Evening star., 1950-10-24
Power, Plus Good Will

1t is good thing to keep alive the symbolism
for peace of United Nations Day" of which this
is the fifth The President is appropriately doing
his own part by his personal participation in the
ceremonies at Lake Success including the delivery
OF speech built around the simple phrase, "We
must never stop trying
The actual event which this day recalls was
curlously obscure in Washington five years ago.
That event was the final act which brought into
being the Charter of the United Nations as part
OF the law of nations
There were two reasons for this obscuritv.
In the FIRST place, the charter lacked the formal
deposit OF notice of ratification from Russia
without advance warning little after o'clock
IN the afternoon of October "a 1945 Fedor T.
orekov, First Secretary of the Soviet Embassy,
called at the State Department annex at Seven
teenth and streets and delivered the formal
ratification of his government.
Ihat meant that the charter had come into
being. The State Department hurredly arranged
brief ceremony, which was not attended by the
representatives OF any foreign powers because
there had not been time to assemble them.
James F. Byrnes, as Secretary of State, made a
brief statement in which he expressed hone for
the success of the United Nations, but reminded
MS listeners that peace does not depend upon
oocuments-it depends upon what is in the
minds and hearts OF men," The cameras clicked,
ne signed document and the charter became
effective
But there was another reason why this little
ceremony was all but lost in the news of the
day. For that day the big news was of the Presi-
dents appearance, few hours in advance of the
charter ceremony, before joint session of Con-
gress. Mr.. Truman had gone to the Capitol to
plead for immediate legislation which would
establish one years military training for all able
O he loyu 90 fl,1
had told Congress that For years to come the
success of our efforts for just and lasting peace
Will depend upon the strength of those who are
determined to maintain that peace We intend
TO use all our moral influence and all our physical
strengtn to work for that kind of peace We can
ensure such a peace only so long as we remain
strong We must face the fact that peace must
be built upon power, as well as good will and
good deeds"
The Presidents plea for universal military
training came to nothing. The war was over and
we were depending on our good will and our good
deeds to preserve the peace-too willing to forget
tnat power is necessary too.
Peace may seem more remote today than It
ala nVe years ago. But the United Nations is
stronger and the reason it is stronger is that to
good Will and good deeds we have given a demon
stratlon in its name, of power-used in a cause
and oy method that are new in the world AS
nation we are committed to the building up of
this power as the greatest, and perhaps the only
real guarantee of peace. 1t is not without sip
nificance that while United Nations Day is being
marked by ceremonies at Lake Success, military
leaders from twelve nations that have signed the
Atlantic Treaty are meeting in Washington to
aecloe upon the number and strength of forces
that each of these nations will commit for tho
common defense of Western Europe against
threatened aggression.