Evening star., 1950-12-14
U, n. Members Seen
Making Shamb|es
OF Law and Justice
Have Gotten Themselves
TongIed Up in Their Own
Political Expediencies
By David Laurence

Political txpedIencIes
By David Laurence
When the United Nations was
formed, the idea that it repre-
sented a means of proclaiming
law and justice in international
relations was foremost-yet today
the members of the VI have
gotten themselves so tangled up
In their own political expedi-
encies that they have made
shambles of both law and justice.
Thus, the Communist govern
ment of China committed outrages
against international law, but
the government of Great Britain
and other governments neverthe-
less extended formal recognition
to that government.
The United States Government.
on the other hand. still recog-
nizes the Nationalist government.
which has a base on FormoSa,
and does so because no other
government has arisen in China
which is capable of discharging
international obligations or hon
oring its pledges.
The United Nations members.
although aware that China has
a permanent seat in the Security
Council with the enduring power
of veto that goes with perman-
ent seat, did not consult with
each other before extending rec
ognition and decide the question
collectively. Instead, each gov
ernment went it's separate way
though obviously the capacity of
a new government to discharge
its obligations is a matter of real
substance. 1t cannot be dis
missed as a technical affair of
no interest to the family of ma
tionS.
Hypocrisy in Arguments.
The hypocrisy of the age is
such today that, in order to justify
their error in accepting a bad
government by giving it recogni-
ton, refuge is taken by such ma
tions in the argument that it
doesn't matter who rules a country
so long as 1t has physical con-
troll. The United States Govern
ment for II years prior to 1888
declined to accept as decisive the
fact that the Soviet Communists
had physical control of Russia
but demanded as a condition of
recognition certain written assur-
ances and pledges-which. Incl
IDENTIFY. have since been violated
repeatedly.
Today the only recognized gov
ernment in Korea Is that of the
Republic of Korea. The United
Nations sent a commission there
to help 1t get established. The
U.N. placed its blessing on the
government of that country. and
1t was Communist Russia which
prevented the faction in Northern
Korea from allowing the U.N
commission to conduct elections
or even to visit and inspect North
Korea.
Now the Chinese Communist
regime, giving military assistance
to North Koreans, has attacked
u. N. troops. This act of ag-
gresSion has been committed not
just against the Republic of Korea
but against the U. N. itself. Yet,
when the Republic of Korea asks
for military help and the Ma
tionalist government of China is
ready to furnish such help, the
constituted government of Korea
is prevented from accepting it.
In international law a con-
stituted government may call on
outside governments for aid, and
it is considered lawful. The aid
given to the Rhee government by
the U. N. is in accord with inter-
national law, and it would be the
same if the Republic of Korea
were to be given aid by the Ma
tionaliSt armies now on Formosa.
Aggression Only Issue.
The situation is growing more
and more damaging to the U. N.
every day that it's troops are
threatened by Chinese Communist
forces. The so-called "cease fire"
order is logical thing to thrive
for, but it doesn't alter the posi-
ton Of the U. N, which cannot
from any legal or moral stand
point accept the Chinese Commu-
nists on basis of equality. The only
basis on which Communist China
can be treated is on the basis of
its wrongdoing-its aggression.
Actually Hitler would have been
glad many time during the last
war to make negotiated peace
but on terms that would have pre-
served the Nazi regime. The
Allied forces fought until the Nazi
regime was defeated and then
they proceeded to punish the ag-
gresSorS.
SNNJ OAAS1C al c SONCl IlIllC1ltS Ill
the U. N. which apparently are
willing to negotiate with an ag-
gresSor state. This is the first time
since the period before 1889 that
an aggressor has been given such
treatment-virtually as an equal
among the countries which have
been resisting his aggression.
What is most disconcerting is
the number of persons here and
abroad who wave aside all consid-
erations of law and justice and
say that anything is preferable tc
war. This is the road to deterior-
alton. 1t is only a question OF
time then when the aggressor
moves again and the peace-at-
any-price countries are caught In
q war just the same.
Reproduction Rights Reserved