Evening star., 1945-06-24

S STAR, Washington, D. c.
Y. JUNE "a. ls45.
as these nations have many differ
ing ideas Of government and many
different and individual aspirations
Differences arose among the big
Five" from the start. They had to
be ironed out Differences occurred
between the Big Five and the Little
Forty-five," and they, too, had to
be reconciled. When it is remem-
bered that the conference has five
official languages-English, French,
Russian, Spanish and Chinese-and
that the debates in technical COM
mittees, in conference commissions
and in the sessions of the confer
ences itself, had to be translated OF
least once, and sometimes twice, the
physical difficulties of getting agree
ments may be better understood.
The conference appeared to move
from cricis to crisis, as new differ
ences arose. But in the end, each
crisis passed and the differences
were resolved or buried. The char
ter is not described by even its
friends as a perfect document. It
is, however, an improvement over
Dumbarton Oaks, and it promises to
be far more workable than was the
old League of Nations. While the
four sponsoring powers made the
original proposals, the. charter as
finally drafted bears the imprint of
all the nations which took part in
the conference. The sponsoring
powers offered % amendments-as
starter-to the Dumbarton Oaks
working paper, and offered more as
the debates proceeded.
"The Little Forty-five" proposed
some 636 amendments. Many of
these amendments overlapped. But
about 400 amendments have been
written into the charter.
Smaller Nations Effective.
The smaller nations had plenty
to do with the document. Practi-
cally all of the amendments adopt
ed clarified or liberalized the char
ter. Take a few examples of amend
ments sponsored by smaller nations
and finally adopted. Full employ
ment" as goal for all peoples was
written into the economic and So
cial council chapter, the amendment
being offered by Australia. New
Zealand helped to make that coun-
Gil one of the principal agencies of
the organization. The safeguard
ing of human rights and founda-
mental freedoms as an objective
was advocated by Mexico, Brazil,
the Dominican Republic. Iran sup
ported education as major objec-
tive of the trusteeship system. Can
ada and the Netherlands were re-
sponsible for an amendment giving
any nation furnishing troops to the
security council for enforcement &C
ton the right to vote on the use of
those troops.
The powers and duties of the gen.
eral assembly were increased by the
conference and many of these
amendments, too, were sponsored
by the smaller nations The primary
function of the assembly is to serve
as forum of world opinion. 1t has,
under the final charter, taken on
new responsibilities. It can con-
slider and make recommendations
on any matter within the scope of
the charter written here, unless at
the time it is being considered by
the security council. 1t elects the
nonpermanent members of the Sc
curity council-a majority of the
council. With the participation of
the security council it elects the
secretary general, the justices of the
international court, and will admit
new members of the United Nations,
or suspend the privileges of old
members which have not lived up to
their obligations under the charter.
It is a powerful body in its own
right.
Economic Council Vital.
OF all the agencies of the United
Nations none is regarded as more
likely to aid in the maintenance Of
peace than the economic and social
council. It will be its duty to search
out and recommend remedies for
the economic and social ills Of the
world. At the same time it is re-
stricted from proposing interfer-
ence in purely domestic affairs
of any nation. And so, for that
matter, is the entire organiza-
ton. The nations, certainly the
United States, does not propose to
give power to 10 members of any in
ternational council to say what it
shall do about its domestic affairs.
They do not intend to build up an
international bureaucracy" reach
ing into the everyday lives of the
peoples of the world.
AS it emerges from the confer
ence, however, the economic and
social council has been greatly i'm
proved over the rather pallid plan
which was part of the Dumbarton
Oaks text. 1t is one of the main
improvements in the United Nations
over the old League of Nations,
which made no provision for such a
council. It may study and investi-
gate all economic and social prob
lens as they affect the world.
While it has no power whatever to
enforce its findings and recommen-
dations, it will have the great force
of public opinion back Of it. In
dividual nations, however, must put
its recommendations into effect.
The council is instructed to pro-
mote higher standards of living, full
employment, and conditions of eco
nomic and social progress; to pro-
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