International: End of a Friendship

Five years ago, Norway’s Trygve Lie was the Soviet Union’s candidate for first president of the U.N. Assembly. He was beaten, 28 to 23, by Belgium’s Paul-Henri Spaak. Then Lie, with the warm approval of the U.S.S.R., was elected U.N.’s secretary general. Lie continued to enjoy Soviet favor until he reacted with indignation to Communist aggression in Korea.

Last week in the Security Council, the U.S.S.R. cast a veto—its 46th—against another five-year term for Lie. The General Assembly cannot re-elect Lie unless the Council so recommends. But, the Assembly, which fixed his original term, can —and probably will—extend Lie’s present term of office.