Van Doren Slams United Nations, Calls World Government Essential

"The United Nations Organization will never be able to do anything worth talking about as it now stands," Mark Van Doren, Pulitzer prize-winning historian, told an audience of 600 college students from the Boston area at a meeting sponsored by the Student Federalist League in Sanders Theatre last night.

Van Doren urged the immediate establishment of a world government, under which heretofore sovereign nations would surrender both the right and, more important, the power to wage war. World control of atomic power, as opposed to international control, was also asked by Van Doren.

Likening the present United Nations Organization to an orphan among the giants that are its sponsors, he hit at the weaknesses inherent in the UN structure, and defended his outspoken criticism with the observation that "I am not interested in the United Nations as such; I am interested in peace."

"The very fact that people are sensitive to criticism of the UN leads me to believe that it is weak," he added.

Armies, Navies Must Go

"There will be no solution of the world problem until we abolish all national armies and navies," Van Doren claimed. He envisioned a United States with no army or navy and asserted that as long as such military organizations exist there is danger to the peace of the world.

One of the objections to world government, that the people are not ready for such a step, drew Van Doren's answer: "Why not ask them? They've never been asked about it before." He also believed that the responsibility of the people would eliminate the danger of tryanny in the proposed super government.

Van Doren saw the idea of world government as growing, but urged students and others interested to get out and talk about the plan. "Getting together in little bunches and discussing it among yourselves won't do any good," he warned the students. "Talk must become general enough so that those in Washington will become aware of the people's pressure and do something."

The speaker was introduced by Arthur N. Holcombe '06, professor of Government, who also acted as moderator during the question period which followed Van Doren's talk.