dated September 29, 1950: Removing fear of war

Mr. Benegal Narsing Rau of India, told the United Nations General Assembly on September 27 that proposals such as those made by the United States Secretary of State, Mr. Dean Acheson - enabling the Assembly to deal instantly with aggression in any part of the world - ``merit and will receive our most careful consideration.'' Mr. B. N. Rau said that at the root of all conflicts, inside and outside the United Nations, was ``the fear of aggression'' and it was necessary to reduce to the minimum the fear of war before the world organisation could turn wholeheartedly to tasks of peace.

The Indian delegate observed: ``Once the fear of war is reduced to a minimum - for no one imagines that it can be completely removed - we can devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the tasks of peace... ``There is so much human misery in the world - often preventible, but sometimes due to natural calamities that cannot be prevented - and so much that the United Nations can do to mitigate it.''

Mr. B. N. Rau quoted the British historian, Prof. Arnold Toynbee, as having said, in August 1947: ``What does concern us immediately is whether we can do anything towards removing the fear which undoubtedly exists on both sides: for, ever so irritating it may be, we cannot escape from the vicious spiral of arming and counter-arming. We may be sure that the people of no part of the world, whether in the West or in the East or in the Far East or anywhere else want war and yet they felt compelled to spend vast sums of money on preparations for defence against aggression. Can we do nothing to diminish this constant and wasteful dread of war?''

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