A Magician's Trick

Britain's Cadogan Pulls 2 Rabbits from his Hat
and his Claque Insists they’re Real

By OBSERVER

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following dispatch by Observer from U. N. headquarters in Paris was mailed just prior to receipt in Paris of the directive from President Truman to the American delegation, to withdraw from support of the British effort of impose sanctions on Israel and to push for a directly negotiated peace, using the partition plan of November 29, 1947, as the basis for discussion. Whether Britain will again, as she has so often in the past year, be able to assist the State Department in reversing the President’s policy, remains to be seen. T. O. T.

United Nations, Paris, (By Mail). — From the day when, after the United Nations vote of November 29, 1947, Arab “irregulars” from Syria and Iraq invaded Palestine and stormed Jewish settlements, I have waited for the day when the British would succeed in branding Israel as an offender against the peace.

From the day when the British barred the United Nations Commission, charged with implementing partition, from entering Palestine, I have waited for the day when the British would say that the resolution of November 29, 1947, voted by more than a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly, is no longer valid.

I have lived to see both these things happen. British cunning and British delaying tactics have succeeded in the space of time required by our planet to travel once around the sun, in so twisting the legal situation that Sir Alexander Cadogan, pipe between his teeth, unblushingly offered a resolution that would make the Israelis offenders against peace and stated that the resolution of November 29, 1947 has long been invalid.

* * *

Cadogan had no top hat in front of him. But still he pulled out two rabbits. He needed a full year for this trick, but he did it with the air of a real magician. And, pipe between his teeth, he looked happily at his accomplishment.
“They are real rabbits,” said the delegate from Syria.
“They are real rabbits,” echoed the delegate from China. “We in China know what rabbits look like.”
“Are they actually rabbits?” asked the delegate from Canada.
“They are, They are,” chorused the gentleman of the Security Council. “Let us vote that they are real rabbits.”
“Let me think it over until tomorrow,” begged the delegate from Canada.
“No, no. Tomorrow the rabbits may disappear.”
“Why should the rabbits disappear by tomorrow?” I asked myself. “Why such a rush in this honorable Council?”
“You see,” a lady sitting next to me said, “by tomorrow the presidential train carrying Truman to Washington will be back at the capital, and it is necessary to vote before the train gets back.”
“Are you sure?” I asked the lady.
“I am positive” she said.
Then the Security Council voted that Cadogan had produced two real rabbits. The learned Dr. Jessup of the United States concurred in this vote. He did make some minor changes in the Chinese-British resolution, but it is always useful to draw the attention of the audience away with some small talk when a trick is being prepared. Dr. Jessup lost his voice exactly when he had to say that the resolution of November 29, 1947 still stands, since only a two-thirds majority can vote down a resolution that the same body accepted by a two-thirds majority; and even then it is questionable whether a court can reverse its own decision. Because Cadogan does not like the resolution on partition, should it for that reason be annulled?

* * *

When Israel was invaded after Nov. 29, 1947, all the nations were under the obligation to send an international force to Palestine to enforce the decision of that date. It was not sent. At least a token force should have been sent. It was not sent. At least arms should have been sent to the Israelis. They were not sent. At least arms should have been sold to the Israelis. Instead, an embargo was put into effect. At least the United Nations Commission charged with implementing the partition should have been admitted to Palestine. It was not admitted. At least the Arab invaders should have been branded offenders against peace. They were not so branded. At least arms should not have been sent to Arab countries. They were sent. At least the Security Council should have acknowledged in shame its default in action, and congratulated Israel for saving Jerusalem and a large part of Palestine from these seven states which violated its decision on partition. It did not do even this.

* * *

Two monstrous rabbits were produced by the British with the assistance of the Chinese, worthy allies in political ethics. Some say that an American, a five-star general, acted as midwife. No wonder the rabbits look like dragons.