Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-25
u. 5. Seen Departing
From Charter Spirit
On Korean Question
U.N. Assembly Can't Solve
Issue Where Diplomacy
Failed, Writer Holds

NOSJ hIIlC1 1Sol1S doSulllC OlldO III
international affairs everything our
Government says or does is right
and that there can be no question
or doubt about it. Such an assump-
ton, however, is due primarily to
the heavy dose of publicity with
which the Government itself usually
accompanies everything it proclaims
and also to the hesitation OF the part
Of most observers to point out mis-
takes In our own Governments
policy.
Yet candor requires that the de-
cision OF Secretary Marshall to place
before the Assembly the question of
Korean Independence be appraised
in the light of the solemn pledges
given by members of the American
delegation when the Charter Of the
United Nations was being written
at San Francisco In 1945.
1t was definitely understood then.
and Senator Vandenberg of the
American delegation affirmed it pub
licly, that questions concerning the
peace treaties and the settlement of
questions concerning the ending of
the war were not to be within the
Jurisdiction of the United Nations
Charter. 1t was under such circum-
stances that Foreign Commissar
Molotov OF Russia gave his adher-
ence to certain clauses in the Charter
then being debated.
Fine Points in Question.
It is true the question has some
fine points in it and that other pro-
visions of the Charter provide for
unlimited scope so far as discussion
Is concerned when peace is threat
ened but it is most unfortunate that
the Government of the United States
should depart from the spirit. if not
the letter. of the understanding
reached at San Francisco.
This correspondent advocated at
the time that the Charter be so
written that it permit revision of the
war settlements but unfortunately
the United Nations Charter did net
so provide. It behooves the American
Government to adhere to the agree
ments it made lest it furnish the
Soviet government and other gov
ernments ammunition for the charge
that the United States is seeking by
circumvention to accomplish that
which it cannot accomplish directly.
Conceivably the Korean question
could come before the United Ma
tons Assembly If, though it be
problem growing out of the war set
Elements, it threatened the peace of
the world. But is the United States
ready to proclaim the thesis that the
peace of the world is threatened by
Russia's attitude in the Korean
question?
The truth is. the injection of the
Korean question into the Assembly
is confession of the failure of the
United States State Department to
achieve by diplomacy an agreement
with Russia. The American Govern
ment wishes the world to believe
that the United States Is 100 per
cent right and the Soviet Union is
100 per cent wrong on this issue. yet
all the documents in the case have
never been made public
Likewise. if the United States and
Russia have reached the point where
diplomacy is confessed failure, 1t
is quite possible that another set of
diplomats may be needed. The haste
to make settlements is factor but
it is not defensible 1t takes time
sometimes years-to win under
standing and make peace. Patience
IS not yet an obsolete virtue in
human relations.
Failure of Diplomacy.
The American Government has
had ample opportunity to place be-
fore the whole world the issues In
dispute between the United States
and Russia over Korea. If every op-
portunity for debate and for nego-
tiation had been exhausted. the case
for placing the matter before the
United Nations Assembly would have
been much stronger but, on the
other hand, 1t still would not have
strengthened the validity or legality
of such a course
The United Nations Assembly
cannot accomplish what direct ne
gotiations between the major DOW
ers fail to accomplish. Trygve Lie,
Secretary General of the United Ma
tons. in effect made this very point
when he said in his speech this
week:
e.. Nations with different social
systems. must strive to live and to
work together, side by side, in peace
This must find expression in polit-
ical negotiations which show a will
ingness to compromise. Without
such will, without cooperation and
agreement. let me emphasize that
no mechanism for the maintenance
of international peace and security.
however perfect. can be effective Z"
1t is Russian american diplomacy
which has failed-not the United
Nations.
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