This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

What is the future of the United Nations?

With the United States at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, with Iran supplying weapons for the terrorists in both countries and threatening the peace of the Pacific area….where is the United Nations?

Yes, they have passed sanctions of sorts against Iran, but that doesn’t deter them from continuing to support terrorism through the region.

At the risk of self adulation, I would like to share with you an idea on a world organization system that I wrote about some 62 years ago.

At the time I was aboard a navy ship involved in the assault on Okinawa.   It was a portion of a letter that I sent to my future wife, dated June 9, 1945.

I wrote: “I’m still not in favor of having a single peace organization, but rather believe that it should be broken up into three regional leagues.  You can call them...the Americas….the European-African, and the Asiatic leagues.  Each of the regional leagues would apportion representation among its’ member nations according to the population...probably l representative for each million people with a minimum of at least l member for the smaller countries that don’t have a million population.  Russia would have representatives in both the European-African and Asiatic Leagues.  So her member total could be divided so that she wouldn’t have a dominating influence in both.  The Asiatic League would have to have it’s members apportioned in a flat numerical manner such as 50 for China, 25 for Russia, etc., instead of l for each million because China’s 450 million and population of places like India would make that league too bulky to manage.  Each of the Leagues would handle all matters that arise between nations in that league, and anything involving disputes between two nations of different leagues...say China and the United States...would be referred to what we would call the World Court.  This World Court would be a body consisting of members chosen from the representatives of the 3 leagues with the United States, Russia, England, China and France having permanent seats on it, the remaining seats from electors from the three leagues.

 It would work this way….if a nation, say Argentina wanted to go to war against Chile, both in South America, she would be asked to offer the dispute to the American League for settlement.  If she wouldn’t do this or insisted on going to war, she would be ousted from the League and all nations in the American League would boycott her, refusing to trade with her or permit her ships to enter their ports.  The other two leagues would do likewise and Argentina would be completely isolated from the world.  If needed, the American League would organize a military effort against her.

We’re in no position to intercede with nations that may be disputing in Europe or Asia while we are vitally concerned with affairs in the American hemisphere.

Having permanent seats on the World Court we would be in complete touch with affairs of the world and be in a position to interfere should some nation like Russia say got possession of the European theater and menaced our own hemisphere, just as Germany planned to do.  Such an organization would permit us to apply our plan of America for Americas, our Monroe Doctrine as it were, and keep us out of European and Asiatic disputes.”

Well that’s what I wrote some 62 years ago even as we were deeply involved in Okinawa.

Unfortunately the United Nations hasn’t worked that way.  In its earlier years it was dominated by little countries with little complaints, mostly against the United States, the only remaining world power. 

Beyond some peacekeeping forces, it has little power to enforce any of its sanctions and thus has failed its main purpose….keeping the peace of the world.

All fear a one world government, but if we are ever to truly outlaw war, we must truly isolate completely those would make war on their neighbors, and have a World Court that can resolve such disputes and enforce its’ decisions.

Just a few thoughts from an old sailor who has witnessed the terrible tragedy and wanton destruction that war brings.

This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.

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Text Box:   This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE. What is the future of the United Nations? With the United States at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, with Iran supplying weapons for the terrorists in both countries and threatening the peace of the Pacific area….where is the United Nations? Yes, they have passed sanctions of sorts against Iran, but that doesn’t deter them from continuing to support terrorism through the region. At the risk of self adulation, I would like to share with you an idea on a world organization system that I wrote about some 62 years ago. At the time I was aboard a navy ship involved in the assault on Okinawa.   It was a portion of a letter that I sent to my future wife, dated June 9, 1945. I wrote: “I’m still not in favor of having a single peace organization, but rather believe that it should be broken up into three regional leagues.  You can call them...the Americas….the European-African, and the Asiatic leagues.  Each of the regional leagues would apportion representation among its’ member nations according to the population...probably l representative for each million people with a minimum of at least l member for the smaller countries that don’t have a million population.  Russia would have representatives in both the European-African and Asiatic Leagues.  So her member total could be divided so that she wouldn’t have a dominating influence in both.  The Asiatic League would have to have it’s members apportioned in a flat numerical manner such as 50 for China, 25 for Russia, etc., instead of l for each million because China’s 450 million and population of places like India would make that league too bulky to manage.  Each of the Leagues would handle all matters that arise between nations in that league, and anything involving disputes between two nations of different leagues...say China and the United States...would be referred to what we would call the World Court.  This World Court would be a body consisting of members chosen from the representatives of the 3 leagues with the United States, Russia, England, China and France having permanent seats on it, the remaining seats from electors from the three leagues.  It would work this way….if a nation, say Argentina wanted to go to war against Chile, both in South America, she would be asked to offer the dispute to the American League for settlement.  If she wouldn’t do this or insisted on going to war, she would be ousted from the League and all nations in the American League would boycott her, refusing to trade with her or permit her ships to enter their ports.  The other two leagues would do likewise and Argentina would be completely isolated from the world.  If needed, the American League would organize a military effort against her. We’re in no position to intercede with nations that may be disputing in Europe or Asia while we are vitally concerned with affairs in the American hemisphere. Having permanent seats on the World Court we would be in complete touch with affairs of the world and be in a position to interfere should some nation like Russia say got possession of the European theater and menaced our own hemisphere, just as Germany planned to do.  Such an organization would permit us to apply our plan of America for Americas, our Monroe Doctrine as it were, and keep us out of European and Asiatic disputes.” Well that’s what I wrote some 62 years ago even as we were deeply involved in Okinawa. Unfortunately the United Nations hasn’t worked that way.  In its earlier years it was dominated by little countries with little complaints, mostly against the United States, the only remaining world power.  Beyond some peacekeeping forces, it has little power to enforce any of its sanctions and thus has failed its main purpose….keeping the peace of the world. All fear a one world government, but if we are ever to truly outlaw war, we must truly isolate completely those would make war on their neighbors, and have a World Court that can resolve such disputes and enforce its’ decisions. Just a few thoughts from an old sailor who has witnessed the terrible tragedy and wanton destruction that war brings. This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.    

Text Box: 8/16/07