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Report of the Economic and Social Council (Chapter III) Two resolutions were placed before the Committee under this item, viz.— (i) A French resolution expressing the hope that Governments would promptly ratify the Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, adopted by the International Labour Conference at San Francisco. Eastern European delegates opposed the resolution on the grounds that the Convention emanated from an organization which by its constitution was intended to safeguard the interests of employers and therefore afforded no protection to labour. Some members of the Committee —Belgium, the United States, and Australia—expressed doubt as to the propriety of the United Nations' urging approval of the actions of another international body. Replying to this point the French delegate stressed that the subject had been discussed at length by the Economic and Social Council and in the circumstances it seemed very proper that the Assembly should formally support the Convention. This view was supported by the representative •of the International Labour Office when the question was put to him. In Committee, the French resolution was passed by 27 votes (N.Z.) to 2 with 9 abstentions, and adopted by the General Assembly by 24 votes (N.Z.) in favour with 14 abstentions. (ii) A Lebanese resolution, the operative part of which requested the Secretary-General to submit a study and research plan for the preparation of a general report on the world social and cultural situation. In introducing his resolution the Lebanese representative stated that in the view of his delegation insufficient attention was given the social, humanitarian, and cultural field, particularly in comparison with the series of studies which the Economic and Social Council had initiated on the world economic situation. He considered that such a study would provide a background for comparison of world standards of education, health, leisure, social security, &c., and for the consideration of any claims received for assistance from various organs of the United Nations. The Australian representative stated that to his delegation the Lebanese proposal seemed too general, too vague, and somewhat unrealistic, and proposed simple reference of the proposal to the Economic and Social v Council for whatever action the Council considered appropriate. This view was supported by the delegates of Denmark, the Philippines, the United States, Belgium, and others. The New Zealand delegation drew attention to the fact that both the Social Commission of the Council and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization were taking practical measures to revise world social and educational standards, and already had available much of the background material