Evening star., 1947-09-23
The U. N. Needs 1t

With Russia and satellite Poland dissent
ing as usual, the Steering Committee of
the General Assembly has voted over
whelmingly for a full consideration of
Secretary Marshall's proposal to create
new peace-promoting agency within the
United Nations. %The agency, with every
member of the U. N. represented, would
sit in continuous session as an integral
part OF the Assembly. If established it
could do no more than discuss issues and
make recommendations, but it might be
able nevertheless to play highly signifi-
cant role in prodding the veto-ridden Sc
eurity Council into affirmative action.
AS now organized the General Assembly
has only two regular sessions year. These
are relatively short-too short to enable 1t
10 give thorough consideration to the
multiplicity of continuing problems before
1t. Accordingly, Secretary Marshall would
have 1t establish special 55-nation Com
mittee on Peace and Security" to deal with
situations and disputes on a year-'round
basis. In other words, like the eleven
nation Security Council, but without the
Councils unique powers, the committee
would be available at all times to act as
the Assembly's agent in discharging the
functions and responsibilities defined in
Articles II and IA of the U. N. Charter.
Those articles deal with matters involv-
ing international cooperation. the peace
ful settlement of potentially dangerous
disputes, principles governing disarma-
nent, etc. They authorize the assembly
to discuss any such, questions on an un-
GvS4if al hos oNN ~ a.
courses of action, the sole limitation on
the latter being that no recommendation
can be made on issues actively before the
Security Council unless the Council so
requests. Thus, given the all-inclusive
Committee proposed by Secretary Marshall,
the General Assembly, in between its regu-
lar sessions, would have the means of
bringing world opinion and moral pressure
10 bear on problems stymied in the Council.
In short, even in cases where it could do
little more than talk through the agency,
It could at least talk, and in that way it
might succeed in discouraging the abuse
OF the Council veto.
1t Is for this reason that Russia's oppo-
sition to the Marshall idea has been so
strong. Andrei Gromyko's argument Is
that such committee would usurp the
rights of the Security Council and hence
be illegal under the terms of the Charter,
But If the General Assembly clearly de-
Aned the agency's limits, legalstic objec-
tions would be deprived of any real
foundation Moreover since Article % of
the Charter states that the Assembly may
establish Subsidiary organs as it deems
necessary" the Soviet veto apparently
could not be used for obstructionist pur-
pose in this instance. Everything con-
sldered, Secretary Marshalls suggestion
thus seems to have good chance of
adoption.
At any rate, 1t is certainly fact that If
the General Assembly had the proposed
committee In constant operation as It's
eyes, ears and voice between sessions, 1t
would be in better position than 1t is
now to make its influence felt in the
Security Council. Such an agency, of
course, could not work miracles, but 1t
conceivably could do much to make the
Russians more hesitant about using the
veto in order to have their own way-a
policy they must change, as Hector Nc
Neil OF Britain has just warned, If the
United Nations is to survive and If the
peace is not to "crumble and crash into
q war Of "hideous consequences"