Evening star., 1948-02-22
Taft Calls forU U.N. Army to Back
Palestine Partition if Needed;
Asks u. S. to Meet Commitment
Says Failure to Act
Will Mean End of
Peace Agency
By Gould Lincoln

Senator Taft, one of the lead
ing contenderS for the Republi-
can presidential nomination,
yesterday announced himself in
favor of supporting Palestine
partition, even to the extent of
sending United Nations armed
forces to maintain order while
the partition plan is set up.
Much significance was attached
to the Taft statement because
Of his influential position in the
Senate.
The Ohio Senator said the parti-
ton plan appeared to be consistent
with traditional American policy in
favor of the Jewish national home
in Palestine"
If the great powers, including the
United States, fail to back the de-
cisions of the United Nations, he
said, that agency for world peace
will sink into insignificance
I'VE should cooperate vigorously
with the United Nations Commission
to work out program and policy
calculated to implement the de-
cision of the Commission" Senator
Taft said.
Backs U. N. Control of Arms.
"The shipment of arms from the
United States should be controlled
and regulated in accordance with
the policy so developed with the
United Nations Commission; and
embargoes, if any, should be i'm
posed, only if approved by the Com
mission"
The United States now has an
embargo on arms shipments to the
Middle East, including Palestine and
neighboring Arab states.
The question now is whether we
shall support the United Nations
and urge them to send a United
Nations force to maintain order
while the (partition) plan is set up
Senator Taft said otherwise, when
the British withdraw, there will be
nothing but confusion and civil war
in Palestine.
IF the United Nations shows that
1t intends to see that its decisions
in the world are enforced, I doubt
if any nation will defy it, and
moderate force should be able to
prevent any interference by guerrilla
bands with the putting into effect of
the plan.
Stresses World Obligation.
"Since the British are giving up
the mandate, the United Nations
clearly has an obligation to sub
stitute some kind of international
control for that which has hereto
fore existed under the mandate.
In modern times, there never has
been a PaleStinian nation, either
Jewish or Arabic.
This situation calls for more
than formal expression OF adher-
ence to the United Nations deci-
sion on the part of our Government
It cannot be met or rectified by
do-nothing policy.
When the administration in
structed the United States delega-
ton to the United Nations to sup
port the recommendation in favor
of partition with economic union
and to vote for it in the General
Assembly, this stand met with wide
sp0d approval, because it appeared
to Vbe consistent with traditional
American policy in favor OF the
Jewish National Home in Palestine.
That policy has long enjoyed BIZ
partisan support.
Ball Joins Taft in Stand.
There can be no question of any
new American policy which does
not square with our commitments
and the decision taken by the
United Nations less than three
months ago."
Senator Ball, Republican. Of Min
nesota joined Senator Taft in de-
claring that this Government should
do whatever is necessary to support
the United Nations in its stand for
the partition of Palestine. To dol
otherwise, Senator Ball said, would
be aid in scuttling the United Ma
tionS.
There were rumblings, however
on Capitol Hill which indicated that
there might be serious opposition
fCoo ThElT Dooo A16l