Evening star., 1947-09-17

Mr.. President-Fellow delegates:
have been asked by the President
of the United States to extend to
you the cordial greetings of the
Government and people OF the
United States, as we'll as his own
warm personal welcome. We are
happy to have you with us in this
country. We trust that your stay
will be productive of the farreachiny
results which the peoples Of all
countries expect from this gathering.
Our point of departure for the
deliberations of this Assembly might
well be the annual report of the
Secretary General on the work of
the organization. 1t is noteworthy
document 1t records realistically
the progress and development of the
United Nations. and its failures. 1t
reflects the diligent efforts of the
Secretary General and his staff to
expedite the rapidly growing volume
of United Nations business.
Supreme Effort Needed.
The situation we face today may
be summarized by the statement that
more than two years after the end
of the war. the fruits of peace and
victory are still beyond our grasp.
Men look anxiously toward the
future, wondering whether a new
and more terrible conflict will engulf
them. We have not yet succeeded In
establishing basis for peace with
Germany and Japan, nor have we
restored Austria as an independent
state. Reconstruction lags every
where: the basic requirements of life
are scarce; there is desperate need
throughout great areas The COM
! plex economic machinery which was
thrown out Of joint by the war has
not yet been put back into running
order. In place of peace, liberty and
economic security, we find menace,
repression and dire want.
A supreme effort is required from
us all If we are to succeed in break
ing through the vicious circles of
deepening political and economic
crisis. That is why the United States
has placed on the agenda OF this
Assembly the question of threats
to the political independence and
territorial integrity of Greece.
The history of the Greek case in
the United Nations is well known in
this Assembly. You are aware that
the Security Council, last December,
adopted resolution establishing an
investigating commission to inquire
into the situation along the north
ern frontier of Greece and report
the facts to the Security Council.
You know that that commission and
its subsidiary group, by large ma
jorities, have attributed the dis
turbances principally to the illegal
assistance and support furnished by
Yugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria to
guerrilla forces fighting against the
Greek government. The extent or
effectiveness of such assistance to
the Greek guerrillas is not the point
at issue here. 1t Is universally ac-
cepted principle of international
law that for one nation to arm or
otherwise assist rebellious forces
against another government is a
hostile and aggressive act. Not only
has this principle been upheld in a
number of famous cases in interna-
tional law, but 1t has also found
expression in international agree
ments. The majority of the men,
bers Of the Security Council have
recorded their support of this prin-
ciple by their action in this case.
One permanent member of the Sc
curity Council, however, has three
times vetoed the efforts of the Coun-
Gil to deal with the situation.
Grave Responsibility d
This Assembly cannot stand by as1
a mere spectator while q member
OF the United Nations Is endangered
by attacks from abroad. If the
United Nations should fail to pro-
tect the integrity of one small state,
the security Of all small states
would be placed in jeopardy. The
inability Of the Security Council
to take effective action in this case
passes a grave responsibility to the
General Assembly. am confident
that the General Assembly will not
fail to meet the responsibility. It!
must do so If the organization is to
carry out its fundamental purposes.
The United States delegation will
therefore submit to the Assembly a
resolution which will contain al
finding of responsibility; call upon
Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia
to cease and desist from rendering
further assistance or support to the
guerrillas in Greece: establish COM
mission to assist in the implementa-
ton of these recommendations and
to investigate the facts with regard
to compliance Herewith, and make
other appropriate recommenda tionS
to the states concerned.
The General Assembly is also faced
with the problem of Palestine. The
Government of the United States in
tends to do everything within its
power at this session of the General
Assembly to assist in finding a solu-
ton for this difficult problem which
has stirred up such violent passions,
and which is now resulting in the
shedding of blood and in great
mental and moral anguish The
solution will require of each of us
courage and resolution. 1t will also
require restraint.
The special Committee on Pale
stine is to be highly commended for
its contribution to the solution of
this problem. Although the men,
bers of this committee were not able
to agree unanimously upon num-
Der Of important issues, including
that of partition, they have been
able to find the basis for agreement
on II recommendations to this AS
sembly Their achievement in
reaching unanimity on so many
points represents definite progress.
We realize that. whatever the
solution recommended by the Cen
eral Assembly, it cannot be ideally
satisfactory to either of the two
great peoples primarily concerned.
While the final decision of this
Assembly must properly await the
detailed consideration of the report,
the Government of the United States
gives great weight not only to the
recommendations which have met