Evening star., 1946-10-13
RED Ask CIarificaiion
I0f Purposes Before
III. n. Can Use Forces
sy shs Assoeiossd Pres.

NEW YORK, Oct. IL. - The
Soviet Union has taken the posi-
ton that any assignment Of ma
tional military forces for use by
the United Nations must be pre-
ceded by a thorough clarification
OF the purposes Of such contin-
gents, informed quarters said to-
might.
The Russian viewpoint was put
forward in q memorandum last
month to the United Nations Mill
tary Staf1 Committee, which Is made
up Of representatives OF the chiefs
of stan of the five big powers.
The belated paper was offered
five months after the United States,
Great Britain. China and France
had submitted their proposals in
which they were understood to have
signified willingness to proceed with
q discussion Of the principles OF
preparing such contingents for use
in maintaining peace.
Split Is Possible.
Russias action in insisting that
Qualification be given first gave rise
to speculation over possible split
In. the preliminary stages OF the
committees work in that four menu
bers appeared willing to go ahead
while the Soviet Union wanted to
open up questions, generally re-
garded as political, over the purpose.
This speculation prompted COM
ment from United States delegation
sources which said there were no
important disagreements in the
committee over problems relating
to the state OF readiness or general
nature Of armed forces to be placed
at the call Of the Security Council.
This would be done under agree
ments to be drafted with the 81
member states. These sources fur
ther said that no proposal had
been made by any delegation for
any type Of permanent interna-
tional force and that discussions on
Organization and nature Of the
forces were proceeding with all five
committee members cooperating. /.
Russian Demands Cited.
The Charter articles which the
Russians were represented as want
ing clarified as to purpose included
| these:
There shall be established a
military staff committee to advise
and assist the Security Council on
all questions relating to the Security
Councils military requirements for
the maintenance OF international
peace and security, the employment
and command of forces placed at
| its disposal. the regulation of arma-
ments. and possible disarmament.
THE military staff committee
shall be responsible under the
Security Council for the strategic
direction of any armed forces placed
at the disposal of the Security
Council. Questions relating to COM
mand of such forces shall be worked
out subsequently"
Charter Provisions Listed.
+ Other charter provisions provide
that in order to enable the u. N.
/ to make urgent measures, members
shall hold Immediately available
national air force contingents for
combined international enforcement
action" and that members shall
make available to the council
armed forces"
The committee, which operates
under strict secrecy provisions, has
been In session here since March
and has issued no public state
ments indicating the status Of its
work.
Persons >close to the committee.
however, have commented that
progress must necessarily be very
slow with 50 momentous a task.
Actually, these persons say, the
committee is the most important
single unit within the whole sprawl
ing U. N. organization in that this
military body would provide the
force to implement decisions of the
world body, a power which the
League of Nations never had.