Evening star., 1951-12-23
A History of Civilization

Perhaps it is natural that the prevailing
world crisis should have prompted an inter-
national group of scholars to write history of
civilization. In any case, such an enterprise is
in the making. thousand authorities on the
progress of mankind are to collaborate in pre-
pairing the text of six basic volumes on 'the
development of peoples, their relations and their
achievements" Three million words, it has been
estimated, will be required to tell the tale of
human advancement. The United Nations Edu-
cational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
commonly known as UNESCO-wll provide $40O-
900 to finance part of the work. Other agencies
and individuals are expected to furnish $1,000
to pay the rest Of the bill The task is to be
completed in five years, and the publication date
of the books probably will be 1857 or 1855 Mean
while, the International Commission for Scen-
tifc and Cultural History of Mankind will
sponsor a journal of world history in French.
Spanish and English, "as sounding board and
market place" for the scholars interested in
the project
One man suggested the undertaking He is
DR.. Ralph E. Turner, professor of history at
Yale University well known in Washington for
his labors on cultural cooperation in the State
Department. Recently, he has been on a world
tour as Rockefeller fellow. He is the author
of two-volume review of "The Great Cultural
Traditions" which may be regarded as a sample
OF what is to come The other members of the
Editorial Committee are: DR.. Charles Moraze of
France and Dr. Constantine K. zurayk of Syria.
But long list of equally eminent students of
international affairs, economics science, art
and philosophy already has been recruited to
help. Professor Paulo B. Carneiro, permanent
delegate of Brazil to UNESCO, is chairman of the
commission. His immediate associates besides
Professor Turner Professor Moraze and Professor
Zurayk, are Professor Julian S. Huxley, England;
Professor Carl J. Burckhardt, Switzerland;
Professor Mario Praz, Italy; Professor Silvo
Zavala, Mexico; Professor Homi Bhabba, India,
and DR.. Armando CortesSo, Portugal
Seventy five distinguished historians and
social scientists are to as contributors and
IS consultants also are to be named as advisers
The actual writing of the first volume-on
prehistoric and ancient times-has been assigned
to Mrs. Jacquette Hawkes. an English archeol-
ogst, and DR.. Henri Frankfort, director of the
Warburg Institute in London For the COM
position Of the last Of the six books-dealing
with the first six decades Of the twentieth cen
tury-Dr. K. zacharaiah OF India has been
selected.
It Is plain from casual glance at these
names that the new history of civilization will
be international in organizational character as
well as in purpose. One of the principal reasons
for attempting such monumental job at the
present moment is that of bringing into existence
reference work on human progress which will
be unbiased and unprejudiced. The dynamic
of nationalism and of group pressure, of course,
still dourishes and cannot be ignored, but If the
new world history is to measure up to what
hopefully may be anticipated by the world public,
the ideal of freedom from interference with the
principle Of integrity must be preserved from
the start.