UNITED NATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26042, 4 January 1946, Page 5

UNITED NATIONS

ASSEMBLY’S FIRST TASK ELECTION OF OFFICERS (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 2. Special officers have been appointed to ensure the safety of the United Nations Organisation delegates and numbers of troops will present' unauthorised people from gaining entrance to the debates of the General Assembly opening on January 10, says the Press Association’s diplomatic correspondent. After Mr Attlee has welcomed the delegates and selected delegations have replied, the assembly will elect its first president. This, itself, will be a historic decision. There will be only two women delegates among the 51 persons represented. They are Mrs Roosevelt and Miss Ellen Wilkinson.

The construction of the Security Council, consisting of 11 members, of which six are non-permanent, is likely to be highly controversial. The appointment of judges of the International Court of Justice will also be of immense interest. The whole future of the United Nations will certainly be affected by the appointment of the first secretary-general. The appointment, carrying tentatively a proposed salary of 20,000 dollars a year, will be the most important to be made by the first meeting of the United Nations. The president of the League of Nations Council, Senor Adolfo Costa du Reis, will attend the first meeting. He will represent the old League of Nations and will participate in the discussions on the disposal of the league’s assets and their transfer to the United Nations Organisation. The league, in addition to the palace at Geneva, has considerable gold assets and a great deal of ofher property. The league building cost £1,000,000 at the time *>f its erection. ■ One proposal is that it should be given to the International Red Cross.