Evening star., 1950-12-08
The u. N. Must Hold Fast

In attacking 13 Asian and Middle Eastern
countries for appealing directly to Red China
to stop its armies at the 38th Parallel in Korea,
Soviet Foreign Minister Vishinsky has made
clear that the Kremlin operating through its
Peiping puppets, wants nothing less than the
complete withdrawal OF the United Nations-a
withdrawal that would in effect sanction the
black crime of aggression being perpetrated by
the Chinese Communists with the ardent sup
port Of their Moscow mentors
Considering that no fewer than So OF the
so members Of the U. NJ have long since COM
mitted themselves-morally and otherwise to
the proposition that that crime must be put
down north and south of the 38th Parallel, there
is much to be said against the 13-nation appeal
on grounds Of logic, consistency and simple COM
mon sense. Yet-aS presented under India'S
leadership in concert with the Philippines Pakis-
tan Afghanistan, Indonesia, Burma, Egypt Iran,
Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen
1t at least deserves to be respected as sincere,
If misguided, effort to prevent the Korean crisis
from exploding into general world war.
But the Soviet Foreign Minister, far from
respecting the appeal, has heaped scorn upon it
and warned that peace cannot come to Korea
until after the U. NJ has withdrawn the forces
that have been fighting and dying there in
hiStory's first international collective action to
uphold the rule of law against criminal aggres-
Sors. In other words, the men of the Kremlin
have left little or no room for doubt that they
insist upon having the United Nations reverse
its own solemn decisions, beat swift and abject
retreat from its highest principles and noblest
detectives and yield craveny to the infamous
and savage show of force that the Chinese Com
munists have brought to bear upon the situation
The well-intentioned 13-nation move-wlch at
best could only restore the condition that OBJ
tanned just before the aggression began last June
25-thus seems to have been nothing but waste
OF time. It's sole apparent virtue is that it has
served, by being the object of vitriollc yishin-
sky attack, to throw additional light on the dark
nature Of the Moscow-Peiping conspiracy
In these circumstances, as rock bottom
minimum, the overwhelming majority of nations
can hardly do less than cast resounding affirm
ative vote on the resolution now pending before
the General Assembly. The resoution-smi!ar
to the one recently vetoed in the Security Coun-
Gil by the Soviet Union-calls upon the Chinese
Communists to withdraw from Korea but assures
them, among other things. that their legitimate
interests will be fully protected. Though rela-
lively mild and conciliatory in tone, it is not
likely to have any discernible effect on either
Peiping or Moscow, but If something like 50
members vote for 1t, it will uphold the honor and
moral integrity Of the U. N. and demonstrate
that most Of the world still stands united-in
principle at least-aganst the forces of aggres-
sion.
1t is Of the utmost Importance certainly
that the great bulk of the United Nations should
hold fast together on this matter OF course,
there is possibility that the u MS forces may
yet have to get out of Korea for compelling
tactical and strategical reasons. But withdrawal
in that case would be far different from the kind
Of withdrawal that the Kremlin and Red China
have demanded. 1t would surrender nothing of
principle. It would be an honorable-and tenn
porary-military retreat. It would not be the
end Of the story. The aggressors would still
have to reckon with world continuing to stand
as one, and fight as one, to bring them ultimately
to Justice.