UNITED NATIONS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25552, 21 July 1948, Page 3

UNITED NATIONS

W ORK AND ORGANISATION ADDRESS by member OF STAFF United Nations was not set up "T association of governments. The ss ® hie to the United Nations charf" teeins- 'We. the peoples of the er ted Nations.'" said Mr A. H. W. “tfenis a New Zealander on the staff ’The information section of the S -»«i Nations, who spoke last even- . af a meeting of the Christchurch of the. United Nations’ Associ“lt will not achiev e the aims Ss set up to achieve unless it is and more recognised as being an jSjnsation of the peoples.” said Mr inany of the activities of varicountries can only be dealt with -an international scale. This calls come machinery. This machinery, Sich if the United Nations, will only if the nature of it is understood,” Mr Williams. “It is built with Stain limitations. JFor instance, the Nations is an organisation of Sereign States. Each member State Sains the right to be the last judge ‘5 its own domestic affairs. When Sealists, who would like to see a world" government operating tofficrrow, reproach the United Nations ®' r not acting with more power, they overlooking the fact of these limiUnited Nations binds all the countries which are members of it to accept certain obligations which are Jery far-reaching. They cover the whole field of human activity,” Mr Williams continued.

Discussion of Problems Members had bound themselves to tehave like good neighbours, not to gettle their disputes by force and in a general way to work for the international solution of problems, which could only be solved on that scale. Ample opportunity was provided for the countries to meet and to discuss problems. The organisation also provided machinery for the maintenance of peace, and if necessary, for the enforcement of it by economic or military sanctions. “It is a mistake when people say that the United Nations has not th? power do this or that. It was not set up an this basis. Its aim is the harmonising of the actions of nations.” Mr Williams said. It had been said of the General Assembly that it was the nearest thing that had yet been achieved to a “Parliament of the world.” The Assembly had so far. on the whole, proved itself to be a successful body, jfr Williams said. There was one vote for each country, and there were no special privileges. Many kinds of resolutions were carried by a simple majority vote. Others, such as those dealing with awkward political problems. had to be carried by a two-thirds majority. The Assembly had made a most solid contribution to the development of an international spirit. “There is much more compromise than we would normally realise,” Mr Williams said. “You do not have the feeling that these men are there to put across their own points of view to the very end.” Practically every meeting of the Sanisation was open to the public, most of the important meetings were broadcast. Among those who attended meetings of the Security Council there were usually school children and some film celebrities. Visitors to meetings of the Security Council had been impressed with the seriousness of the conduct of proceedings. It had also been noticed quite often that one or two members seemed determined to strike the note that would bring the maximum of agreement out of the meeting.

Situation in Palestine “The Security Council means just now, to most of us, Palestine,” Mr Williams said. He urged members not to forget the work which it had done and was doing regarding Indonesia. “The United Nations acted as thoroughly and promptly as was possible with regard to Palestine,” he said. “The end of this problem has not yet been seen, but it is reassuring that a body which has to make its way in very difficult circumstances has to its credit the halting of war in two cases, on its instructions.”

Speaking of the veto, Mr Williams said that it would be hard to think of a matter connected with the United Nations that had been the subject of more discussions or more misunderstandings, than this. In all the specialised agencies there was no veto at all In the Security Council there wag nothing to prevent a full discussion of the merits of the case The rules of fee Security Council provided for a foil hearing of each case. The application of the unanimity rule could not stultify the United Nations from doing anything more about a case. When the Security Council could do no more about the Balkan situation, through the application of the veto rule, a body dmen was sent out to the Balkans by the General Assembly itself. “I am absolutely convinced that if fols machinery of the United Nations »used by people who understand it, anc supported by the masses of the P*ple, that it will sooner or later achieve the ends it was set up to achieve,” Mr Williams concluded.