THE ECONOMIC FIELD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25799, 21 March 1945, Page 6

THE ECONOMIC FIELD

CO-OPERATION OF NATIONS TASK FOR CONFERENCE LOS ANGELES, (Rec. 10 p.m.) Mar. 19. “ The security organisation cannot succeed unless all the members are constitutionally given the right to play a part and make an effective contribution,” said the Australian Attorneygeneral, Dr H. V. Evatt, in an address to the California University. He added that no sovereign State, however small, would be willing to hand over its destiny to any other Power, however great. . , The smaller Powers must be given the opportunity and right of participation: The so-called small Powers might have an important, even a decisive, influence in certain regions in special circumstances. It was necessary, therefore, that Powers other than the great ones included on the various executive councils should be so selected as to ensure a fairly balanced outlook on world aifairs. Every distinct region of the globe should be considered and no important group of nations should remain unrepresented thereon.

Dr Evatt considered that a most valuable task could be accomplished if the San Francisco conference clarified and tightened up the rather vague, indefinite terms of chapter 9 of the Dumbarton Oaks draft, which deals with economic and social co-operation Australia and New Zealand had consistently put forward the view that the world organisation’s economic and social charter should embody the fundamental principles of the Atlantic Charter and the 1944 Philadelphia declaration of the International Labour Office.

“There is everything to be said for relating President Roosevelt’s and Mr Churchill’s advocacy for the fullest collaboration between nations in the economic field, with the obj’ect of securing improved labour standards, economic advancement, and social security,” said Dr Evatt. “ Our view has been that the reducing of trade barriers will not in itself fulfil the hopes of the world unless each nation’s domestic policy marches towards full employment and increased consumption. Both Australian and New Zealand people regard continued co-opera-tion and comradeship, not only with the United Kingdom, but also with the United States, as basic to post-war security and the welfare of all the Pacific peoples.”