‘Frisco work being spurred by V-E Day
Conference may end within three weeks
SAN FRANCISCO (UP) – The end of the war in Europe spurred delegates at the United Nations Conference today to hasten the creation of a world organization strong enough to prevent another war.
The delegates wall “celebrate” the historic announcement of the end of the war with only a minute of silence. Then they will return to long hours of work designed to accomplish their task here within the next two or three weeks.
The end of the European war finds this conference in a favorable position.
Big powers in agreement
The big powers are in an amazing decree of unanimity on all fundamental issues pertaining to the new world peacekeeping organization.
It has been little short of a miracle that the unanimity has been attained. There have been side issues which, with less determination to succeed on the part of the leaders, could have bogged down the conference.
On the Polish issue especially, feeling on both sides has been bitter.
Leaders move ahead
But the leaders here succeeded in not letting it interfere with the task of building a charter for a world organization.
The atmosphere here augurs well for greater success at this conference than anticipated by even the most optimistic a month ago.
The United States, Great Britain, Russia and China are ready to turn the conference over to the little nations.
In effect, the “Little Nation” phase begins today after nearly two weeks of domination by the big ones. The others now will have a chance to be heard, but are expected generally to accept the broad outline of the plan on which the big powers agreed.
Objections met
Most of the issues raised by the little powers have been met by Big Four amendments. The major one left untouched is the voting procedure which gives the big powers a veto over virtually all decisions and actions of the Security Council.
The little nations will seek restrictions, but it is generally recognized that the formula must stand for the present. It was agreed to at Yalta and the prospects of any change in it here are nil.
Big Four unanimity on all major issues was claimed yesterday by Soviet Foreign Commissar V. M. Molotov at a press conference. Some of his statements at first were interpreted as meaning that he was not supporting the revised amendment of Sen. Arthur H. Vandenberg (R-Michigan) – the so-called “treaty revision” amendment.
Clarified by Vandenberg
But Mr. Vandenberg himself clarified that quickly by announcing that he and M. Molotov were in agreement on post-war revision of treaties.
Mr. Vandenberg explained that both he and M. Molotov opposed giving the world organization itself actual authority to reviser treaties. But both, he said, felt it should have power to recommend revisions whenever it found a situation likely to impair the general welfare.