4

deliberate decision it is taking no further action in the matter until its next meeting in September of this year; and all well-wishers of the United Nations will join in the hope that the next Assembly will approach this matter with a greater sense of realism and a firmer adherence to principle. With a somewhat dubious relevance the Slav group introduced into the debates of the plenary session an attack on the Atlantic Pact. The matter was introduced by Mr Gromyko, who, in a typical speech which did not carry much conviction, represented the Atlantic Pact as evidence Of the intention of the " war mongers " to prepare for a third world war. He characterized the pact as a gross betrayal of the United Nations and of the principles for which that Organization stands, and during the course of an hour's address he traversed the ground that has now become so familiar. He was followed, of course, by the representatives of the satellite countries, but the whole effort seemed perfunctory and unreal, and having made the gesture that was no doubt expected of them the Eastern group proposed no resolution on the matter, which was by common consent allowed to drop. The Assembly concluded with an unexpected and unpleasant incident. At the very last moment, just as the Assembly was gathering for its concluding ceremonies, the representative of Poland endeavoured to introduce on the agenda the case of Gerhart Eisler, a communist who had absconded from bail and escaped from the United States to the United Kingdom. It was generally felt that the timing of this application was not fortuitous and that the object was propaganda. The President (Dr Evatt) ruled the application out of order, and after a lengthy and noisy scene, with shouted protests by representatives of the Slav group, his ruling was upheld by an overwhelming majority. I have, as always, to express my utmost thanks to my colleagues on the New Zealand delegation. Dr Sutch and Miss Hampton assumed responsibility for economic and social matters, while Mr Larkin and Mr Craw were of inestimable value on political matters. Of the two members of the Washington Embassy who had been appointed to the delegation to meet unforeseeable contingencies, Mr Laking attended only for a very short period, and it was in the event found unnecessary to call upon Mr Corner at all. I have the honour to be, v Sir, Your obedient servant, (Sgd) C. A. Berendsen. The Right Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington, New Zealand.