The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-12-14
Kicks of UN Debote On Census
 Molotov Shows
 Displeosure
 ln Disclosure

United Nations Hall, Flushs ing, N. r., Dec. 14-(UP)--- The United States eleventh hour disclosure that its over- seas armed forces have been slashed to less than 550,0O0 troops started the showdown East-West battle today over Q world census of fighting forces.
 Soviet Foreign Minister V. M. Molotov demanded final acc tion on the troops census issue early this morning after Secretary of State James F. Byrnes lunging for the ball in the climax of the uN's momentous disarmament debate. unveiled a partial inventory of America's troops abroad.
 Final action on the disarmament resolution and the windup of the scrap over census were the last major items confronting the stretch-d driving Assembly delegates. They were expected to finish ny Sunday at the latest the first pro- ductive session of the World Parha- ment.
 MOlOtov Wants Formal Census
 The kickoff of the troops census showdown came from Molotov at 1 l:22 A. M. when, after ByTnes had made @ partial report on D. S. 0ver- seas forces, and Bevin had prone ised to provide details at the first gesture from the Security Council. Molotov said this was not the time nor place for such reports. He said the Assembly should call for Q t0r- mai census.
 ByrneS' partial listing of Ameri- can overseas forces and Molot0v's quick retort that a full census ok overseas forces was imperative ae- tually was the signal for the first dickering over details of the LIN dis armament program.
 Byrnes said Arnericas armed forces abroad now include:
 CHTNA-loO00 men, about l5y000 of them combat troops 'and rough- ly one-haE of them are under orders to return home"
 PANAArA-About 1900 troops, nOt counting the Canal Zone.
 TCELAND-LeSs than 600 troops, none of them combat men.
 AZORES-About 300 man and mot single combat soldier among them"
 PHILIPPINES - 96O00 military personnel of which 30O00 are com- bat forces, air and ground, and os these i7O00 are Philippine Scouts.
 Occupation Details Net Given
 Byrnes, in his first appearance ae this session of the Assembly, did not give details about the U. 6. occupa- ton forces in the former enemy states. But he said most of the 550.O00 American troops are in Germany. Japan and the Japanese Islands, Korea, Austria and Venezia Giulia."
 Bevin stepped to the spotlighsed podium after the bantam-like American secretary finished and announced that Britain's armed forces had been pared from a war time high of 6.000,0OO to 'sless than million" men. He said he did not have handy detailed figures on British armed forces and did not say how many of the I,O00, 900 men were at home and how many oEer- seas.
 Molotov came next. He i'd effect shrugged of ByTnes partial troops inventory as premature. said fore nal LIN census of overseas forcse was necessary to get the UlG;s arms scrapping negotiations under way and then threw in an attack on the atom bomb.
 When people tell it (the boanbl is for the defense of their country, it goes without saying that what is necessary for the defense of one's country is not a task that can bs accomplished by the use of atomic weapons" Molotov said.
 'The atomic weapon is not des- tined for use in ones territory; ie is destined for use in anosner's territory"
 Two Proposals Accepted
 Byrnes. the first of the worlds three leading displomats to face a packed and expectant audience Of delegates and visitors, got the floor after the Assembly adopted over~ whelmingly an innocuous resolution aimed at curbing the big powers use of the veto and then went on to accept eight trusteeship agree ments, assuring formation Of the long g-planned LIN Trusteeship O0un- ell.
 |