Graduation Address

"Indian Diplomat in Strong Talk to UNB Class" (October 1961). (UA Case 69, Box 1)

A call for universal disarmament was made here yesterday by V.K. Krishna Menon, minister of defense for India and leader of his country’s delegation to the United Nations. "While we speak of peace, we prepare for war. Out of war no peace will come," he told the UNB fall convocation.

This year the world has spent $87 thousand million in war preparations, which is $40 per capita of the world population, contrasted with an average income of $14 for Africans living in Portuguese Angola.

He demanded "the complete abandonment of war as a national policy." This was necessary because of a recent increase in international tensions, due in part to resumption of atomic weapons tests.

"There is little doubt that, since the conclusion of the lat world war, humanity has not faced a crisis like it’s facing today."

Mr. Menon flew in from New York to receive an honorary degree of doctor of laws. He became, in the words of Lord Beaverbrook, UNB chancellor, "the most distinguished holder of an honorary degree from this university since President Kennedy stood upon this platform four years ago."

And like President Kennedy he gave an international message. Simply put it was this: all nations of the world have a common interest. They would be the "common victims" of any atomic holocaust.

Mr. Menon touched on a wide range of international problems confronting the United Nations.

Red China

On the admission of Communist China, he said this was "a procedural matter."

"There is no question of admitting China to the United Nations. China as a state is a member. The question is who shall sit in this China seat?"—Communist China or the exiled government of Formosa (Taiwan).

India favored recognition of Communist China, despite border difficulties with that country. "You can’t call it the United Nations and leave a number of good nations inside and a number of bad nations outside."

Accepted

"The fact remains," he said, "the Chinese people have a government they accept, they approve of, they live under."

The Western powers also needed to recognize the existence of East Germany. "You can’t say that East Germany is not there. It is a fact."

India did not object to Russia and East Germany signing a peace treaty. Further, his country did not believe this will mean barring of access to West Berlin.

Anti-Troika

On latest UN debate, he said India was against the so-called troika plan for a three-man UN secretariat, a proposal lately dropped by the Russians, and favored the secretary-general system. "If there is not a single authority, the United Nations operation in the Congo will be difficult."

Mr. Menon, as a leader in UN discussions on atomic disarmament, could not see how nations could be, "A member of the UN on the one hand, and a member of war groups on the other hand."

Two Camps

The world was divided "whether we like it or not," into two main military alliances—Soviet Russia and the United States, "the two most powerful countries of the world in all humanity’s history."

No nation was uncommitted in this struggle, even though it followed a middle-road course like India, as should a war break out "all humanity would be affect," he said.

The leaders of Russia and America "hold in the hollow of their hands the future of war or peace on this planet."

Deliberately

The danger is great because since 1945, the end of the Second World War, "The world has deliberately armed in the way it is armed today."

War, he said, existed in the "hearts and minds of men." Man had never yet sent he folly of war, even when, in past eras, more dangerous weapons had been invented, such as the cross-bow giving way to firearms, the coming into existence of explosives.

Now, however, Russia possessed enough atomic weapons to destroy the United States many times over, "If you are destroyed once, that is sufficient."

To Stop Testing

By stopping atomic weapons test, "you are pulling the lever back from an atomic war." Peaceful uses of atomic energy—the alternative to war—would require a program of inspection as well as disarmament. The nuclear powers, however, were bogged down "very childishly" discussing which should come first: inspection or disarmament.

Underground atomic weapons tests, popular with the United States, which he described as "small underground explosions in little holes," cost some $30 million a hole.

Weapons Race

He dwelt on the fantastic high cost of the atomic weapons race when so much of humanity had inadequate standards of living, without even the basic degree of security the people of Canada take for granted.
"There are causes for which the world must fight, goals to be reached."

Aggressive man, however, worked on nuclear and thermonuclear weapons, biological and chemical weapons, and—more lately—talked of sending rockets to the moon.

Then Mr. Menon made his point that: Peace is the main thing.

No government of the world ever remarked to another that it wants war, yet nation after nation in the two main camps—Russia, and the United States—indicated that war is their wish by their very actions, he said.

Same Language

"Humanity is divided into two different philosophical camps according to ideologies." Strange, however, that "in the field of science, in the field of technology, the Russians and the Americans speak the same language. They understand each other better than we understand each other."

Mr. Menon mentioned that Indian students attended UNB, that relations between Canada and India were "more intimate" since his country became a sister state of the Commonwealth.

"I have never heard a Canadian plan our economy," he said. "And what is more, we haven’t tried to plan yours." His belief for all the nations of the world: "Live and let live."

Decision Needed

Russia and the United States should come to an agreement on their differences. Or, if they can not do this, they should reach a decision to stop disagreeing from this moment.

"There is no alternative in the world today to full and complete disarmament," said Mr. Menon. "The alternative to war, the alternative to conflict, is negotiation."

And discussion was possible, he said, because "There is far less ideological controversy in the world today," two examples being Soviet Russia’s recognition of France, Spain and the United States’ settlement of its differences with Communist Yugoslavia.

Both the United States and Russia were guilty of preparing for nuclear war, he said.

Resumption

Although Russia resumed her tests last month while negotiations were going on at Geneva, it was only shortly after the first Russian test that the US commenced again; this despite two years being the time required to dig a hole for underground testing.

Although some nations in Africa still lack independence, "the area of liberty is increasing," said Mr. Menon, a pioneer in the movement which won India her won independence.