Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-28
The u. MS Money Woes

III uedIlHS WIN the consequences OF
the anti-Soviet rebellion in Hungary and
the Anglo-French military expedition
against Egypt, the United Nations must
deal also with three big and complicated
financial problems. They are problems
that can be summed up in single queS-
ton, which is this: Where is the money
to come from that is needed ~ to help
the Hungarian refugees, (2) to support
the U. N. Emergency Force in the Middle
East, and (3) to pay for the work that
must be done to clear the Suez Canal of
sunken ships?
The first of the problems revolves
around the fact that more than $4,000
HungarianS have fled into Austria thus
far. But the long existing U. N refugee
organization does not have the funds to
meet their immediate and acute needs.
Accordingly, together with Secretary
General Dag Hammarskjold, it has APP
pealed to the 70 member countries (Rus-
STA vigorously objecting) for emergency
contributions. However, although some
have responded favorabIy, most of the
Notwithstanding the United States
have up to now been extending assistance
on an independent basis through the
International Red Cross and numerous
other agencies. So the United Nations
faces the task of trying to link itself effec-
lively with these separate efforts and find
the extra cash 1t must have to do an ade-
quate relief job.
AS for the U. N. army, the General As
Sembly, by vote of SO to 9, with 10 Austen
tons, has just authorized an outlay of
$40 million from its working capital fund
to give initial support to this peace-pre-
serving organization But much more
will be required Indeed according to
some estimates the new police force
which may number upwards of 5000 men
is likely to cost the United Nations
between 100000 and $35O,OOO a day. The
estimates assume that the countries sup
plying units to the UNEF will themselves
pay the salaries Of those units and provide
them with equipment. The additional
expenses, in Mr.. HammarSkjoldS judg-
ment, should be shared on the same pro
rata assessment basis as governs the
annual membership contributions to the
regular U. N. budget. On such a basis,
the United States would put up third
OF the money needed, Russia about IA
per cent, Britain 7.8 per cent, France 81
per cent, Israel 0.16 per cent, Egypt 036
per cent, and so on.
But the Soviet Union, which would
like very much to keep the pot boiling
in the Middle East, has voted against the
AsSembly's initial authorization of $40
million and served notice that it will not
contribute even ruble to the UNEF. It
insists that Britain, France and Israel
must bear the whole cost of the project,
and there is some sympathy for this view
among the countries that have abStained
from voting on the issue. And the same
holds true to an even greater extent as
regards what will have to be spent to clear
the SueZ This, too, according to the
Kremlin, must be paid entirely by the
British, French and ISraeliS, even though
Egyptian action accounts for many of the
canals Sunken ships. Thus, with many of
the so-called "byStander" nations sharing
similar but not identical sentiment, it
looks as though the U. N. will have very
hard going when and if it tries to raise
the $40 million or so that will be needed
to pay for clearance operations.
All this constitutes only a sketchy
outline of the complications involved in
these new financing difficulties of the
IN. If satisfactory solutions are to be
found, there will have to be sound COM
promises or Shrewd improvisations. And
satisfactory solutions are Of first impor-
lance in view of the urgency OF helping
the Hungarian refugees, getting the
UNEF effectively established, and restor-
ing the Suez Canal to normal working
order. r