Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-25
u. n. Forming
Permanent
PeaceArmy
BY WILLIAM r. FRYE
Star Special Writer


UNITED NATIONS, N. Y,
Sept. 25.-Little by little, the
U. N. is building the nucleus
Of q permanent standby peace
army.
Dutch Foreign Minister
]. M. A. H. Luns said yesterday
his government is placing an
elite marine corps contingent
Of 800 men at the disposal of
the U. NJ, ready for action on
"a hours notice.
Last week.. Canadian Prime
Minister Lester B. Pearson told
the 111-nation U. N. General
Assembly that Canada is hold
ing q unit, known to be an in
fantry battalion Of some 600
men, in readiness for U. N. use.
Still earlier, in April this
year, Norway, Denmark, and
Sweden jointly earmarked an
integrated force Of 5000 men
for the world organization. Fin
land recently added an infantry
battalion to this "Nordic stand
by force"
Has $500 Men
The U. N. thus has at least
$500 men on whom it could call
in an emergency.
The idea appears to be snow
balling. Excellent sources say
as many as 30 other countries
are considering earmarking
troops. among them India, Ire
land, Iran and Nigeria. Pres
ident Kennedy gave the drive
an important push September
20 when he told the Assembly
he hoped "the recent initiative
Of several members in prepar-
ing standby peace forces for
q. N. call will encourage sim
liar commitments by others"
American diplomacy has been
active behind the scenes to this
end.
The idea Of giving the q. N.
an army with which to help
keep the peace dates from the
drafting of the charter in 1915.
Charter trainers envisaged the
force as coming from the five
great powers, the United States,
Britain, France, Russia and
China.
Began With UNEF
The great powers were never
able to agree, however, on its
composition, and the project
died a slow death, victim of
the cold war.
In 1856, during the Suez in
cident, Mr.. Pearson proposed
that small countries contribute
to a non-fighting peace force
which would act as a buffer
between Egypt and Israel. The
Assembly agreed.
When UNEF, as 1t came to
be known, proved to be a sue
cess, many diplomats urged
formation of a permanent
peace force, either in being or
on call for use in future emer-
gencies. Since keeping 1t in
being would prove costly, coun-
tries were urged to set aside
units ready for u. N. action.
Few countries did so, how
ever, and when the Congo crisis
broke in 1860, the U. N. again
had to improWse an army. This
time, looking ahead, a perma-
nent planning staff was set up
in Secretary General u Thant's
office. It was and still is
headed by Maj. Gen. I. j..
Rikhye of India.
Pledges Of troops are being
channeled to Gen. Rikhye. He
advises governments on the
kinds Of manpower needed
infantry, medics, engineers, etc.
and keeps detailed records of
availability and training.
Contributing governments pay
the cost while troops are
standing by. If and when called
for by the o. N. the U. N. will
share the cost.
1t is now generally agreed
that none of the great powers
will be called upon to con-
tribute manpower to q future
U. N. force. The United States
does not want Russian soldiers
going into trouble spots under
q q. N. flag, so Washington
has encouraged the no-great-
power rule.
The fledgling q. N. Army
thus has $500 men, q promise
Of supplies. a general staff, and
experience in three trouble
spots: The Mideast, the Congo
and Yemen.
All 1t needs is money.