BYRNES OPTIMISTIC

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5300, 13 January 1947, Page 5

BYRNES OPTIMISTIC

(Press Assn-

atomic control key to d1sarmament

—Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

NEW YORK, Jan. 12. In a final speech at Cleveland, Oliio, before retiring as United States Secretary of State, Mr. J. F. Byrnes declared: ''To-day I ara more confident than at any time since V-J Day that we can achieve a just peace by cooperative effort if we persist with firmness in the right as God gives us power to see the right." Mr. Byrnes admitted that there had been times during the past year when he had been very discouraged. "Our effcTts to co-operate for a peaceful world," he said, "seemed to be meeting only with constant rebuffs. We persisted in our efforts with patience and firmnesS. If we demonstrate our capacity in peace as we have in war, our children and the children of men everywhere will inherit a peaceful world of expanding freedom and increasing well-heing." In referring to the United Nations atcmic control plan, he said that he found it difficult to understand why any nation that would agree to tbe control of atornic weapons and punishment for violations should not agree to waive its veto power, should it be charged with a breach of its treaty obligations. The Soviet insistence on the diseussion of disarmament as a whole drew this comment from Mr. Byrnes: "We have urged priority for the control of atomic energy. It is the most destructive of all weapons. If we come to agreement on that subject, there can be agreement on the control of other weapons." Mr. Byrnes emphasised that economic distress, starvatiom, and disease bred political unrest, tyranny and ag-g-ression. Efforts to maintain peace must go hand-in-hand with the elimination of conditions which could lead to war. 11' e acknowledged the work. of U.N.R.R.A., and said that controlled relief from the United States was still necessary in some countries. In calling for the maintenance of United States military strength sufficient to (•iseharge America's obligations, Mr. Byrnes declared that neither the United S"tates, nor any other State ; houhi have the power to dominate the world. International law in a friendly, peaceful world, must be rnade to follow fellowship, common interests, and common ideas. Calling for support for President Truman's reeiprocal trade programme, Senator A. M. Vandenberg, f'hairman of the Senate Foreign Relations- Committee, spoke at Cleveland shortly before Mr. Byrnes delivered his address. Senator Vandenberg said excessive ".se of the veto could reduce the United Nations to a mockery, and block world disarmament.