Evening star., 1945-06-04
Hopeof Settling
Dispute on Veto
L
Power Gains
PorIey Sidetrocks
Issue to Await
Moscow's Reply
BY GOULD LINCOLN,
Star STAFF Correspondent.

1&@A' AS&AA<SAASS, AllC T.
The "veto" issue is back in Mos
cows lap.
The position of the United States,
Great Britain, China and France on
the Interpretation of the Yalta vot-
ing formula for the security council
OF the United Nations, insisting that
the veto reserved to the Big Five
powers shall not apply to discus
sion" OF international disputes, has
been put up to his government by
Soviet Ambassador Andrei Gromyko.
Until further word has been re-
ceived from Moscow, discussion of
this issue has been laid aside tenn
porarily by the Big Five at the
United Nations Conference.
A greater spirit of optimism that
way out of the impasse will be
found was evident in conference cir
cles today.
The area of disagreement, it was
pointed out. is small, but important
Unless it is finally wiped out en-
tlrely there may be serious, if not
disastrous, consequences to the estab-
lishment of the United Nations Or
ganization for peace.
Question of Interpretation.
There is no question-in the Big
Five discussion of this issue-of
changing the Yalta voting formula.
with its provision that any of the
Big Five can veto important action
by the security council The Big Five,
including the United States, are
agreed on that.
1t is, therefore, a question of in
terpretation-with the Russians
holding that the veto accorded the
five permanent members of the
security council can be used to pre-
vent discussion" of any interna-
tional dispute and the other four in
sisting that it shall not be so used.
American delegates insisted to-
day that the issue with Russia was
still in the negotiations stage
that the seeming impasse has not
become final and may yet be cleared
up.
They made 1t extremely clear.
however. there would be no change
in the United States position. One
went so far as to say that he did not
believe a majority of the delega-
ton ever would approve the char
ter unless discussion is clearly free
Of the veto provision. Nor was it
believed that the Senate would
ratify the treaty which is expected
to come out of San Francisco unless
that were SO.
misunderstanding Seen.
In seeking a way out of the
deadlock, American officials evi-
IDENTIFY are hoping that Moscow has
somehow misunderstood what the
United States is driving at in up
holding the principle of free dis
cussion. For they argue that, veto
or not, the council could not as a
practical matter take any sort of
vote until it had discussed the ques-
ton on which it was voting.
There is some speculation that
since Harry Hopkins, President Tru-
mans special envoy, has prolonged
his stay in the Russian capital, he
may be instructed to discuss the
matter directly with Premier Stain.
The four members of the Big Five
who are supporting freedom of dis
cussion find themselves between two
fires. On the one side is a group of
medium and smaller nations which
are demanding "softening" of the
veto as it relates to peaceful meas
ures of settling international dis
putes, and to charter amendments.
On the other side stands Russia.
which is demanding a hardening"
of the veto.
Confidence was expressed, how
ever, that if the four powers remain
firm, neither the medium and small
nations nor Russia will be willing to
stand before the world as having
killed the proposed United Nations
organization.
Next Step Up to Russia.
The next step, however, is up to
Russia. If she does not come to
some agreement with the other
(See LINCOLN. Page A-3D