Sunshine Amid Clouds

The U.N. General Assembly's seventh and longest session (100 working days) ended in a salutary display of unity. Before the house was a Burmese resolution accusing Nationalist (Formosa) China of aggression because of the presence of Chinese Nationalist General Li Mi's for aging army in East Burma (TIME, April 13). Russian propaganda has often accused the U.S. of financing and directing Li's army, but this time the Russians did not try to make any anti-American mischief out of the situation.

Seeing the big nations behaving so mannerly, some of the small nations decided that the Burma question might be susceptible to discussion. A gentler substitute motion, formally sponsored by Mexico, was introduced. It deplored the "foreign forces" in Burma, called on them either to disarm and get out, or be interned, and recommended that "the negotiations now in progress through the good offices of certain members [meaning the U.S.] should be pursued." Nowhere did the compromise Mexican resolution-mention "aggression" or identify the offending forces.

Nationalist China's delegate, quite relieved, said: "I am authorized by my government to state . . . that we are willing to give the U.N. the utmost cooperation in achieving that objective." Burma thanked the Assembly "for its moral backing." The Mexican resolution carried unanimously, 59 to 0 (China abstaining). The U.S. and Russia, who rarely agree on anything at U.N., voted aye.

Quite overcome, Brazil's Joao Carlos Muniz cried that he foresaw a possible "turning point in history." Andrei Vishinsky, who had arrived in October accusing the U.S. of "bluster and blackmail," now announced that "the rays of sunshine are visible through the clouds." Everybody was at least grateful for Vishinsky's present politeness, however temporary.

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