Evening star., 1949-10-09

xllG Pal dOOA A1So AL OAiS Ae&So
criticized than any other part OF
the U. N. system.
The primary task of the United
States Delegation to the Fourth
Annual Unesco Conference, which
has just ended in Paris, was tt
analyze this paradox and to try, il
possible, to remove the causes fcI
criticism while, at the same time
retaining the inspirational appca.
of Unesco which attracts it's de-
votees and which is it's great 90
tential strength.
Some Progress Made
We have by no means succeeded
during the past two weeks, II
overcoming all the difficulties. The
very nature of Unesco will prob
ably cause it always to have strong
supporters and detractors. But
believe we know the causes dnC
have made progress towards over
coming some of the defect during
the present conference.
Unesco has been referred to
with considerable justification, az
an attempt to organize the
conscience of mankind. Founded
in 1945. it was designed to mobilize
the very considerable degree Of
good will and innate yearning fol
peace which exists among al
peoples, everywhere. 1t tries
through persuasion and the culti-
vation of the nobler qualities o1
man, to build a world community
in which peoples will want to live
together in reasonable degree o1
harmony.
Unesco's approach is distinctly
different from that of the mill
tarists, whose task is to build q
world police force strong enough
to keep order. UneSco's task is
also different from that of the
political leaders of the U. N.
whose responsibility is to make
the General Assembly and the
Security Council effective politica
structures, and from the economic
leaders, whose job is to integrate
world trade, improved standards
of living, etc.
The total U. N. system is there
fore built on four main pillars
military. political. economic anc
social. Unesco is the fourth pillar
Successful world government de.
pends on the development of al
four.
Any organization like Unesco
which works through education
rather than guns or power pol
itics. is bound to attract larg.
number of ardent and devout fol
lowers. Most people everywher,
prefer persuasion to force. The.
also prefer to work for causes
which their consciences tell then
are good.
Original Concept Good
The original concept of Unesct
was a brilliant one. In any com.
munity the individuals most like.
ly to be International al-minded are
the educators, scientists and cul.
tural leaders. Men and women ir
these professions tend to think
universally, rather than national.
ly. Consequently, Unesco, work.
ing through educators. scientists
and cultural leaders, has as its
clientele the groups in any local.
ity who are most likely to &C
head over heels for international.
ism and for the persuasive ap.
proach.
Whenever a Unesco meeting is
held in the United States severa
thousand people pay their owr
expenses to- attend it. The
majority are salaried people (fre.
quently elementary and secondary
school teachers on very low sal
aries) and persons in the cultura
field more noted for their creative
genius in the arts or ideas thar
in money making. Such people
who support Unesco because it.
purpose is to develop international
friendship, are sometimes re.
ferred to as "do-gooders," a tern
which has developed a bad con.
notation but which is basically
the highest compliment any one
can use.
The very reasons for Unesco's
great appeal are also responsible
for it's unpopularity. Many peo.
pie think it is made up Of starry.
eyed dreamers with their feet
planted firmly in the clouds
Unescans G.e., devotees Of Unesct
and its ideals) are addicted tc
speeches on human brotherhood
which often makes practical
people think Unesco is short or
hard common sense. Moreover
people of the Unesco type are
sometimes tolerant to the point
of appeasement, and Unesco is
widely regarded as being not only
dreamy-eyed but to have pink
ish cast.
Heresy to Others
Another reason for much dis
like of Unesco, notably among
other United Nations organiza-
tions, is the impression which a
few overly enthusiastic Unescans
give that Unesco by itself can
save the world through persuad-
ing people to live in peace.
The American delegation at the
conference just ending was fully
aware that we should do some
thing about the scorn of Unesco
by many people who consider
themselves practical, realistic,
down to earth" The American
delegation came to the conclusion
that the principal thing we need
ed to do at this conference was to
make the Unesco program more
y,ro cfico1 .ond tn intecrotn TIneScn