Evening star., 1945-01-19
Crews Speech Seen
Bow to Expediency
Franco-Russian Treaty at Odds
With Oaks Plan, Says Writer
By David Laurence

principle seems to have lost again.
Undersecretary Grew In a speech de-
clares that the State Department sees
nothing inconsistent between special
alliances that have been negotiated re-
Gently and the Dumbarton Oaks plan.f
If the United States Government. OF
course. does not wish to see anything
inconsistent in those alliances, then
probably no other country will raise
any objection, but the terms of the
Franco Russian alliance, as well as the
Czechoslovak- Russian alliance, appears
to be plainly inconsistent with the
Dumbarton Oaks plan. That plan pro-
vides.
Nothing in the charter should pre-
clude the existence of regional arrange
ments or agencies for dealing with such
matters relating to the maintenance of
international peace and security as are
appropriate for regional action, pro-
vided such arrangements or agencies
and their activities are consistent with
the purposes and principles of the
organization"
Stronger Language.
Much stronger language was used in
the Covenant of the League of Nations,
which states in Article 20:
The members of the League severally
agree that this Covenant is accepted
as abrogating all obligations or under
standings inter Sc which are inconsist-
ent with the terms thereof, and solemly
undertake that they will not hereafter
enter into any engagements inconsistent
with the terms thereof.
I'm case any member of the League
shall, before becoming member of the
League, have undertaken any obIga-
tons inconsistent with the terms of this
Covenant, it shall be the duty of such
member to take immediate steps to
procure its release from such obliga-
tions"
Great Britain wisely provided in her
special treaty with Russia, signed in
June, 1912, for exactly the situation
that has now arisen. In that treaty,
which was to last 20 years, Great Brit
ain undertook to assist Russia in the
event of a rebirth of German aggression,
but stated that the clauses requiring
military aid shall remain in force only
until the high contracting parties by
mutual agreement shall recognize that
it is superseded by the adoption of the
proposals contemplated in Article g."
which specifically provided that both
Great Britain and Russia declared their
desire to unite with other states sin
adopting proposals for common action
| to preserve peace and resist aggression
| in the postwar period"
| In other words, pending the estab-
| lishmeat of an international organiza-
! tion, Great Britain promised Russia
! assistance against German aggression,
| but if an international organization
were set up, the pledge of military
assistance was to be abrogated by mu-
tual consent of Russia and Great Brit
! ain. Only in event of default in the
adoption of proposals by an interna-
tional organization was the treaty be-
tween Russia and Great Britain prom
ising mutual military assistance to be
continued for 20 years. 7sg E5a
Franco Russian Pact.
There is no such clause in the Franco,
Russian treaty of alliance and mutual
assistance, nor is any such clause to be
found in the alliance between Czecho-
slovakia and Russia. Reading the terms
of both these alliances it would appear
that France and Czechoslovakia are
committed to render aid to Russia. lr-
respective of whether the latter nation
| is herself guilty of aggression. Like
| wise. Russia must come to the aid of
| Czechoslovakia or France irrespective
| of what the Security Council may pre-
scribe
Under Article 5 of the Franco-Rus-
sian alliance, Russia and France "un-
dertake not to conclude any alliance
and not to take part in any coalition
directed against either of the high con-
tracing parties" This means, of course,
that If Russia at any time is accused
of aggression and the Security Council
of Dumbarton Oaks, by majority vote,
declares that Russia is an aggressor
both France and Czechoslovakia are
pledged to assist Russia, irrespective
| Va Vic NSAoII9 VI t1iS SCSuIlby SCuIiCAl
of the new League of Nations.
The champions of the Dumbarton
Oaks plan haze been proclaiming that
the Security Council alone would order
military action and that no nation
would be permitted to act of its own
accord in preserving the peace of the
world unless it had specific instructions
from the Security Council
When Senator Vandenberg recently
| proposed tnat the United States, Rus
sia and Britain enter into treaty
guaranteeing to use joint forces to
prevent the rebirth of aggression in
Germany, he added significantly that
such an agreement should last only
until such time as the larger interna-
tional organization could take over the
military problem envisaged by his pro-
posal He put limitation on it, just
as did the British in their treaty with
Russia
That is why it is so surprising to find
the State Department announcing in
advance of the completion of the Dunn
barton Oaks plan that the United
States approves alliances of the nature
entered into by both France and
Czechoslovakia with Russia.
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