Evening star., 1951-11-08
The President on Arms

There is one certainty about the sweeping,
all-inclusive international disarmament pro-
poSal outlined last night by President Truman:
The proposal will get absolutely nowhere with
out the Soviet Unions approval, and nothing
could seem more improbable-in this suspicion
cursed, fear-ridden, hate-filled period of world
history-than that the Soviet Union will
approve.
This is so for the simple reason that the
proposal-which is to be submitted jointly to
the General Assembly of the United Nations by
France, Britain and the United States-calls, in
effect, for revolutionary change in one of the
most basic of the Kremlins policies. It calls,
that is, for the elimination of the Iron Curtain
in field where Stain and his colleagues have
long displayed an almost psychopathic determi-
nation to be super-furtive. It calls, in short,
for the barring of all their innermost military
secrets and beyond that for constant sur
veillance of their land lest they conspire sur
reptitiously to build up aggressive armed power
against the rest of the world.
Thus, under the proposal the Soviet Union,
along with every other nation maintaining a
sizable military establishment, would have to
agree to the following in order to bring about
worldwide regulation, limitation and balanced
reduction Of all armed forces and all ornaments,
including atomic: G) A system under which the
u. N. would create corps of impartial and
expert international inspectors who would move
from country to country, without interference,
to conduct an exhaustive Inventory" of armies,
naves air forces, arsenals, weapons production,
etc. (2) Step-by-st Observation-Disclosures
finally in an agreement on controlling the atom
and kindred instruments of mass destruction
to promote gradual dismantling of war ma
chimes and the eventual establishment of uni
versal and genuinely secure peace. And 60 con-
tinuous policing of the strictest kind, and on
very elaborate scale, to guard against the haZ-
ards of violations and evasions on the part of
any power tempted to prepare clandestinely for
a sudden, murderous assault on other powers
abiding by the rules of the game in good faith
Quite obviously this program extends the
American-sponsored plan for an effective, Veto
less system of international atomic control
which has been approved by the overwhelming
majority of the U. N-to all types of armaments
and armed forces. Since the men of the Kremlin,
feverishly intent upon acquiring an A-weapons
stockpile of their own have uncompromisingly
rejected that plan, 1t would be naive Though
wonders never cease) to expect them now to
approve the same thing not only for the atom
but for every other form of military power as
well. The President himself has no illusions on
that score. As he has emphasized-with some
thing less than the diplomatic language that
might have been more fitting at this stage
the gloomy history of our negotiations" with
the Russians and our experience with their
postwar "bad faith, deceit and broken promises"
offer virtually no ground for hope that they will
promptly agree to the Vests ideas on disarma-
ment. Hence even as we keep on arguing for
the adoption of those ideas, we and our allies
must continue to build up our common might
"to make the free world so strong that no
would-be aggressor will dare to break the peace"
At first glance, 1t may seem inconsistent for
the West thus to rearm while appealing to the
Kremlin to join in a far-reaching program of
disarmament The two things, however, are not
mutually exclusive. In the Presidents words,
the current defense buildup is one way for the
free world to get security and peace. The other
way-the much less expensive ways to achieve
a sharp universal reduction in all ornaments
and armed forces But it is clear that this
latter way cannot be taken unless and until
every country can be sure, through a foolproof
system Of continuous inspection and control,
that every other country Is doing the same.
The Soviet Union, of course, may for years
to come refuse to be persuaded. Nevertheless,
as the President has said, the West-which is
advancing the new disarmament proposal
neither in sudden spirit of optimism" nor
'as last gesture of despair"-must keep on
trying That is the only way that peoples
everywhere including the Russians, can ever
hope to be relieved of the terrible military
burden now weighing them down and preventing
what could well be the greatest period of human
progress in recorded history. The Anglo-French-
American plan, though an Offset to the Kremlin's
peace offensive" Is not mere propaganda.
Sooner or later, something very much like it
will have to be adopted to save mankind from
marching willy -nilly into the abyss.
Holding the Spenders to Account
welcome curb on careless spending of
Government funds has been put into effect at