_UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., June 16, 1981--(AP)--In one of
the most impressive ceremonies ever held in the United Nations building,
the world celebrated today the 25th anniversary of the discovery of the
"Golden Judge."_
_General Terence P. O'Reilly, USA (Retired), the man responsible for the
discovery, was the principal guest of honor. Obviously moved by the
acclaim from virtually every member nation, Gen. O'Reilly made a brief
speech recapturing for a moment the accidental circumstances of 25 years
ago that so drastically reduced world tensions...._
* * * * *
It was stifling hot in Jerusalem in the afternoon of June 16, 1956, and
Major General Terence Patrick O'Reilly, United States Army, was rather
more bored than usual. His Army career had gone well--two stars already
at forty-five--until the mysterious workings of the Pentagon had given
him perhaps the most frustrating posting a soldier could have.
He was chairman of the mixed United Nations armistice commission trying
to keep the uneasy peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors. For
months he had presided over unending investigations of border incidents,
some petty, some not so petty. He had signed reports reprimanding and
recommending and approving, but nothing ever came of them, and he no
longer expected anything ever would.
Today's hearing was different, and not strictly in his field. But
because he was an engineer, and because both Arabs and Israelis trusted
him, he had agreed to listen to their opposing arguments on using the
waters of the River Jordan.
Too many years ago, the United States had offered to provide most of the
funds for a "little TVA" on the river, benefitting both Israel and
Jordan alike. At first, both had refused outright to have anything to do
with the other. But over the years, skillful negotiating by Eric
Johnston, the American President's personal envoy, had brought Israel
and Jordan closer and closer together--until now they agreed on the
disposal of ninety per cent of the water.
But farther than this they would not go. For months, years, they balked
on the remaining ten per cent, and the dams remained only blueprints.
Terence O'Reilly was sick unto death of the arguments, and thought
everyone else was, too. He had heard them over and over; he knew them by
heart. He knew they were evenly balanced, with justice on both sides. He
knew both nations longed for a settlement, but he knew neither would
back down, for reasons of "face." Worst of all, he knew that any
decision of his was meaningless. It was purely advisory, and he knew all
too well what "advisory" opinions counted for out here.
Yet he tried to look interested as the delegate from Jordan wearily
produced an argument that every man in the conference room could recite
word for word.
In a brief lull, General O'Reilly groaned: "Why don't they toss a coin
for it?"
It was not as _sotto voce_ as he meant.