Worry

A single issue--the veto--kept the Big Five in almost continuous session last week in San Francisco. They were not debating a proposed charter change. The Yalta agreement on the veto was considered inviolate. But the U.S., Britain, China and France wanted to issue an "interpretation" of the veto agreement which would go a small way toward meeting the small nations' objections to it. Russia stuck to the letter of the bond.

According to the Yalta formula, any one of the Big Five could forbid action by the Security Council except on "procedural matters." What was a "procedural matter"? The Russians looked at the Dumbarton Oaks draft of a world charter and found two sections labeled "Procedure." They said that matters (mostly inconsequential) dealt with in those sections were excepted from the veto--and that nothing else was.

The Chinese wanted to interpret the procedural exception as opening the way for both discussion and investigation of a dispute even if one of the Big Five objected. Britain and the U.S. would not go that far. They would permit "discussion" over the objection of a Big Power, but not "investigation."

An American adviser explained how the three views might be applied to such a crisis as the French dispute with Lebanon and Syria (see The Nations). Under the Chinese interpretation, if the Syrians came to the Council they would be heard and the Council could send a commission to Damascus to investigate what happened there,, even though France objected. If Syria then asked the Council to act on the result of its investigation and France objected, the Council would not be able to act. In the Anglo-American view, the Council would hear the Syrians but could not investigate over the French veto. If the Russians' interpretation prevailed, the Syrians would not even be permitted in the Council room if the French said no.

Early this week the U.S. and British delegations considered the disagreement "critical." Arthur Vandenberg, whose support would be essential to Senate ratification of the charter, was telling friends he would "take the first plane out" if the Russians had their way. Czechoslovakia's Jan Masaryk was one of a calm minority when he said: "The conference is going well. Don't worry too much; but worry a little."

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