Evening star., 1946-02-27

far less per annum than it spent
per hour on war.
So, Mr.. President, let's put this
big entry in the credit ledger. When
We look at London and at the first
t General Assembly of the United Ma
3 tlons, let's remember that its Or
] ganizationA phase was a phenom-
S enal success and a vigorous omen of
I nope Tor the tolerant corporations
t which are the life-blood of this ad-
venture in behalf of the collective
security for which men and women
S pray, in hundred different
E tongues; at the war-scarred hearth
t stones OF the world Again, in
/ athletic parlance, let's anticipate
5 that when the team" has PLAYED
5 together little longer 1t will be
, invincible.
5 Let's remember some other things
about this first General Assembly.
Atomic Energy Studies.
Let's remember that it initiated
the joint studies which should lead
TO the international control of
atomic energy, on basis requiring
adequate and dependable security
, and inspection arrangements as a
mandate prerequisite to any dis
closures. This is the way to save
civilization from the use of atomic
energy as lethal curse to human
kind
Let's remember that this Gen.
. eral Assembly-this town meeting
OF the world" - sounded reveille
against the famine which threat
ems countless peoples with pitiful
, determination. OF course, the call
, to service is not itself alone enough.
!, Action must follow words. But it is
heartening to find the world thus
equipped with a new and powerful
weapon with which to attack the
social and economic, as well as the
political, ails of the human family
everywhere.
Let's remember that this Gen.
eral AsSembly-this vocal conscience
OF the earth-unanimously offered
new hope to dependent peoples
everywhere through the expression
OF our mutual purpose to encourage
their government.
Let's remember that it pledged
itself to encourage a world wide
free press through instrumental
ties to be created at its next session
IN September. Black outs and iron
curtains are not the insignia of
liberty nor the trade marks of
peace.
Let's remember that this Cen
eral Assembly encouraged the hopes
OF war refugees-the pathetic dere-
licts OF recent confiict-by refusing,
ON decisive roll call, to sanction
their involuntary repatriation.
Let's remember. Mr.. President,
that this General Assembly has now
put itself in full position to pro-
ceed hereafter to implement dy-
manic Article XIV of the Charter. !
This means that it can recommend |
the peaceful adjustment of any
situation, regardless of origin, which |
1t deems likely to impair the gen.
eral welfare or to infringe upon
equal rights and self -determina-
tion of peoples. al
Achieved in 81 Days.
All this, and more, the General
Assembly did in 81 days! Let's put
this entry in the credit ledger.
NO; 1t Is not the whole story. I
shall come to that in a moment.
But 1t is enough of the story to
hearten men of good. will to refuse |
any defeatism in their attitudes |
and to carry on We have the I
greatest encouragements to believe |
that the United Nations can gather
strength and moral power to meet |
the major issues which may threaten
international peace and security:
or, as an alternative, to organize
the conscience OF the world against
any aggressor who defies these pre-
cepts.
All yes, you say, but how about
the Security Council? Well, let's
look at the Security Council. BY
all means, let's look at the Security
Council.
First, let's remember that the Sc
curity Council was put to unexpect-
ed test just six days after it came
into being-before it had anv of the
Charter instruments intended for
It's use-before it even had any rules
Tor its own procedure. That was
ike expecting a motor car to run on
one wheel. Or, changing the meta
phor, 1t was like asking Gen. Eisen-
mower to invade the continent 20
minutes after We declared war on
Germany. 1t took four years to in
tegrate the machine that won the
war. 1 respectfully submit, to those
who are impatient with the London
story, that we are entitled to at least
Few months of grace in the WIN
ming OF lasting peace Even if it
took as long as the winning of the
war, still it would be a miracle-in
the light of mans dismal failures
for 1900 years to follow in the
Footsteps of the Prince of Peace.
Or, again changing the metaphor,
would suggest study of our own
sWaddllng days and of the time and
travail involved in accommodating
ourselves to our own Constitution.
The truth is, that the brief, pre-
liminary record made by the Sc
curity Council is, under the cir
cumstances, much more notable for
what it did than for what it did not
do.
Four Controversies.
-Four controversies-each involv-
ing the presence of foreign troops in
lands other than their own-were
submitted to the Security Council
upon which sit Britain, China.
France, Russia, United States,
Egypt, Mexico, Netherlands, Aus
tralia, Brazil and Poland. In each
instance, after full hearing, the four
controversies were left, on concilia-
tory American initiative, to further
negotiations between the nations in
direct concern. But that qualifying
phrase-"after full hearing'-is of /
paramount Importance.
Mind you, these were the raw ma
terials out of which wars have
sprung in other days. But here the
contestants were mt meeting IN |