“DON’T BANKRUPT PEACE”

Evening Star, Issue 25939, 2 November 1946, Page 7

“DON’T BANKRUPT PEACE”

U.N.O.'S BUDGET (Rec. 11.25 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 1. “ Let’s not bankrupt peace,” exclaimed Senator Vandenberg, when M. Trygve Lie submitted the 1947 Budget for the United Nations, showing an estimated expenditure totalling 23,790,OOOdol, which is 4,000,000 higher than 1946. Senator Vandenberg warned that premature expansion of the United Nations might cause retrogression to a point where no t>eace-loviug nation could afford to belong. He added: “ Peace is worth whatever it may cost,” but he cautioned against extravagant and useless expenditures, which could spell the United Nations’ unwitting destruction. He objected to the Budget proposals allocating half of the cost to the United States. He said: “Proud as we are of our economic system, we cannot accept as valid, the flattering economic concept. whereby 5 per cent, of the world’s population controls 50 per cent, of the world’s wealth.” _ Senator Vandenberg said the United States was willing to pay 25 per cent. He considered that to burden any State with more would be to tempt that State to seek special privileges. The nation paying half would soon want half the authority. He emphasised that he was referring only to the administrative Budget, and added that the United States might be inclined to pay one-third the cost of the operational budgets, such as refugee organisation. Doctor Hsia (China) supported Senator .Vandenberg. The proposed scale of assessments is as follows:—United States, 49.89 per cent.; Britain, 10.50; Russia, 6; France, 5.50; China, 2.75; India, 3.75; Canada., 3.10; Australia, 1.80: South Africa, 1.02; New Zealand, 0.45. The committee on contributions suggested that the assessments should be apportioned according to capacity to pay, with the national income as the primary guide. Other factors considered included the national income per head of population, temporary dislocation of national economies, and ability to secure foreign currency.