Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-04-22

d Arne
members, but only on council recon-
mendation. 1t would elect the six
rotating nations to the council and set
the budget.
3. The international court would de-
eide some of the disputes and offer
advice to the council. The planners
would like to see the court real part
of the organization, responsible for de-
Gliding "justifiable" issues-that is, dis
putes for which some international law
exists. There will be serious debate over
whether or not the courts decisions
should be backed by armed force.
4. The military staff committee,
composed of the chiefs of staff of the
Big Five, would advise the council.
S. The economic and social council,
of 10 nations, elected by the assembly,
would do just what its name says
discuss economic and social measures to
expand the four freedoms freedom
from fear and want, and religious liberty
and free speech.
San Francisco will have to decide
just how far each section could go.
May Ask Changes.
Some nations are expected to ask the
conference to make changes in the
Dumbarton Oaks plan:
/. Most of the small nations, certainly
the Latin Americas, want more power
for the assembly. How much, they
haven't said.
2. Brazil is asking that the council
add seat for one more permanent
member to be reserved for some Latin
American country 1t argues that the
permanent council seat of the United
States is not enough to represent the
entire Western Hemisphere. Other
Latin Americans simply want it UNDER
stood that two of the councils rotating
seats would always be held by any two
Latin Americans.
8. The French (who are asking several
amendments to insure that military
action can be swift want three of the
rotating council seats always to be held
by nations able to meet military re-
sponsibilities, such as Canada or Aus
tralia.
4. The French also want half of the
10 seats on the economic and social
council held by the nine states most
important economically" That would
no doubt insure France a permanent
seat. Once the world settles down to
peace experts believe the economic
council would have much greater day.
to-day importance than the security
council. The council would be kingpin
only when war threatened.
Dutch Would Define Peace.
s. The Dutch, supported by the Latin
| Americans, feel that the Oaks proposals
concentrate so much on means for
keeping the peace that they don't say
what kind of peace The Dutch want
some statement of principle, such as
"a just peace" This may cause real
debate It would be difficult to write
such a principle without guaranteeing
| borders, thing the United States has
been reluctant to do and which England
refused to do for Czechoslovakia.
6. American delegates have agreed to
| back a plan permitting the Assembly to
| recommendation not force-revision Of
| peace treaties growing out of the war.
This plan grew out of recommendations
by Senator Vandenberg, Republican, Of
Michigan, one of the delegates.
The battle over council voting pro-
cedure has already had much unofficial
debate in the worlds newspapers. Here's
the situation:
At Dumbarton Oaks Russia insisted
that all the Big Five must vote yes
before the world organization could
decide to stop or punish future war
maker That meant. obviously, that if
one of the Big Five voted no none Of
the other nations could move.
New Plan Proposed.
There was such wide protest against
the plan that at Yalta the Big Three
chiefs decided to split this veto power.
United States, Britain and Russia will
offer this plan at San Francisco:
/. When the security council is only
debating whether a nation is threatening
the peace, or when it recommends
peaceful solutions, the council majority
vote need include only those Big Five
nations not involved in the dispute.
2. But when it comes to cutting off .
nation economically, or sending troops
against it, the majority vote of seven
must include all the Big Five-even If
one of them is involved.
The idea is that if the big powers
split on so important vote as war
vote it probably would mean war
anyway.
Vague About Duties.
The Oaks plan is vague about the
duties of the economic and social coun-
Gil. 1t might be the agency before
which the world could arrange to cut
tariffs and erase trade quotas and pro-
pose plans to aid exploited labor, to
protect the health of dependent peoples
and aid their education.
Comdr. Harold E. Stassen, one of the
United States delegates, has suggested
that the world should lay down at least
one common right for all men: A world
law that no nation could Execute a
man without just trial" Presumably
the council could debate that suggestion.
The chances are, too, that this council
would draw the job of promsting inter-
national freedom of news and COM
munications.