Evening star., 1950-09-20
U.k Assembly Action
May CHcumvent Veto
In Case Of Aggression
Resolution by Members
Possible With Move
By. Security Council
By David Laurence

by David Laurence
A way around the veto in the
u. Ma way to mobilize the mill
tary as well as the moral force of
the free nations of the world-has
been devised.
The first intimations of it came
in a declaration by John D. Hick-
erson, Assistant Secretary of State,
but the full meaning of 1t will not
be apparent until the General
Assembly has, during its current
meeting, developed the plan to
fruition.
What the Security Council can
not do because of the Soviet veto
can be accomplished through the
General Assembly, where there is
no veto. But it will take the form
Of q resolution" by the assembled
governments instead of a recon-
mendation," such as the Security
Council may vote.
In sense the procedure will be
novel, but actually it will be mere
ly an expression of the power Of
any group Of nations to take col
lective action for their own de-
tense. The charter Of the United
Nations did provide, under Article
81, for such collective steps on the
military side as any group Of ma
tions might wish to take. No ma
ton is committed to act that
doesn't desire to do so, but the
moral force Of any resolution of
the Assembly can be as great as
the cause that nations seek to
champion.
Planned in Advance.
The exact words of Mr.. Kicker
son are important to examine, be-
cause they undoubtedly reflect the
program planned by the free ma
tions in advance of the present
meeting Of the Assembly. He said:
"The SoVietS might choose of
their own accord to leave the
United Nations. We could not con-
troll such decision. But in our
planning we should assume that
they will remain in the United
Nations.
Does this mean that we must
give up any hope that the United
Nations will take effective, collec-
tive measures against aggression
as long as the Soviets choose to
remain in the United Nations and
exercise their veto? Certainly not.
There is no veto in the Gen
eral Assembly, and the General
Assembly has broad powers and
responsibilities under the charter.
=. The General Assembly will
want to examine its own expert
ence and authority in the light of
the lessons of Korea in order to
devise effective measures to sup
press aggression when the Securi-
ty Council is paralyzed.
Mr.. Hickerson pointed out that
the historic action of the Secur-
ity Council at its June ~ meeting,
which Russia did not attend, was
only q Recommendation" and
adds:
IF such Security Council res
olution were to be vetoed in a
future case Of aggression, might
not the same results be achieved
within the framework of the
charter upon a resolution of the
General Assembly?
Certainly there is no question
that the General Assembly will
have the authority to make such
q recommendation. The real ques-
tion is the practical one. Would
it be able to operate rapidly and
effectively enough?"
Interim Assembly Possible.
This brings up the possibility
Of convening what has been called
"The Little Assembly" which
would be an interim commission
with full power to set in motion
the international machinery in
cases of emergency.
These steps look toward the
mobilization of world opinion
which is so essential preliminary
step to the mobilization of mill
tary forces. The continued pres
ence of Soviet ENJOYS In the
United Nations attests to the i'm
portance which the Politburo evil
IDENTIFY attaches to the doings OF
the big international organization
Of which Russia was a charter
member.
The American policy, moreover
will seek to remind the Russians
constantly of their obligations
under the charter-a significant
step related to the psychological
aspects of the conflict between
the East and West. The State
Department says that while
MesSrs. Malik and Vishinsky
may not be very approachable, ;
they are more so in New York
than behind the Iron Curtain anc
there is always the hope they
may some time give heed to "the
overwhelming weight of worlc
opinion"
What this really means is that
IL war comes, it will be a United
Nations war and. If peace is made
1t will be through the United Ma.
tions. 1t certainly will not be 9
one-nation affair, no matter what
RusSia's course may be.