DR. EVATT IS LIVE WIRE OF U.N.O.

Grey River Argus, 15 November 1948, Page 5

DR. EVATT IS LIVE WIRE OF U.N.O.

OTTAWA. Nov. 13. Mr Walter O’Hearn, the Paris corresoondent of the “Montreal Star” says-The President of the United Nations General Assembly (Dr. 11. V. Evatt) is niqued at Canada. As president of the Assembly he wanted tq be on the original “Little Six,’’ who WP re attempting to heal the breach over Berlin.' Dr. Evatr. undoubtedly considers himself well fitted for the role of peace-makec and it is generally known here that he vas genuinelv annoyed not to be consulted by the “Little Six.” There are that Dr. Evatt blamed Canada for bis exclusion, although it can be stated fatly that Canada has nothmg to with it The real trouble is that S Evatt is an exceedingly active, ?bfe mam and, having reached the abK \?i+ nf his ambition by presiding over the Assembly finds himself with little or nothing to do m the otner Dr Evatt has played a “SSent' and useful part, but the h S ‘M n re‘ , Ve e ’AitUe e -S,x'' be-e-an V their discussions there had been fflk in the papers here that Dr. Evatt and the Secretary-General (Mr Trygve Lie) would try to settle matW n their own. Any man who r>nnld achieve a solution of the Berl?n crisis wotdd be pretty certain to have his name in the history books S neither Mr Lie nor . Dr.. Evatt would disdain such a role. It is omy

human for statesmen of cons derable experience to feel that they might succeed where others have failed.

This behind the scenes play nas no bearing on Commonwealth relations or their future development, but it is a fact that Australians, who ternalional conferences, feel that the count on making the headlines at inquiet Canadians have taken the play away from them. Some of the feelings showed on the surface at the 1947 Assembly, when Canada introduced a compromise resolution on alleged war-mongering. Dr. Evatt scribbled a note to the Canadians stating: “The Canadian delegation proposes that the Kingdom of Heaven be established forthwith on earth The Canadians scrawled underneath: “With Dr. Evatt as Prime Mimster.” Off Their Own Bat ! (Rec. 11.10) LONDON, Nov. 14 The Associated Press correspondent at Paris says: Dr Evatt and M. Lie have acted in the face of persistent reports that the Western Powers and the “neutral” members of the U.N.O. Security Council did not want to take this issue to the U.N.O. General Assembly. The letter does not propose that the Berlin case should go to the Assembly, but it leaves the field open for any action that the Four Powers may choose to take. BERLIN SETTLEMENT HOPED In comparison with the Russian Eastern zone mark, the value of the Western Berlin deutschmark has fallen 15 per cent in the past two days, states tne Berlin correspondent of the British United Press. This is believed to reflect the confidence in Berlin financial circles that the negotiations in Paris to end the Berlin blockade will be successful and that the Russian mark will be established as the sole currency in Berlin as a result. Soviet’s Win Seen in the Intervention (Rec. 10.50). NEW YORK, Nov. 13. The Herald Tribune’s Paris correspondent says: The Soviet Government has scored a definite victory with the intervention of Mr Lie and Dr Evatt. The communication which they have addressed to the Big Four has appeared to support the major argument which has been advanced by M. Vyshinsky. M. Vyshinsky’s case against action by the United Nations was based on the argument that the matter was one for Big Four discussion only. The United States, Britain and France can accept this document only by a reversal of their policy. Americans Uncertain of Soviet Aim (Rec. 9.30). ’fEW YORK, Nov. 13. The New York Tinjes says: Nothing but moral force stands behind Dr Evatt and Mr Lie. Their joint appeal is morally powerful. If it is not accepted, it will be because Russia’s policies have led the Western Powers to believe that the suggested procedure would be futile. Our Government can well take the position that it would join in any discussion wherein issues between the United States and Russia and between the whole Western world and Russia, would be honestly and frankly explored. The time has come for the players in this menacing international power game to lay down their cards. We unquestionably are willing to do that. Is Russia?. Does the Appeal Play the Soviet’s Game (Rec. 10.15). WASHINGTON. Nov. 13. Diplomatic authorities here have expressed fears that the appeal to the big Powers bv Mr Lie and Dr Evatt to settle the Berlin dispute, may have the effect of strengthening what the United States Secretary of State, General Marshall, has described as “the Soviet peace offensive designed to play upon the general desire for peace with the real purpose of weakening the United States’ position”. U.N.O. NofAbie~ to Enforce Peace Says N.Z. Diplomat (Rec. 9.35). MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 14. Sii’ Carl Berendsen, New Zealand Minister to U.S.A., said to-night that the United Nations could do nothing effective in enforcing peace. He was addressing the second annual general assembly of the United World Federalists. He said that the United Nations was powerless to take action except "against a small Power which is not supported by a great Power . He continued: No war in the past, and no great war in the future has been, or will be, initiated by a small Power that is not supported by a great Power. Those who pretend that, with these limitations, the United Nations can do anything at all effective in enforcing peace are shutting their eyes to the facts. Let no one pretend that in the United Nations we have an effective system of collective security. We have no such added that merely to remove the veto would not accomplish an effective collective security plan, but it would offer a chance to accomplisn it. Marshall Discounts Soviet “Peace” Offensive LONDON, Nov. 12 The United States Secretary of State, General Marshall, denied that there were any plans for a meeting between President Truman and M. I Stalin. He commented that the continual Moscow references to the possibility of such a meeting represented a Soviet “peace offensive of a very dangerous kind” and were apparently designed to animate the world desire for peace to the point of weakening the Western position. U.S. Attitude to the Atlantic Pact (Rec. 9.10) PARIS, Nov. 14 Well informed American sources stated that the United States would not support the principle of its auto-

matic entry into a European war under the proposed North Atlantic Pact, but it would be willing to agree to immediate consultation among the signatories if any of them was attacked.