Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27
BY WILLIAM r. FRYE
Contributing Writer

Contributing WRITER
UNITED NATIONS, N. Y.-The
United States has found an answer
to the Khrushchev total-disarma-
ment plan which should effectively
puncture its propaganda appeal.
The answer is: "Sure. Splendid.
Let's disarm, right down to base
ball bats and kitchen knives.
Then what?
Suppose, for example, the
Arabs and the Israelis start going
at each other with rocks and
clubs. Who stops such a quarrel?"
And the United States is pro-
posing - as many world order
theorists have done before-that
a world police force be set up
under the United Nations, free Of
the veto; to keep the peace.
This plan is. in all candor, no
more practical than Mr.. Khru-
shchev's. 1t might work as against
the Arabs and Israelis; but if
applied to the great powers, it
would presuppose that all such
countries in fact had abandoned
their weapons, as they would have
pledged themselves to do.
This abandonment is something
which cannot be verifled-at least.
not so far as Soviet and American
atomic weapons are concerned.
There could be hidden cashes of
missiles with nuclear Swarheads,
and perhaps even secret launch
ing platforms, which an inspec-
torate could not hope to find.
Thus a world police force, if
it were to command respect and
confidence, would have to have
an atomic capability, and the
means to deliver it, comparable
to that of the Soviet Union or of
the United States today. 1t could
not otherwise be sure of being
able to keep the peace.
If such a force were subject
to the veto, it would be worth
less in great-power conflicts. If
it were free of the veto. it would
in effect be under American-ot,
at least, Western--control. The
Kremlin clearly would never agree
to the latter, nor would the West
accept the former.
The fact that a proposal is
impractical, however, does not
necessarily rob it of its political
value. AS a device to make the
adversary say mo-" 1t can be Of
very great value.
If Mr.. Khrushchev can pro-
pose such pie-in-the-sky as total
disarmament. surely-say diplo-
mats here-the West can be for
given for topping him with pie-in-
the-sky a la mode.
Such maneuverS are by no
means empty gestures or diplo-
matte shadow-boxing. They have
very real relevance to the hard
negotiation under way on such
issues as Berlin ond an atomic
test ban.
If Mr.. Khrushchev can persuade
the world that he is Mr.. Peace in
person. just by offering plan
for total disarmament, there will
be no need for him to make genu-
inc concessions to win that title.
1t will be the West which will
be under pressure to match his
''magnanimity."
If the West could be maneu-
vered into the position of scoffing
at the Khrushchev plan, or of re-
jecting it out of hand, the Soviet
propaganda position, and hence
its bargaining posture. would be
just that much stronger.
Back in 1851, the late Andrei Y.
Vishinsky made the mistake of
telling the U. N. a Western dis
armament plan kept him awake
laughing all night" 1t took him
months Of explaining to undo the
damage which that blunder did
his cause, and soon thereafter
the Kremlin felt obliged to make
substantial concessions on arms
control.
The West has not fallen into
the same trap in 1859. Its public
response to Mr.. Khrushchev's pro-
poSal has been serious, restrained.
and sedulouSly constructive. In
private. not a single seasoned dip
lomat here has taken the plan
seriously for moment.
"ut will require very careful
examination the very closest
study :. all of us must be inter-