Evening star., 1951-11-08

stage in the process of disclos-
ure. Such weapons would ulti-
mately be prohibited, and
atomic energy would be con-
trolled under the provisions of
the United Nations plan. We
continue to support this plan
as it now stands, but we are.
OF course, always ready to con-
slider any better plan.
Let me stress that each stage
of this program for reducing
armaments would be entered
upon only after the previous one
had been completed. And each
stage would be continuously
policed by inspectors. who would
report any breach of faith.
If the Soviet Union and its
satellites are really afraid of the
intentions of any of the free
countries, as they say they are,
here is a plan they can adopt
with safety. 1t would give them
the same protection. every step
OF the way, that it gives every
other country. And on the other
hand. we can afford to 60 into
such a plan as this because we
would have safeguards against
bad faith.
All nations would have to lay
their cards on the table and
keep them there at all times
face up.
Here. then. is a real. down.
to-earth approach. fair to all
concerned. 1t would move for
ward step-by-step. Each step,
when completed. would build up
mutual confidence for the next
step. If at any stage there were
a breach Of trust, or an act Of
bad faith. all participating ma
tions would have immediate
notice. and could act in time to
pTOteCt themselves.
Must Keep on Trying.
In the face of the long and
gloomy history of our negotia-
tions with the Soviet Union,
there are, no doubt, many people
who think that any further at
tempts to control and reduce
armaments are a waste of time.
1t is true that we have experi-
enced much bad faith, deceit,
and broken promises on the part
OF the Soviet Union over the
last six years. 1t is true that we
have met rebuffs and refusals
from the Soviet government,
ever since the day We offered to
give up our monopoly of atomic
weapons and to prohibit them
under a system Of international
control.
Nevertheless, as responsible
men and women, we must try for
disarmament in spite of all diff
flculties. We cannot permit the
history of our times to record
that We failed by default.
We make this proposal be-
cause it is the right thing to do.
We are not making it in any
sudden spirit of optimism. We
are not making it as a last ges-
ture of despair. We are making
it because We share, with all the
members of the United Nations,
the responsibility of trying to
bring about conditions which
will assure international peace
and security in the world.
The people of the world want
peace. To work in every pos
sible way for peace is a duty
which we owe not only to our
selves. but to the whole human
race.
In making our proposal for
reducing armaments, we are not
suggesting that the crisis In
world affairs has passed, or
even that it has lessened. It
has not. I'm sorry to say it has
not lessened. We cannot afford,
for one minute, to let down our
guard, or falter in our defense
program. We must not weaken
in our firm stand to resist ag-
gression in Korea.
While aggression and fighting
continue as in Korea - and
while the major political issues
that divide the nations remain
unsettled, real progress toward
reducing ornaments may not be
possible.
Tension on Armaments.
But we cannot fail to bring
before the world the problem
OF growing ornaments, which
presses so heavily on all man.
kind. We believe deeply that
discussions Of this question in