MR. FRASER TALKS ABOUT THE VETO

Chronicle (Levin), 1 August 1946, Page 8

MR. FRASER TALKS ABOUT THE VETO

BETTER TO HAVE IT FOR SAKE OF PEACE WELLINGTON, July 31. It was gratifving that tliere liad been no serious divergenee of opinjon amoug Menibers over New Zealaml's attitude at the Loudon Uouferenee of U.N.O., saiil lion. P. Fraser 111 tlie liouse or Iiepresentatives tonight, when replymg to last week's debate on foreign atl'airs. The poliey euunciated by the New Zealand delegation, said the Prinie Miuister, appeared to have the general appioval of the liouse and country. Mr. Fraser said concern had been expressed during the debate by Mr. Combs lest the pledges given to the .1U,U00 New Zeaianders who had died 111 battle, niiglit not be honoured during the peace making. Were there anv foundation in the faet for sueh a fear, it would be tragic, but he was conJident that it was the honest intention 01 every Meniber of the liouse to see tJiat the principles our nten fought for, the eonipact they sealed with their blood, would be honoured _ in full. Auything even respmbling bet'rayal of the prineiples euunciated during tlie wai* and so ably expressed in the Atlautic Charter, would lie unforgivable, but no sucli intention had ever taken shape inside our sliores. Critieisni of U.N.O. during the debate had been very niodest. Gome uiembers had expressed their eonceni ovor tlie veto, but for all the dangers whicli resided in veto, it must still be reiuembered that without it some natious would not have participated in the establishment of U.N.O. at Hau Francisco. Moreover, whatever the responsibility for the veto, the clause 111 the Charter eould not in f'airness be attribuled solely to Russia, but must ne sliared by the United States whicli dominated the iSan Francisco Conlerence. United States Congressmen had declured that the ('barter would not ne ratified if the veto clause was not written into it. .M r. Fraser said that. in face of a stern realisation of the world situation, who could sliow elation at the. outcoiue ot the Loudon conference? Ile said he had been criticised for not taking a inore optiniistic view, but he eould not pretend in Loudon that everything was all right and that the fu.ll spirit of tiie Charter was impleuiented. His faith, however, had not grown dim and ne hoped his successor, as represeutative of New Zealand at further eonferenees, would not be at'raid to criticise or express his view, but at the same time not fail to recoguise what was the only hope for inunkind. Big as the price was and as nuieli as he disliked the veto, he would sooner have a world organisation with a veto than no organisation at all. Mr. Fraser said lie did not think the veto would last ten years and if it did, it would be a sorry outlook for the world. If the veto were used to its extrenie limits, it could stultify all reasonable discussions and that would be disastrous. Ile was, however, more concernecl about the present than with the past. We did not want to be chained to history and just because something was done in the past, that did not mean we would have to do the same thing in the future. There had been resentful criticism ot the attitude of U.S.S.R., continued Mr. Fraser. There was a case, • from tlie Russian point of view, for the move iuto Poland to establish a possible buffer against Gennan forees. Af r. W. G. Goosman: Glie hasn't nioved out. .Mr. Fraser said he was not there to defend or apologise for the actions or anv other nation. Russia was not sacrosanct and it would be a very bad thing if progressive thinking people were to , seek to stifle criticism of any country. j However, we had ' to understand ! Russia 's eagerness for security after j seeing so rnuch of lier country devas- ! tated. He thought Russia would do better to put her trust in the United States rath-er than seek to Iniild a wai! around herself. But even if we did not justify her actions, we must try to understand the reason for them. .That did not mean we -surrrendered fin/thijig of the demoeratic prinC'iples to wi|L;cii New Zealand adhered as strongiy'as anv nation. !