Evening star., 1945-05-22

nifty for full and free discussion and
care in drafting the charter must
not be sacrificed for speed alone.
Several recommendations have
been made to limit debate in the
working committees, among them a
proposal that no person be allowed
to speak more than twice on the
same subject-the first time for 10
minutes and the second for 5. Work
of the committees has Jagged be-
cause of protracted debate.
Some progress was made yester-
day on one of the big problems be-
fore the conference.-the Yalta vot-
ing formula which gives to each one
of the five permanent members of
the security council the right of
veto. This cameI up for discussion
in the committee on structure and
procedure of the security council.
A number of amendments have
been offered by medium and smaller
countries to limit the veto power,
particularly the power to veto the
use of peaceful methods of settle
ment in case of a dispute between
nations.
Generally speaking. the smaller
nations are seeking to change this,
while the United States, Britain,
Russia, China and France are re-
sisting amendment of the Yalta
formula.
Amendments Offered.
How far the revolt of the small
nations will go remains to be SEEN
Australia has an amendment which
would allow no veto by the big pow
ers against the use of peaceful
methods of settlement. Others along
the same line have been offered by
Cuba, Greece and Egypt.
In the committee debate yester-
day, when no decision was reached,
Greece. Cuba, the Philippines, Brazil
and Bolivia spoke out in support of
proposals to give the medium and
smaller nations greater equality in
the voting arrangements by denying
the five big powers authority, indi-
vidually, to veto the use of peaceful
measures to settle disputes.
Australian Foreign Minister Her
bert V. Evatt is leading the revolt.
He insists that 1t is incredible that
a power not a party to a dispute
should have power to veto q peace
full settlement when that right was
refused to nation which is a party
to a dispute.
South Africa and Yugoslavia, on
the other hand, declared they in
tended to stand by the Yalta for
mula, as it applied to both peace
full measures and enforcement
measures of settlement
The arguments for support of the
Yalta formula are that it is a pre-
requisite of unanimity among the
big powers on which will fall pri-
marily the job of keeping the peace;
that it will stimulate the Big Five to
work together, realizing their re-
sponsibilities.
CIouded by Various interpretations.
Several of the nations are reserv-
ing their judgment until they have
the report of a subcommittee en-
gagged in clarifying" the exact
meaning of the Yalta voting formula.
which has been clouded by various
interpretations.
There has cropped up a deter
mined move to give any nation not
member of the security council an
opportunity to vote on sending its
army and navy quotas to enforce
peace.
The Canadians have presented an
amendment to this end, and the
Dutch are backing it to the limit.
Indeed, it has been said that the
Dutch will not sign the charter un-
less such an amendment Is accepted.
They argued that if the youth of
country is to be plunged into war,
that country must have a right to
vote on the proposal.
The demand is not for an actual
veto, but for the, right to pass on
the matter along with the nations
represented on the council. II the
council then votes for the use of
armed forces, the Dutch will 60
along. But they want at least rep
resentation in vote that sends their
men to war.