ATOMIC BOMB NO. 1 PRIORITY

Chronicle (Levin), 2 December 1946, Page 3

ATOMIC BOMB NO. 1 PRIORITY

U.N. DISARMAMENT SCHEME Keeeived Sunday, 11 p.m. NEW YORK, Xov. 30. Tln* Fnited States joined Kussia today in calling on ihe Fnited Xatious to give the alomie lioinb lirst priority in worblwide anns limitation, but the two uations reniained l'ur apart on the prinripie of the veto applied to a disarmameat jirograiniue. Britaiu disagreed with Kussia and the Fniled States on such higli rating for atomic weaj)ons, insisting that they be cousider.ed along with all other modern means of warfare. Britaiu also flatlv restaled her rejectiou ot' Kussia 's broad ] > !:i u for disarinament as long. as it was tied ilp.wilh the;veto!:. f" J The Fnited States deiegatdoji; subntit'-; ted to the Politieal Oomniittfce : a irropusal whereby the General Assembly' would recommend tltut the Security. Couni-il give pi'oiwpt: eonsidei'ation • tta) the working out of practical measures for the general regulatiou of armameuts under international agreements. The Fnited States resolutiou requests: "That in order to ensure that the general regulalion and reduction of armaineuts are direeted towards major weapons and not merely towards ruinor weapons. it reeonunends that the Security C'ouncil give lirst consideratiou to the Atomic Energy Commission's report and facilitate the progress of the Commission 's worlc. ' '

The resolutiou also stated that practical safcguards such as inspectiou and conlroi are neeessarv in any disarmament scheme. The resolutiou made no specilic mention of the vcto, but the spokesinan l'ur the Unitcd States delegation said the text made it clear that oiTeetive safcguards eould not be establislied if one nation could block the wliole process by a single vote. Sir llartley Shawcross (Britaiu), referring to Kussia 's proposal of yester- ' day which places the systeiu of international inspectiou and control under the 1'rainework of the Security C'ouncil wherein the veto could be used, said: "We won't be parties to a scheme which gives any power of veto over the

way in which regulatiou, control or insjiection sliould be carried out. A scheme snbject to such hazards would be a fraud, a dclustion and a snare. l)on 't let us foist this humbug on the world."

Sir llartley Shawcross declared that lie agreed that the atomic bonib sliould be out law ed but 'inly as part of a general plan. "1 don't understand how the Soviet Government of all Governments can suggest that rockcts, bacteriological warfare aud other instrunients of mass destruction a-re not to be abolished at once. " He added that it was not consistent to maintain liuge armies and other deadlv weapons while insisting on the elimination of the atomic bomb. The conimittee adjourned. Citing what he terined manv concessions that Kussia liad made to speed the deliberations of the Big Four Foreign Miuisters, Mr. Molotov urged the other three Miuisters to reject the plan for the international supervision of the return of Jevvish property in former. enemy countries. Mr. Molotov argucs that the plan would cast a refleetion on the Governments of the States concerned. The question arose during the consideratiou of the mass of technicalities surroundiug peace paets for the Axis satellites. Decision was deferred, but into the treaties for Rumania and Hungarv clauses were inserted establishing the principle that Jewish property in those States should be restored to former owners or compensation paiid.