Evening star., 1954-11-21
On Trip to u. N.
We Gospel
AT the
Beauty
By Kristin Polmuuist

Friday, November IL, 81 sleepy
but excited high school stu
dents met at Union Station.
Hastily. they climbed on two
reserved coaches headed for
New York City. This vas the
annual United Nations Trip
sponsored by the League Of
Women Voters Of Montgomery
County.
AS soon as everyone was
seated, d census was taken.
The results were: Bethesda
Chevy Chase, 23:: Richard
Montgomery. IA: Blair, II:
Wheaton, IL: Gaithersburg,
10; Damascus, six: Carver,
three, and Sherwood, three.
During the four-hour ride, we
spent our time making new
acquaintances, reading. sing
ing and exploring the train.
For many of us, 1t was the
first trip to New York and. for
a few, the first train ride. Soon
we approached the skyscrapers
of Manhattan. Leaving the
train, we boarded a bus which
took us, across the Hudson
River through busting Man
haitian to the three United
Nations buildings.
Spacious Beauty
Entering the General As
sembly Building, we gasped at
the spacious beauty OF the
huge public lobby with its four
curving white balconies. We
walked through the wide low
ceilinged hall. thronged with
people Of all ages and nation
alities, waiting for tours. Here
we met our guide. an attrac-
tive American girl. First she
took us through the halls OF
the Secretariat, the Conference
Building, and the General AS
sembly Building. to give us an
idea of the size Of the United
Nations. We stood on the first
floor of the Secretariat and
saw how small its base was In
comparison to its 30-story
height. In the Conference
Building, we first visited the
Security Council Chamber.
We were overwhelmed by its
vastness and yet we realized
it was made friendly through
its warm color scheme Of
golden brown and powder blue.
In back of the conference
table was a multicolored mu-
raj symbolizing the hope OF
freedom and peace for all the
world through the United Ma
tions.
The most admired decora-
ton in the second chamber,
the Trusteeship Council Cham
ber, was a statue of a girl
reaching up to catch the blue
bird of enlightenment. We
learned that this council pre-
pares under-developed coun-
tries for self-government.
The Economic and Social
Chamber was the most cheer
full Of all three chambers,
having pine walls and brilliant
pink draperies framing floor to
ceiling windows which opened
on the East River. From the
Conference Building we went
to the General Assembly Build
ing where we visited the inn
rnense domed General AS
sembly Chamber, where all
go member nations meet
together. Here any matter of
international concern may be
discussed freely.
Hear Vishinsky
After the tour, we had an in
termission of two hours during
which we visited the Post Of
flee, Gift Shop and several
Council and committee meet
ings. Some of us were lucky
enough to get into a meeting
of the Political Committee
where Andrei Vishinsky Of the
USSR was speaking on the
"atoms for peace" plan. We
were fascinated with the ear
phones and tried French. Rus
sian, Spanish. and Chinese in
turn. We were impressed with
the interpreters who kept up a
running translation, and even
duplicated the infection In Mr..
Vishinsky's voice and the
pounding on the table.
The last item on our agenda
was an informal talk by Mr..
James F. Green, q member Of
the United States delegation to
the United Nations.
At $3.50 pm. we boarded the
buses and rode through Man
hattan's glamorous neon
lighted night to the railroad
station. Our last view of the
United Nations was the twin
king lights of the Secretariat.
When asked what we got
out Of the visit to the United
Nations, each had a different
opinion to give. We had en-.
joyed the beauty Of interna-
tional architecture, but more
important, we had gained
knowledge Of international
politics and appreciation and re
spect for the ideas Of other
nations.
On the Tuesday before the
trip all Of US had attended a
workshop on. the United Ma
tions at the Women's Club
of Chevy Chase, lin prepara-
tion for the trip. Seven mem-
bers of the International Re-
lations Club Of B-CC High
School presented an informa-
tive panel discussion on the
United Nations.
Al