Evening star., 1948-11-27

NolS IIIQt lVl1u III
U.N.:SociaI Committee
BY The Asseeiated Press
PARIS, Nov. 27.-A world bill of
rights. proclaiming freedom and
equality for every one, Is approach
ing final form.
Delegates of the So United Nations
yesterday completed the last of %
draft articles of declaration of hui
man rights.
Only the preamble and a possible
new article or two remain to be
acted on before the historic docu-
mer1t moves from the 5S-nation
Social Committee to the General
Assembly for final approval here
this year.
The declaration has been in prep
aration more than two years. 1t is
estimated TOO hours Of debate de-
veloped in the drafting stage. Some
of the bitterest theological clashes
in U, N. history accompanied its
formation.
An 18-nation Human Rights Com
mission, headed by Mrs. Franklin D.
Roosevelt, began work on the dec
laration in 1916. 1t was completed
by the Social Committee here after
nearly two months of worldly word
examination.
Constitution Principles Combined
The declaration provides an un-
precedented meeting place for the
thoughts and ideas of dozens of diff
ferent peoples, religions and gov
ernments. 1t combines principles of
the constitutions of Soviet Russia,
the United States. England and
France. Civilizations and cultures
of the Orient and the West find
expression In the lists of rights.
It is hailed by U. N. officials as
"one of the great landmarks of civil
ization," though it. will have only
moral authority, at least at first
1t proclaims common standard of
achievement for all peoples of all
nations" and calls on every organ
of society" to recognize and observe
the rights.
A human rights covenant, legally
binding all signatory nations, is to
be drawn up before next years U. N
Assembly. Under its provisions, all
signatory nations would agree to
imposition Of sanctions in case OF
violation of the rights.
Measures to enforce observance
of the rights also are to be drafted
Proposals for enforcement %include
creation of an international tribunal
empowered to give binding decisions
and establish code of law. The
General Assembly would, if neces-
sary, implement the tribunals de-
ciSions.
Aid to Peace Seen.
Authors of the rights believe this
international machinery may re-
move one Of the principal causes
of war: Tyranny and oppression
against individual rights and free.
doms.
The declaration calls for an enc
to discrimination based on race
color, sex, language, religion, po-
litical or other opinion, property Oh
other status, birth or national OF
social origin"
1t would prohibit slavery and the
slave trade and ban torture. Equal
rights for men and women in mar.
riage and divorce are proclaimed
Marriage may be contracted only
with free and full consent Of the
intending spouses," the measure
says.
Freedom of religion is proclaimed
with the right of every one to change
his religion or belief. ....
Freedom of opinion and express
sion are spelled out with the right
to "see, receive and impart infor-
nation and ideas through any media
and regardless of frontiers"
Free Education Supported.
Rights of children born out OF
wedlock to the same social protec-
ton as those born in marriage are
proclaimed. The document calls for
free, universal and compulsory edu-
cation, along with equal access to
higher education on the basis of
merit"
Other articles outline legal rights
and equalities, the rights of labor
social security and the protection of
constitutions.
Sharp clashes f1ared in the COM
mittee over Russian demands that
many of the rights should be limited
to the laws of respective countries.
Other delegates said this would
make the declaration a mere scrap
of paper.
Latin American delegates fought
to include wider measures of eco
nomic and social rights as found in
the Bogota declaration of the rights
of