Evening star., 1945-05-18
Showdown Is Near
On Big Powers Plan
For Veto Control
BY JOHN M. HIGHTOWER,
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BY JOHN M. HIGHTOWER.
Associated Press stan Writer.
SAN FRANCISCO. May 1s.-
The outspoken opposition ol
many small nations to the big
power plan for a veto control o1
future peace-keeping machinery
today nears a United Nations
Conference test vote. 81
1t appears possible that the BIZ
Five-the United States, Russia
China, Britain and France-may
accept some modification of the vett
where peaceful settlements of dis,
putes is concerned, although Russis
could block this. They all stane
firmly on the proposal that no force
should be used against any natior
except when all five agree
Prospects are that on a showdown
the powers can put over the voting
formula as they want it with the
argument that unless they stick to-
gether on great international issues
of the future no peace-keeping
league can hope to prevent war.
Other Developments.
AS the battle of the veto builds up
in one of the key committees, other
conference developments include:
. l. Considerable support, appar-
emily enough to put it over, is form
ing behind an Australian proposal
to pledge the United Nations to re-
spect each others territorial integ-
rity and political independence.
The small nations want this as a
protection against possible power
land-grabs and also as an approach
to defending what constitutes ag-
gression. The big powers seem dis
posed to accept it.
2. Strong opposition is growing
against proposal. discussed in
some conference committees, to al
low nations to limit the areas in
which their forces might be used to
enforce peace. The big powers par
ticularly are opposed to this. For
example, it would have the effect of
saying the United States could
pledge it's peace-keeping forces to
act in the Western Hemisphere but
nowhere else in the world.
g. Hot and heavy argument con-
tinues over Russia's recommended
ton that colonial peoples under in
ternational control should be prom
ised independence. The United
States and Britain claim the goal
should be lf-government. China
has brought forth compromise
that the promise be for either in
dependence or self government.
Britain and the United States are
against the compromise also.
No Serious Differences.
The argument over the veto vot-
ing formula finds the big powers
not entirely agreed on possible con-
cessions, although indications are
against any serious differences. The
evidence is that the United States
and Britain would be willing to ac-
cept some modification but Russia
might not.
The argument goes back to the
Dumbarton Oaks meeting at Wash
ington last fall when the Big Three
laid down the plan for a world Sc
curity council of II nations-With
themselves. China and France hold
ing permanent seats-but failed to
agree on how the II nations should
vote.
AT Yalta, in February, the late
President Roosevelt, Prime Minis
ter Churchill and Premier Stain
worked out a compromise. 1t pro-
vides in general that when there is
a question of using force to preserve
or restore peace the Big Five must
vote together and, with any two
of the other six council members,
they would make up the needed ma
jority of seven.
Thus if one of the Big Five voted
mo" the council could not take ac-
ton.
But the Yalta formula splits the
question of peaceful settlement OF
disputes apart from that of using
force. On this it provides that none
of the members of the council should
have vote when it is merely ac-
cused of trouble-making and when
only peaceful efforts are under way
to settle the trouble.
Sir Alexander Cadogan of the
British delegation explained all this
to conference committee yesterday,
under questioning by Prime Minis
ter Peter Fraser of New Zealand.
According to one report. his re-
plies pointed the way to some modi-
fications He is said to have ex-
pressed the view that under the
Yalta formula there would be no
veto on having the council consider
a dispute American opinion has
been that while an accused nation
could not vote in such case one of
the other powers still might veto it,
under the Yalta formula.
Any threatening situation could
be Investigated, whether or not it
involved big power, he said, add
ing that results of an investigation
could be made known by the council.
However, he told Mr. Fraser and
the committee that the council
would not be able formally to brand
a great power as an agreSsor. Her.
bert v. Evatt, Australia's minister
for external affairs, said that his
nation was very strong for eliminat-
ing any kind of veto by any of the
big powers over the investigation
and peaceful settlement of disputes.
Both the United States and
Britain are understood to be SYM
pathetic with his view.
Dn4nx Calm Will Inhnril