The Plan for the Atom
With Russia and Poland abstaining from the vote the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission this week approved the amended American proposals for the control of atomic energy, and the plan now goes forward to the Security CounciL for consideration. Since it still embraces the vital clause which prohibits the possible use of the veto to protect a violator of the terms of the convention it is probably a further sign of the new spirit of Russian conciliation that Mr. Gromyko did not actually cast his vote against the pro- posals. It is true that when .the matter is further discussed in the Security Council Russia "may 'decide to use her veto but as all the powers are apparently in accord as to the goal there is'grou'nd for hoping that an agreed method may yet be adopted to reach it. Finally all progress hinges on confidence and it is till too early to gauge Russia's intentions implied in her wish to have the discussion of atomic control vested in a general consideration of the problem of disarmament. Similarly no exhaustive study has been made of her own plan which provides for the immediate destruction of exist- ing stocks of atomic bombs and for the prohibition -of their manu- facture. Mr. Baruch has made it abundantly clear that America will only accept a plan which provides fool-proof safeguards for her security—her own plan—but this ignores the uncomfortable fact that there can be no fool-proof safeguards, or a plan, if a great power refuses to co-operate. Accordingly in a matter so absolutely vital a would be premature to condemn Russia's sincerity until it is proved beyond reasonable doubt that no further compromise is possible.
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