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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1962)
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 11. 1962 Exchange Between Stevenson, Zorin Called Contents of Making History By JACK V. FOX United Press International The setting: The horseshoe shaped tahle ol the United Na tions Security council. The cast: Adlai Stevenson, Va(erian Zorin and other dele gates to the Security council. The lime: The night of Oct. 25,1962. Stevenson is speaking: "'. . . Yes or no - don't wait for the translation - yes or no'.' It was one of those moments of pure history in the making. The millions of Americans who were looking on by TV could sense that they were witness to a confrontation, a drama of super-power conflict .worth tolling the grandchil dren about. And for Adlai Stevenson it was a moment of personal vin dication. When President Kennedy in inb'U named Stevenson 4s Am bassador to the United Na tions, the choice was applaud ed around the world. The prestige of having a two-time candidate for the presidency as ;Amcrica's U.N. delegate was tremendous. The eloquence of this "Prai rie Ttoosevelt" was legend. He was popular with all the non Communist nations of the globe - a statesman with the reputation of liberalism, a man of personal charm, a speaker sure to bring wit as well as weight to United Na tions' deliberations. Seldom had a man gone into a vital post with so much in his'favor. Then - just 18 months ago -Stevenson's prestige and in fluence at the United Nations took a blow so severe it might I , ;l 4 CLARENCE WEAVER West Coast Officer Clarence Weaver Elected District Head ol League Clarence Weaver, Medford, managing director of the Southern Oregon - Northern California's CalOre Electri cal league was elected district west coast governor for 1863 during the recent convention of the International Associa tion of Electric Leagues in Chicago. Representatives of more than 60 electrical associations met for programming 1963 activities. The CalOre League will observe its fourth anniversary soon. Weaver said. Members of the executive board are Vern Owens, Klamath Falls, president; George West, Rose burg, vice president, and divi sion chairmen, Al Klassen, Grants Pass, appliance; Har old Wall, Medford. apparatus, and Morris Leonard, Warren Kelsoc, Frank Price, Tod Bennett. Clint Lorber and John Yape. The league's original presi dent was Dick Finch, Med ford. Weaver said the manufac turers who met with the i American courtroom Croup indicated a keen desire lo sec expanded electrical league activity in the Pacific Northwest comparable to the saturation level of most areas of California and Arizona. The national association will meet next in San Diego, with the 1963 convention scheduled in Chattanooga. have meant the end of service there, had he been a weaker man. The crisis then - as now -was over Cuba. The setting was the same: The Security council. The date was April 17, 1961, and, on that dawn, Cuban refugees had invaded the Bay of Pigs. But the immediate subject of debate was the bombing of military installations in Cuba on April 19 by three planes which struck in the night. Stevenson held up high a photograph of one of the B26 bombers. It had been taken after the plane landed at Mi ami International airport. It bore the markings of the Cu ban Air force. There, said Stevenson, was the proof that these were planes flown by Cuban Air force pilots defecting from Fidel Castro. He was as wrong as a man could be. Innocently wrong, but wrong nonetheless. For, in the chaos rampant in Washington at the time, the administration had neglected to inform their Ambassador to the Uniled Nations' of the true American involvement in the invasion. The planes were, in fact, painted with the Cuban insig nia - with the assistance of the U.S. Central Intelligence agency - and tlown irom i,ann American bases by Luoan rebel pilots. Vulnerable Position Stevenson was furious at having been left in such a vulnerable position. The Rus sians lost no time in depicting him as deliberately deceitful; the lesser implication being that he did not have access lo the higher councils of the American government. It hurt. It must have hurt as much or more than on that night in November, 1956, when he lost the presidency for a second time and remark ed, in paraphrase of Abraham Lincoln, "It hurts too much to laugh, but I'm too old to cry." Stevenson kept his silence about the affair in public. But he had lost stature at the United Nations and he knew it. Sardonic Zorin Last month, with the U.N. again tense with anxiety about the American naval blockade of Cuba, the Soviet and Cuban delegates taunted him with the memory of his ill-fated "proof" of the na tionality of the bombers in the Bay of Pigs fiasco. Here he was again - the night of Oct. 25 - back with more pictures, this time of Soviet nuclear rockets in Cu ba. The smooth, sardonic Zorin spoke first. The United States, he said, claimed it had proof of the existence of missile bases in Cuba. "The government of the United States." he said, "has no such facts in its hands ex cept the falsified information of the U.S. Intelligence agency which are being displayed for review in halls and which are sent to the press. "Falsity is what the United States has in its hands, false evidence." At that moment Zorin open ed the door for Stevenson. He became suddenly and dramat ically the Ambassador for the prosecution. Exchange Occurs Here was the exchange that then occurred before fas cinated ring of U.N. delegates and before the American pub lic: Stevenson - "All right, sir, let me ask you one simple question: Do you. Ambassador i Zorin. deny that the U.S.S.R. has placed and is placing me dium and intermediate range missiles and sites in Cuba? Yes or no - don't wail for the translation - yes or no?" Zorin - "I am not in an sir, and therefore I do not wish to answer a question that is put to me in the fashion in which a prosecutor puts questions. In due course, sir, you will have your reply." (Nervous laughter). Stevenson - "You arc in the courtroom of world opinion ' right now, and you can answer yes or no. You have denied that they exist. I want to know whether 1 have under stood you correctly." Zorin (as temporary council due course. ' your decision chairman) - "Will you please ' Stevenson - "I am prepared ; (Again laughter continue your statement, sir? to wait for my answer until You will have your answer in ' hell freezes over, if that is humor but crisis. Zorin stared wait long. Two days later, It was the ! straight ahead, a sheepish j Premier Khrushchev cabled sort of reaction lo a tense smile on his face). Kennedy mat tne soviet situation that represented not i Stevenson did not have to Union was prepared to dis mantle its missile sites in Cu ba, crate the equipment and ship it back to Russia. The next day Zorin learned he would have the "assist ance" of another Soviet diplo mat who would concentrate on Cuban affairs. ideas ?o monogrammed writing papers book matches paper napkins Order Early 217 Eat Main face rMm Dress Up Your Home... Shop Mead for Sifts... WEEKS and onn's Fun to decorate ---for yourself or as gifts! 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