Consistency Over China
The United Nations does not work very well, but there is a danger that if the present deadlock over the representation of China goes on for much longer it will cease to work at all. That possibility alone is driving the British Government to revise its present policy of abstaining from voting whenever the representa- tion of China by the Communist Government is proposed, as it is from time to time. And revision can only mean one thing—support for the admission of the Communists. Britain has already recog- nised the Peking Government, and it seems unlikely to reverse that decision. That being so, consistency demands that the Chinese Government which is recognised in London should also be recog- nised at Lake Success, and it is evident that the British Government is only waiting for the right opportunity to make the necessary sacrifice to consistency. It would have done it this week at a meet- ing of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund but for a technical doubt about the competence of this meeting to consider the question, and it is likely that the next opportunity will be taken when the Economic and Social Council meets atmGeneva on July 3rd. A sacrifice it certainly will be, for the United States Government has never recognised the Peking regime, was annoyed when the British Government did so, and would probably prefer that the British Government should leave 'ings as they are within the United Nations. Whether the change will be worth the sacrifice remains to be seen. In any case it will still be quite unrealistic to expect the United Nations to become a harmonious organisation, with the Communists, both Russian and Chinese, making their harmonious contribution.
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