Evening star., 1946-12-10
American Move Stalls
U. N. Effort 10 Decide
On Permanent Site
BY the Asseeiuted Press

LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y, Dec. TO-
The United Nations Permanent
Headquarters Committee, still di-
vided in support of the East and
West Coasts as location Of the
U. Ms permanent home. found It's
efforts to reach a decision stalled
today by an American move to
postpone any verdict until next
year.
The proposal to defer decision ui1-
til the next session Of the U. N.
General Assembly presented last
night by the chief, American dele
gate, Warren r. Austin, got de-
cidedly cool reception from his fell
low members of the 54-nation COM
mittee, but no vote will be taken
on 1t until the committees next
meeting, tentatively set for tollor-
row.
The committee began its session
yesterday with the expectation Of
making at least a decision on
whether the permanent peace cap
ital should be located at the Pre-
sidio in San Francisco on the West
Coast, but Mr.. Austin's move for
postponement of the entire ques-
ton provoked fresh debate which
prevented any voting.
Canadian Backs u. S. Move.
Only L. D. Wilgress of Canada
supported the American move to
let the site issue ride another year.
He said the United State Govern
ment must have sufficiently good
reasons for asking postponement
and that the committee should re-
spect the wishes of Government
that is to be host to the United Ma
tions.
Mr.. Austin had announced his in
tention of moving postponement at
the afternoon session. saying he
would ask further examination of
East Coast SITES eliminating San
Francisco from consideration. But
when he produced his motion at the
night session. he had bowed to the
demands OF Saudi Arabia and 9TH
ers that San Francisco be retained
in the list OF possible sites.
Mr.. Austin's proposal would keep
before the U. N. the Presidio at San
Francisco and the Belmont -Rox-
borough area in Philadelphia, the
two sites recommended as "of equal
merit" BY . headquarters subcom-
mittee, but would add possible sites
in the New York and Boston area.
Secretariat Study Proposed.
He proposed that between now and
July /, 1947, the u. N. secretariat
make studies of possible sites in the
New York and Boston areas and
recommendation of a
specific site in each OF the two which
might be voted on along with the
Presidio and Roxborough- Belmont.
p. N. Saptu of India led the at
tack on postponement, demanding,
Why can't we reach a decision
now? Practically all the speakers
turing our long discussions have
said 1t was of the utmost Importance
% reach a decision In this session
If the General Assembly. What has
to make us change our
minds? We are entitled to know If
anything has happened to require q
oostponement."
II diEed 3esahentss Il with saasi.
saying the calm he tried to mains
tain in the debate was mingled
with exasperation" and asking, Are
we never to know Ehere4 We stsnd9i
Are we.i1evas4iav vfng Just got upto'
the fence. never to get over it?"''
Bad Public Reaction Feared.
Mr.. Younger declared failure to
make q decision during the cur
rent Assembly session would bring
a bad public reaction.
Nobody admireS a body, particu-
larry q parliamentary body, that
suffers from chronic indecision," he
said.
That view was supported by the
delegates of New Zealand, Iraq and
Colombia. who said public opinion
would turn against the U. N. If its
members could not, in more than
a year, decide where its home
would be.
Chairman Eduardo Zulueta Angel
OF Colombia asked members to
come to the next committee meet
ing prepared to vote and won agree
ment that speeches at that meeting
should be limited to three minutes.