| vent a third world war 1t is to accom-
| plish this purpose that millions of
American boys are supposed 10 be fight
ing overseas. Certainly the carving up
of Germany or the setting up of small
puppet states or spheres of influence is
not the aim of the United States In
this war. But the establishment of a
mechanism to prevent a third world
war is decidedly an American war aim
/ The American forum for discussion
can have powerful influence on the
making of worthwhile charter at San
Francisco. Intrigue and backstairs ma
| neuvers can be brought into the open
by an alert press. The President doubt
less is being importuned by diplomatic
messages to defer the conference, but
he would be making a cardinal mistake
if he agrees to do so. The prestige Of
the Dumbarton Oaks plan would be i'm
measurably damaged
Conversely, to hold the conference
now in the face of obstacles is to re-
new the faith of peace-loving peoples
everywhere that the main objective
for which the war is being fought is
not being neglected.
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