A.—2

36

themselves, there was a widespread desire to see the scope and functions of the Economic and Social Council considerably broadened and its status and power correspondingly increased. This desire was fully shared by the New Zealand delegation, whose representatives on the Committee played an active part in sponsoring such amendments and additions to the Dumbarton Oaks text which, in their opinion, would make for a stronger and more effective Council. New Zealand's approach to the problems considered at San Francisco was broadly conditioned by the policy declarations announced at the conclusion of the Australian-New Zealand Conference held in Wellington during November, 1944. These declarations, in so far as they concerned international economic and social policy, were, briefly, as follows: — (1) Some of the most important principles in regard to the promotion of human welfare which, with security, should be a central objective of the new Organization, are those set forth in the Atlantic Charter, and the more recent Philadelphia Declaration of the 1.L.0. (2) One of the most important first steps towards the attainment of this objective would be the recognition by each nation that full employment is the first need both in its own interests and in the interests of all other nations. International agreement to pursue domestic policies of full employment is therefore fundamental to all international co-operation for the promotion of human welfare. (3) The condition underlying all others which the Organization should fulfil is that the members should fully honour the obligations they assume. Since the power of Governments to perform what has been promised will depend on the people's support, and therefore on their understanding of the pledges given, the Charter should make clear to the peoples of the world the principles on which action is to be based. On the basis of these general policy objectives, New Zealand's efforts were specifically directed to the following ends at San Francisco: first, to make the Economic and Social Council a principal organ of the United Nations; second, to broaden and reinforce the statement of purposes, and in particular to include in this statement a reference to the promotion of full employment, together with a pledge on the part of individual members that everything possible will be done to ensure the purposes of the Organization being carried out; third, to' bring about the fullest collaboration and consultation between the Economic and Social Council and all other international organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, which are concerned with matters within the Council's competence and whose co-operation and advice might be helpful; fourth, to liberalize and extend the powers and functions of the Council; and, fifth, to maintain the Council's essentially democratic structure and procedure, preserving for it, at the same time, the maximum freedom to determine its own rules and organizational arrangements. A comparison of the Dumbarton Oaks text with the corresponding provisions as amended and added to at San Francisco will show that in practically every instance the efforts for improvement made by various delegations, notably Australia and New Zealand, met with a gratifyingly large measure of success. The Australian delegation, whose Government had on previous occasions at international conferences endeavoured to obtain agreement on their objective of " full employment," are deserving of the utmost credit for the vigorous advocacy of their valuable amendments. Status of Economic and Social Council The suggestion that the Economic and Social Council should be listed in Chapter IV as a principal organ of the United Nations Organization found ready acceptance, and the Committee early in its proceedings voted unanimously in favour of a recommendation to this