Evening star., 1948-08-31
Russiu and the U. N. Site

Through Dr.. A. A. Arutiunian-its repre-
sentative on the Economic and Social
Council-the Soviet Union has strongly
suggested that it would like to move the
United Nations from New York and locate
1t somewhere in Europe. When the Gen
sral Assembly meets next month in Paris,
more may be heard on the subject At
any rate, no one should be surprised If
the Russians stage a campaign OF sorts
10 get the U. N. out of America.
The current Soviet argument-as voiced
through DR.. Arutiunian-is that the tenn
porary headquarters at Lake Success Is "a
hind OF hangar with artificial light and
Rtr," that working conditions there amount
10 "a scandal" and that the site is no
good for any organ of the u. NJ As for
setting up the permanent home in Man
haitian, DR.. Arutiunian has let 1t be known
that the Russians regard summer in New
York as horrible, and winter not much
more agreeable, from either the political
viewpoint or from the standpoint of the
weather"
OF course, although New York's summers
and winters are far from ideal, 1t seems
safe to assume that Soviet objections to
having the u. N. located there, or anywhere
else in the United States, are based not on
climate but primarily on political consid-
erations. When the question OF selecting
q site first arose, the Russians indicated
that they favored Europe, but they went
along with the majority decision selecting
Manhattan. Since then, however, they
have had first-hand and somewhat un-
happy experience with the searching and
comprehensive operations of our free
press In reporting and commenting upon
the work of the Security Council, the
General Assembly and various subsidiary
organs like the Atomic Energy Commission.
The resulting stream of information has
been very great and very instructive, and
even in It's most objective and impartial
form, 1t has been anything but flattering
TO the obstructionist policies of the Krem-
lin. Accordingly, 1t is not altogether be-
yond understanding If the Russians now
wish there were some way they could shift
United Nations headquarters to Europe.
Given such shift, they could hope for a
diminution OF the white light of publicity
on their nay-sayhg actions. They could
hope, too, that American public opinion,
one of the major forces they must con-
tend with, might thus become less in
formed on international affairs, lose in
terest in distant u N, and perhaps even
trend back toward isolationism-all of
which would be pleasing and helpful to
the Soviet Union.
If the special session of Congress had
failed to approve the $65,O0O,OO0 U. N.
building loan, the forthcoming meeting of
the General Assembly-out of necessity. If
for no other reason-might have given
serious consideration to the idea of
European headquarters site Today, how
ever, that possibility seems remote in the
extreme. The Russians may strive to
bring 1t about, but they are not likely to
have much support outside of the satellite
countries and perhaps some of the Arab
states, whose leaders feel that the Jews
of New York are in position to exercise
undue influence on deliberations having
to do with Palestine
In short, as the situation looks now, 1t
seems about as certain as anything can
be that the United Nations will establish
itself firmly in Manhattan. In voting for
this originally, the overwhelming majority
had in mind such physical factors as su-
perior communications and transportation
facilities. 1t also had in mind the i'm
portant psychological factor of having the
American people associated with the U. NJ
as intimately as possible. The Russians