Evening star., 1946-12-31
More Atomic Delay

With Russia abstaining but voic-
ing fiat opposition to the idea of
vetoless punishment, yesterdays
vote in the Atomic Energy Com
mission means that the world is
still far from real action on the
most urgent phase of disarmament.
Last Friday, in blunt definition
of American policy, Mr. Baruch made
clear that vetoless punishment had
to be accepted or the United States
would refuse to enter into any con-
troll agreement or share its present
exclusive knowledge and possession
of atomic power. Despite this. and
despite the fact that our plan is
favored in it's essentials by the over
whelming majority of the twelve
nation commission, Russia has now
taken the position that suspension
of the veto to punish violators
would break the unanimity rule
established in the United Nations
Charter.
But under the American plan, as
explained repeatedly by Mr.. Baruch,
all steps leading to a treaty setting
up atomic control would require full
unanimity. Thus, there would have
to be unanimous agreement on the
creation of the proposed world au-
thority, and on the proposed inspec-
ton, system, and on the proposed
punishment procedure. Once the
treaty were ratified and in operation,
however, the day-to-day supervisory
and policing operations and the
punitive powers of the authority
would be entirely free from the veto.
. Apparently Russia is not opposed
to suspending the veto as regards the
day to-day operations, but while it
sees no violation of the U. N. Charter
in this, it raises the strongest legal
istic objections against vetoless pun
ishmept. This hardly seems logical.
If it is all right, by unanimous
agreement, to drop the veto from
one phase of control-an important
phase-why is it not equally all right
to drop it from another phase? The
fact is that the treaty would be
worked out under the Charter in
full accord with the Charters provi-
sions. To argue as the Russians
argue suggests that they are en-
gagged in pettifogging obstruction:
more than that, it suggests that they
do not want a genuinely effective
treaty.
Although supporting the American
plan, France, Canada and Britain
have voiced the belief in recent days
that Mr.. Baruch's insistence on Veto
less punishment is academic because,
IL the punishment stage were ever
reached, a war situation would OBJ
tain. Russia, however, has not made
the same point:sit has merely raised
unanimity rule, presumably be-
cause it feels that that rule-as far
as Furnishing is concerned-has pro-
tective value. Mr.. Baruch is of like
mind, and that is why he wants 1t
suspended. He wants treaty with
out loopholes-a treaty under which
all nations will be firmly committed
to act jointly and swiftly against any
possible viola tor. Such treaty, be-
sides its other virtues. would stand
as a constant warning to potential
atomic criminals. IS
In effect, Russia's position clearly
seems to be aimed at watering down
the type of effective control called
for by Mr.. Baruch The development
is a disheartening one. The Rus
slams took months before they finally
agreed to vetoless inspection. That
raises the hope that they may agree
eventually to vetoless punishment,
but precious time is passing, and the
longer this question remains unan-
swered the more serious it becomes,
Dilatory tactics may serve some
Soviet purpose. but they most GER