Evening star., 1945-05-28
Veto Clause Expected
To Remain in Charter
But Vandenbers Move Will Limit
Power of Any Nation,
Says Writer
Bv David Laurence

Says Writer
By David Laurence
Whatever the detailed phrasing Of the
United Nations charter may turn out to
be, the so-called veto power whereby
the security council will be prevented
from enforcing discipline on the major
powers will remain unchanged.
For several weeks the smaller powers
have striven for some modification so
that efforts to investigate an interna-
tional dispute shall not find the security
council likewise paralyzed by the veto
power.
But the commitment made at Yalta
stands and the American delegation at
San Francisco is bound to the position
taken by President Roosevelt at his con-
ference with Marshal Stain and Prime
Minister Churchill.
Is there any way, therefore, by which
the public opinion Of the world can be
mobilized against a country whose gov
ernment threatens to become an agres.
sor? Can the veto power be used to muz-
zle inquiry and publicity and the dis
closure Of the facts of dispute?
Called Real Question.
This is the real question that has been
bothering those critics of the Dunbar
ton Oaks Charter draft when the veto
power is placed in it. Fortunately the
American delegation has succeeded in
getting approval from all the other
Nd 80
an amendment to the charter initiated
by Senator Vandenberg OF Michigan
which permits the assembly of the
United Nations organization at all times
to investigate amy situation regardless
of origin"
This means that the assembly can
debate anything, even the question of
whether a particular dispute is or Is
not wholly internal. That Vandenberg
amendment is a limitation on the veto
power of any nation. 1t is true, of course,
that the assembly cannot debate a sub
ject If the security council has already
taken jurisdiction. But once the veto
power in the council has been exercised
so as to squelch any publicity or dis
ciplinary action, the assembly is free
to resume its debate and the publication
of all the facts or views it wishes to
place before the court of world opinion.
It is true that the assembly does not
meet often but sooner or later pro-
vision can be made for temporary COM
missions to permit hearings on dis
puted points and this would furnish a
forum.
What 1t all boils down to is that
| where the major powers are concerned
| no physical coercion can be applied but
the moral force and the power of pub
| licity and reason will not be inhibited
There are some observers who have in
sisted that this is all that can be done
anyway and that if the major powers
want to go to war or protect some
smaller nation which becomes involved
in dispute they can do so anyway.
Power Potential Vital.
This could, of course, happen but, on
the other hand. should such q course
be given legal sanction? Should the
veto power be used to prevent any ag-
gressor nation from being publicly ac-
cused before the whole world? Unhap-
PLY it can be so used in the security
council but not in the assembly where
| apparently the right to accuse will be
as broad as anyone could desire.
The important thing to be borne In
mind is that in the final analysis, if
moral force fails, the veto power In
the council cannot prevent the other
nations from going to war, too, in op-
position to aggression. So long as the
United States, for example, can decide
for itself whether it will join with
other countries to discipline major
power by the use of military force, the
real question is not the veto power in
security council but the potentiality
of our own armed forces plus the mill
tary power of those nations which agree
with us.
The United Nations charter will have
accomplished much if it creates a ma
chinery whereby the willful acts of ag-
gressor nations can be uncovered to
view so that peoples will be ready to
back up their governments in any steps
they may take to use military force tc
stop a threatened aggression or the
spread of a local conflict.
GReorodurtiop pirbts psssrvsAN