◆ SpookStack

zorces were hmited to two per cent of cach nation’s 1950 population, and each nation's military budger were restricted to five per cent of the 1950 gross national product, the per- centages would probably work to the advantage of the United Scates by fixing the size of its milicary force and budget near to what it wants and can support, Nations with larger popu- lations but less national product might be deprived of their population advantage by inability to suppore a larger army on its percentage of national product. However, we believe that careful study can produce a formula which will assure’ genuine armament concrol rather chan national advantage. Ir is important to bear in mind chart there is a large variecy of factors applicable to the problem of establishing fair criteria, Establishing a system of equivalent and balanced reduc- tion is admittedly difficult. Uniform statistical terms and processes would have to be developed and applied to all nations, base years would have co be agreed upon, squabbling over fair and just quoras might prove disruptive, and deciding what allowances shauld be made for calonies, allies and satetlires would be highly complicated. On the other hand, any proposal less than immediate coral disarmament or flat limirations and reductions—neither of which appears to be able ta win gen- eral acceptance—will encounter similar difficulties. If the re- ductions are so gradual thae major powers remain capable of waging large-scale war, the importance of equivalences in arms reduction will remain great. If, however, the cutbacks are drastic, the problem of equivalences tends to lose some af its significance and much of its difficulty. The United States has urged progressive limitation and balanced reduction of armaments, and has suggested the cri- teria used in this discussion. However, by proposing, in che Disarmament Commission om June 28, 1952 specific troop quotas of 1,/00,000 men for Russia, China, and the Unired States, 800,000 men for France, 700,000 men for Great Britain, and smaller forces for other nations, American representatives indicated a willingness to move toward drastic reduction of present levels without quibbling about detailed formulae. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, has urged a flac reduction of one-third the firsc year, and, to our knowledge, has proposed no criteria or formula to be followed thereafter. Adoption of 36 our proposal would require greater concessions from the Soviet Union. The Proposals Summarized The proposals outlined above are based on repudiation of rhe use of weapons of mass destruction, bringing the arms race to a standstill, establishing inclusive controls, and, as scon as possible, drastically reducing all military potential. Ie calls for the following: (1) preparing plans and draft treaties by the new Disarmament Commission; (2) calling one or more dis- armament conferences; (3) concluding and ratifying one or more disarmament treaties; (4) establishing a control organ within the framework of the Security Council; (3) repudiat- ing the use of atomic and other weapons of mass destruction, with the assurance thac the ban will be extended to the pos- session and manufacture of such weapons, and guaranteeing that fissionable materials will be used for peaceful purposes only; (6} establishing strict international control of dangerous atornic facilities owned by individual nations, and abandoning the plan for international ownership and management; {7) adopting a plan for “denaturing” fissionable macerials or placing them in an international depository so as to render seizure and use of them for war purposes extremely dificule and costly, and abandoning the concept of “scrategic balance”; (#) establishing permanent and continuing inspection of all armaments, armed forces and military potential and facilities; (9) permiteing the control organ to make decisions by major- ity vote, though abandoning the suggestion that the veto be waived in the Security Council’s deliberations on applying sanctions; {10} establishing a specific schedule with targee dates for each stage; (11) progressively limiting and reducing conventional armaments, facilities and armed forces, using criteria carefully selected so that in the process no nation or bloc of nations gains in strategic military advantage. 37