Evening star., 1950-04-29
Mr.. Hoover's Suggestion

There cannot be many informed people left
in this unhappy world who will dissent from
Herbert Hoover's contention that the United
Nations is unable to insure peace and that it
has been reduced by the Kremlin to propa-
ganda forum for the smearing Of free people.
The evidence on this score is overwhelming
1t may well be true that in the early days, when
too much enthusiasm was reflected in too many
glowing speeches, some people were led to expect
too much of the United Nations. A great deal
Of loose talk was heard about an international
police force, moral sanctions and the like. But
there has never been day in the life of the
United Nations when its ability to function as
a peace-preserving agency did not rest squarely
on the good faith of its member nations, and
particularly upon the good faith of the Soviet
Union and the United States
Experience soon demonstrated that this
essential element of good faith was lacking The
Russians refused to play the game. They looked
upon the United Nations as useful instrument
only to the degree that it could be used to their
own advantage or to the disadvantage of the
western members. The United Nations in short,
turned out to be kind of trap, from which we
were forced to disengage ourselves.
The first disengaging movement came in the
form OF the Greco Turkish program. This was
followed by the Marshall Plan and then came the
Atlantic Pact In each of these moves the
charge was made that we were by-passing the
United Nations, and although this was never
admitted officially it nevertheless was true We
were by-passing the United Nations because it
was necessary to do so. Greece Turkey and
Western Europe had to be saved from Com
munist aggression. We knew these programs had
to be put into effect. We also knew the Russians
would block them in the United Nations So we
did the next best thing and r. them into
nYNaP tnpNn nV,fe fla H.
zation.
This state of affairs knocks the props from
under the United Nations as an instrument for
the preservation Of peace. 1t may be doing
good and useful work through some of its sub
sidsary agencies. But the old One World dream
is dead Whether we like it or not we might as
well face the fact that the world is divided into
TWO hostile camps and that this Is a condition
winch Is apt to prevail for long time to come
To the extent that Soviet aggression has been
checked, 1t has been checked by one thing and
one alone-the power of the United States and
such support as it has been able to draw from
other free nations.
Mr. Hoover, recognizing this, calls for
definite, concrete mobilization of the free ma
tlons against what he calls this creepine Red
imperialism He proposes as a means to this
end, that the United Nations be reorganized
without the Communist nations in it, or, If that
is impractical, for the formation of "a definite
new united front" Of those peoples who disavow
communism, who stand for morals and religion.
and who love freedom.
This proposal is something less than specific
and detailed. But the essential thought is clear
enough. Being unable to work with the Russians.
and knowing that they are working in eyerv
possible way against u.s. Mr. Hoover thinks we
should organize and mobilize to the fullest the
peoples who remain outside the Soviet orbit. If
tnls can best be done through what is left of
the United Nations, all well and good If this
cannot be done, If the machinery of the United
nations Is going to be more of hindrance than
nelp then we should not hesitate to search
Tor some better form of organization.
1t has not yet been shown that the position
OF the anti-Communist world can be strength
ened by scrapping the United Nations. But we
snould not be afraid to explore that possibility
we must remember that the chips are down in
tnis grim business, and that we are playine for
Keeps We must not let attachment to old forms
stand IN the way of survival If something better
can be found.