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E C O N O M I C A N D

S O C I A L C O U N C I L

IV. The Economic and Social Council

A. THE CHARTER AND THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL1

The Charter establishes an Economic andSocial Council as a principal organ which,under the authority of the General Assembly,is to devote itself to promoting internationaleconomic and social co-operation.

The Council consists of eighteen Membersof the United Nations. Its members are electedby the General Assembly for a term of threeyears. A retiring member is eligible forre-election. In the first election, however,eighteen members were elected—six for oneyear, six for two years and six for threeyears. Each member has one representative.

It is realized by the United Nations thatpeaceful and friendly relations among nationsbased on respect for the principle of equalrights and self-determination of peoples can-not be developed and maintained unless con-ditions of stability and well-being are created.With a view to creating such conditions theUnited Nations undertakes to promote:

(a) higher standards of living, full employ-ment, and conditions of economic and socialprogress and development;(b) solutions of international economic,social, health and related problems; andinternational cultural and educational co-operation; and(c) universal respect for, and observanceof, human rights and fundamental free-doms for all without distinction as to race,sex, language or religion.All Members pledge themselves to take

joint and separate action in co-operation withthe United Nations for the achievement ofthese purposes.

The United Nations is conceived to be acentre for harmonizing the action of nationsin the attainment of these economic, socialand other purposes. In the economic andsocial fields there are in existence variousinter-governmental specialized agencies. TheCharter authorizes the United Nations to

bring such agencies into relationship withthe United Nations and to co-ordinate thepolicies and activities of such agencies, andfurthermore to create such new agencies asit deems necessary for the accomplishment ofits economic and social purposes.

The responsibility for the discharge ofthese functions is vested in the GeneralAssembly and, under the authority of theGeneral Assembly, in the Economic and SocialCouncil.

The principal functions and powers of theEconomic and Social Council are :

(1) to make or initiate studies and reportswith respect to international economic, social,cultural, educational, health and related mat-ters and to make recommendations with re-spect to any such matters to the GeneralAssembly, to the Members of the UnitedNations and to the specialized agenciesconcerned;

(2) to make recommendations for the pur-pose of promoting respect for, and observanceof, human rights and fundamental freedomsfor all;

(3) to prepare draft conventions for sub-mission to the General Assembly, with respectto matters falling within its competence; and

(4) to call, in accordance with the rulesprescribed by the United Nations, inter-national conferences on matters falling withinits competence.

As regards the specialized agencies, theEconomic and Social Council may:

1 This Section is a summary of the Charterprovisions relating to the Economie and SocialCouncil. The main provisions are contained inChapter IX, Articles 55-60, which sets forth theobjectives and functions of the United Nationsin the realm of international economic co-opera-tion, and Chapter X, Articles 61-72, which definesthe composition, functions and powers, voting andprocedure of the Economic and Social Council.Other provisions are to be found in Articles 1, 7,17-18, 91, 96, 98, 101 of the Charter.

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(1) enter into agreements with any ofthe specialized agencies, defining the termson which the agencies shall be brought intorelationship with the United Nations, suchagreements being subject to approval by theGeneral Assembly;

(2) co-ordinate the activities of the speci-alized agencies through consultation withand recommendations to such agencies andthrough recommendations to the GeneralAssembly and to the Members of the UnitedNations;

(3) take appropriate steps to obtain regu-lar reports from the specialized agencies, andmake arrangements with the Members of theUnited Nations and with the specializedagencies to obtain reports on the steps takento give effect to its own recommendationsand to recommendations on matters fallingwithin its competence made by the GeneralAssembly; and

(4) communicate its observations on thesereports to the General Assembly.

Any financial and budgetary arrangementswith the specialized agencies are to be con-sidered and approved by the General Assem-bly, which is also to examine the administra-tive budget of such specialized agencies witha view to making recommendations to theagencies concerned.

The Economic and Social Council may fur-nish information to the Security Council andis to assist the Security Council upon itsrequest. It is to perform such functions asfall within its competence in connection withthe carrying out of the recommendations ofthe General Assembly. It may, with theapproval of the General Assembly, performservices at the request of Members of theUnited Nations and at the request of special-ized agencies.

The Council, when so authorized by theGeneral Assembly, may request advisoryopinions of the International Court of Justiceon legal questions arising within the scopeof its activities.

The Secretary-General is to act in thatcapacity in all meetings of the Economic andSocial Council and is to assign a permanentstaff to the Economic and Social Council.

Each member of the Council has one vote.Decisions of the Economic and Social Councilare made by a majority of the memberspresent and voting.

The Council shall set up such commissionsin economic and social fields as may be re-quired for the performance of its functions.

The Council shall invite any Member of theUnited Nations to participate, without vote,in its deliberations on any matter of par-ticular concern to that Member.

The Economic and Social Council may:

(1) make arrangements for representativesof the specialized agencies to participate,without vote, in its deliberations and in thoseof the commissions established by it, andfor its representatives to participate in thedeliberations of the specialized agencies;

(2) make suitable arrangements for con-sultation with non-governmental organiza-tions, international as well as national, whichare concerned with matters within its com-petence.

The Economic and Social Council adoptsits own rules of procedure, including themethod of selecting its President. It meetsas required in accordance with its rules, whichinclude provision for the convening of meet-ings on the request of a majority of itsmembers.

B. ESTABLISHMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

The first election of members of the Councilby the General Assembly took place on Janu-ary 12 and 14, 1946. The following countrieswere selected:For one yearColombia Ukrainian S.S.R.Greece United StatesLebanon Yugoslavia

For two yearsCubaCzechoslovakiaIndia

For three yearsBelgiumCanadaChile

NorwayU.S.S.R.United Kingdom

ChinaFrancePeru

1. ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

The Economic and Social Council 469

The second election by the General Assem-bly of members of the Council to replace thosewho had been elected in January for oneyear took place on November 19 and Decem-ber 7 and 12, 1946. Retiring members wereeligible for re-election.

The following countries were elected : Byelo-russian S.S.R., Lebanon, New Zealand, Turkey,the United States and Venezuela.

In addition, on December 12 the GeneralAssembly elected the Netherlands to replaceBelgium (which had resigned in favor ofthe Netherlands).

2. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PREPARATORYCOMMISSION

The General Assembly adopted a numberof recommendations made in the Report of thePreparatory Commission concerning theestablishment and the initial work andorganization of the Council. These includedrecommendations that at its first session theCouncil should establish the following Com-missions: Human Rights, Economic andEmployment, Temporary Social, Statistical,Narcotic Drugs; and that the Council shouldconsider the desirability of establishing at anearly date Demographic, Temporary Transportand Communications and Fiscal Commissions;and should also consider, at its first session,the advisability of setting up a co-ordinationcommission. Further recommendations werethat the Council should at once set up stand-ing committees on the organization of theCouncil, on relationships with specializedagencies and on relationships with non-gov-ernmental organizations. Provisional Rulesof Procedure were also approved for trans-mission to the Council.1

3. SESSIONS OF THE COUNCIL

The first session of the Council was held inChurch House, London, from January 23 toFebruary 18, 1946; the second in HunterCollege, New York, from May 25 to June 21,1946; and the third and fourth at Lake Suc-cess, New York, from September 11 to Octo-ber 3, 1946, and from February 28 to March29, 1947, respectively.

4. OFFICERS OF THE COUNCILAt its first session the Council elected Sir A.

Ramaswami Mudaliar (India) President; andDr. Andrija Stampar (Yugoslavia) and CarlosLieras Restrepo (Colombia) First and SecondVice-presidents respectively for the first pe-riod of office. Sir A. Ramaswami Mudalier wasunable to be present at the third session, andDr. Stampar acted as President.

At its fourth session, the Economic and So-cial Council re-elected Sir A. RamaswamiMudaliar President, and Jan Papanek (Czecho-slovakia) and Alberto Arca Parro (Peru)First and Second Vice-Présidents respectivelyfor the second period of office.

5. AMENDMENTS TO RULES OF PROCEDURE

At its first session the Economic and SocialCouncil adopted provisionally the rules ofprocedure proposed for it by the PreparatoryCommission. Later, certain amendments andadditions were made.2

At its second session the Council adopted arule permitting an alternate representative ofthe country represented by the President totake part in the discussions and vote in theCouncil provided the President did not ex-ercise his vote.

On November 9, 1946, the General Assem-bly replaced Rule 87 of the Rules of Procedure,relating to the terms of office of members ofthe Council, by a new rule reading:

The term of office of members shall beginon 1 January following their election by theGeneral Assembly, and shall end on 31 Decem-ber following the election of their successors.

To bring the rules of procedure of the Eco-nomic and Social Council into line with thisnew rule, the Council at its fourth sessionamended its Rule 17 as follows:

hold office until their successors are electedat the first meeting of the Council on or after1 January in each year, and shall be eligiblefor re-election.

The General Assembly on December 11,1946, adopted the following provisional finan-cial regulation:

Regulation 25

No resolution involving expenditure fromUnited Nations funds shall be approved by aCouncil unless the Council has before it a

1 See pp. 67 ff. See also Chapter III of the Re-port of the Preparatory Commission.

2 For text of rules see Annex III.

The President and Vice-Presidents shall


report from the Secretary-General on the fi-nancial implications of the proposals, togetherwith an estimate of the costs involved in thespecific proposal.

To give formal effect to this decision theEconomic and Social Council at its fourthsession adopted the following additional ruleof procedure:

Before any proposal which involves expendi-ture from United Nations funds is approvedby the Council the Secretary-General shallprepare and circulate to members (a) a sum-mary report of the financial implications ofthe proposals; and (b) estimates of costs in-volved in each proposal.

In accordance with this rule estimates ofcost were provided by the Secretariat on theproposals before the Council.

6. CONSULTATION WITH TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL

At its fourth session the Economic andSocial Council decided that the President ofthe Council, after consultation with the Pres-ident of the Trusteeship Council, should beauthorized to nominate two other members ofthe Economic and Social Council to conferwith a similar committee of the TrusteeshipCouncil regarding "arrangements that canbe arrived at between the two Councils tofurther the work of both."

At its first session the Council establishedfive commissions in nuclear form, and onetemporary sub-commission, each consisting ofnine experts appointed in their personal capa-city as follows: Human Rights, with a sub-commission on the Status of Women; Eco-nomic and Employment; Temporary Social;Temporary Transport and Communications;Statistical. It also established a permanentcommission of fifteen members on NarcoticDrugs, and selected the members. The nuclearcommissions met in Hunter College, New York,in the latter part of April and the first threeweeks in May 1946 and submitted their reportsto the second session of the Council.

At its second session the Council deter-mined the terms of reference and the composi-tion of the following commissions: Economicand Employment, Transport and Communica-tions, Statistical, Human Rights, Social, Sta-tus of Women. (The Economic and Social

Council on June 21, 1946, decided to conferupon the Sub-Commission on the Status ofWomen the status of a full commission to beknown as the Commission on the Status ofWomen.) It established a Temporary Sub-Commission of the Economic and EmploymentCommission on the Economic Reconstructionof Devastated Areas. The Council also em-powered the Commission on Human Rights toset up sub-commissions on (a) freedom ofinformation and of the Press, (b) protectionof minorities and (c) prevention of discrim-ination, and the Statistical Commission toset up a sub-commission on statistical sam-pling.

At its third session the Council determinedthe terms of reference and composition of thePopulation and Fiscal Commissions. It se-lected the States to designate representativesas members of all the permanent commissions(other than the Commission on NarcoticDrugs, which had been elected at the firstsession). The Council also directed the Eco-nomic and Employment Commission to set upsub-commissions on (a) employment and eco-nomic stability and (b) economic development.

The Council gave very full considerationto the question of the composition of perma-nent commissions. Some delegates urged thatthe commissions should be composed wholly ofpersons representing their governments, otherdelegates urged that at least a proportion ofthe commissions should consist of experts ap-pointed in their personal capacity. The deci-sion taken by the Council at its second sessionwas that the commissions set up should con-sist of representatives from Members of theUnited Nations selected by the Council. Witha view, however, to securing a balanced repre-sentation in the various fields covered by thecommissions, the Council directed that theSecretary-General should consult with the gov-ernments so selected before their represen-tatives were finally nominated by those gov-ernments and confirmed by the Council. TheCouncil decided to hold an ad hoc meeting ofthe third session later in the year in orderto confirm the nominations after the Secre-tary-General had carried out his consultations.

In accordance with the resolutions passedby the Economic and Social Council on June21, 1946, and October 1, 2 and 3, 1946, mem-bers of commissions were nominated by Mem-ber Governments in consultation with the

7. COMMISSIONS OF THE COUNCIL


Secretary-General. The Council held an ad hocmeeting on December 10, 1946, and confirmed106 representatives. Further representativesand also representatives to take the place ofthose who had resigned, were confirmed by theCouncil at its fourth session.1

Except for the initial period, the term ofoffice for members of all Commissions is threeyears. For the initial period, one third of themembers serve for two years, one third forthree years, and one third for four years.The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is an ex-ception, for its initial members were all elec-ted for three years.

At its third session the Council consid-ered the question of payment of expenses ofmembers of commissions and sub-commissionsand recommended to the General Assemblythat

in order to equalize the opportunities ofMembers of the United Nations to participatein the work and activities of the Commissionsand to ensure the most effective co-operationof the Members travelling expenses and sub-sistence allowances should be paid by theUnited Nations for each member of the Com-missions and Sub-Commissions of the Council.

The General Assembly decided that the ac-tual travelling expenses of members of com-missions and sub-commissions to and frommeetings and the actual expenses for travel onbusiness should be borne by the United Na-tions.

At its fourth session the Economic and So-cial Council determined the terms of refer-ence and elected the members of the Sub-Commission on Freedom of Information andof the Press and the Sub-Commission on Pre-vention of Discrimination and Protection ofMinorities. It also established two regionalcommissions, the Economic Commission forEurope and the Economic Commission forAsia and the Far East.

The Commissions held their first sessionsas follows:

Commission on Narcotic Drugs — Novem-ber 27 to December 13, 1946

Social Commission — January 20 to Febru-ary 4, 1947

Economic and Employment Commission —January 20 to February 5, 1947

Statistical Commission — January 27 toFebruary 7, 1947

Commission on Human Rights — January27 to February 10, 1947

Transport and Communications Commis-sion — February 6 to 18, 1947

Population Commission — February 6 to19, 1947

Commission on the Status of Women —February 10 to 24, 1947

Economic Commission for Europe — May2 to 14, 1947

Fiscal Commission — May 19 to 29, 1947Economic Commission for Asia and the Far

East — June 16 to 25, 1947

The commissions at their first sessions con-sidered their rules of procedure and adoptedprovisionally draft rules prepared by the Sec-retariat. They also considered the questionof alternates. On the one hand it was felt thatalternates should be appointed to enable thecommissions to function adequately; on theother hand it was considered that alternatesshould not be appointed, since members ofcommissions and sub-commissions were ap-pointed as experts. The Economic and SocialCouncil at its fourth session decided that whenmembers of the Economic and Employment,Transport and Communications, Statistical,Fiscal, Social, Human Rights, Status of Wo-men and Population Commissions were pre-vented from attending sessions of those Com-missions an alternate should be designated bythe government of the member, in consulta-tion with the Secretary-General, to serve forthat session. An alternate so designated shouldhave the same status as a member of theCommission.

The commissions also considered arrange-ments for co-ordination with the other com-missions and with the specialized agencies.Representatives of the three agencies whichhad been brought into relationship with theUnited Nations—the International LabourOrganisation, the Food and Agriculture Or-ganization, and the United Nations Educa-tional Scientific and Cultural Organization—attended the sessions of the commissions andthe fourth session of the Economic and SocialCouncil and presented the views of their or-ganizations on the subjects under discussion.

1 For names of members of commissions and

sub-commissions see Annex II.


8. FUTURE SESSIONS OF THE COUNCIL,COMMISSIONS AND SUB-COMMISSIONS

The various commissions made recommen-dations concerning the times and places oftheir next meetings. The Economic and SocialCouncil at its fourth session considered thegeneral question of its own sessions and thoseof its commissions and sub-commissions andresolved as follows:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILDECIDES to hold its Fifth Session com-

mencing on 19 July 1947;REQUESTS the Secretary-General to arrange

that the three sessions of the Council for1948 should commence: the first not laterthan 15 January, the second in late April orearly May, and the third so that the sessionof the Council ends shortly before the com-mencement of the regular session of the Gen-eral Assembly;

DECIDES that the Economic and Employ-ment, Social, Human Rights and Transportand Communications Commissions should nor-mally hold two sessions annually, and requeststhe Secretary-General to arrange for a secondsession for each of these Commissions in 1947;

DECIDES that the Statistical, Population,Status of Women and Fiscal Commissionsshould hold one session annually, unless other-wise decided by the Council, except that inview of the World Statistical Congress to beheld in September 1947, a second session ofthe Statistical Commission and a second ses-sion of the Population Commission should beheld in August 1947;

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to revisethe proposed calendar of meetings for 1947to correspond with this decision;

DECIDES that sub-commissions of the com-missions should normally meet once a yearand in any event not more than twice a year;

DECIDES that the reports of commissions(except the Economic Commission for Europeand the Economic Commission for Asia andthe Far East) will normally not be consideredby the Council unless they have been sent tothe members of the Council at least six weeks

before the session of the Council at whichthey will be examined.

DECIDES that the commissions and sub-com-missions will meet at the headquarters ofthe United Nations unless the Council decidesotherwise;

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to submitto the Council at its last session each year adraft calendar, drawn up in consultation withthe Co-ordination Committee, concerning theprogramme of sessions of the commissions andsub-commissions of the Council and of theconferences of specialized agencies for thefollowing year.

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILDECIDES that at the last session of each

year the Council should give consideration to aprovisional programme of work for the follow-ing year.

9. COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCILStanding Committees of the Council (1) on

Organization, (2) on Negotiations with Spe-cialized Agencies, and (3) on Arrangementsfor Consultations with Non-GovernmentalOrganizations were established at its firstsession. The Standing Committee on Organiza-tion of the Council made many recommenda-tions on the organization of the Council itselfand of its commissions, and Rules of Pro-cedure were also submitted, which wereadopted by the Council. A separate accountof the work of the Committees on SpecializedAgencies and Non-Governmental Organiza-tions is given in subsequent sections.

At its fourth session the Council establishedan Agenda Committee consisting of the officersof the Council and two other elected members,to consider the provisional agenda and makerecommendations on it to the Council.

During its four sessions the Council madeuse of a considerable number of ad hoc com-mittees, notably, the Committee on Refugeesand Displaced Persons and the Committee onthe Finances of the International Refugee Or-ganization.

C. ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS

1. ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT COMMISSIONAt its first session the Council established

an Economic and Employment Commission,with provisional terms of reference, in nu-clear form. The Council requested this nu-clear commission to make recommendationsto the Council on the following matters:

(1) Revision of the Commission's terms ofreference;(2) Composition of the full Commission;(3) Whether any other sub-commissionshould be established, particularly a sub-commission on economic reconstruction ofdevastated areas.


a. Terms of Reference

At its second session the Council consideredthe report prepared by the nuclear commission,and established the permanent Economic andEmployment Commission with the followingterms of reference:

(a) The Commission shall advise the Eco-nomic and Social Council on economic ques-tions in order to promote higher standards ofliving.

(b) It shall examine such questions as maybe submitted to it by the Council and shall onits own initiative report to the Council onproblems which, in its opinion, require urgentattention.

(c) It shall make recommendations to theCouncil with reference to economic questionsinvolving concerted study and (or) action bymore than one specialized agency or commis-sion of the Council and in particular shalldraw the attention of the Council to the prob-able influence of the policies and activitiesof other commissions of the Council, the spe-cialized agencies or other international or-ganizations on the issues mentioned in para-graph (d) below.

(d) In particular, it shall be the functionof the Commission to advise the Council on:

(i) the prevention of wide fluctuations ineconomic activity and the promotion of fullemployment by the co-ordination of nationalfull employment policies and by interna-tional action;

(ii) problems of the reconstruction of de-vastated areas and other urgent problemsarising from the war, with a view to devel-oping means of giving real help, which isso necessary, to various Members of theUnited Nations whose territories have beendevastated by the enemy as a result ofoccupation and war activities;

(iii) the promotion of economic develop-ment and progress with special regard tothe problems of less developed areas.

In carrying out the functions set forthabove, the Commission shall take account ofthe close relationship between the short-termproblems and the long-term objectives of anexpanding and integrated world economy.

The Council decided at its second sessionthat the Commission should consist of onerepresentative from each of fifteen Membersof the United Nations selected by the Coun-cil. At its third session the Council selectedthe following States to designate the initialmembers :

For two yearsBelgiumBrazilFrancePolandUnited Kingdom

For three yearsCanadaChinaCzechoslovakiaIndiaNorway

For four yearsAustraliaByelorussian S.S.R.CubaU.S.S.R.United States

The Council may in addition appoint intheir individual capacity from ten to fifteencorresponding members from countries notrepresented on the Commission, with the ap-proval of their governments.

At its third session the Council directed theEconomic and Employment Commission toestablish a sub-commission on employmentand economic stability and a sub-commissionon economic development; it also instructedthe Commission to make an early report tothe Council on the question of establishing asub-commission on balance of payments.

The terms of reference of the Sub-Commis-sion on Employment and Economic Stabilityare:

(i) to study national and international fullemployment policies and fluctuations in eco-nomic activity;

(ii) to analyse the causes of these fluctua-tions; and

(iii) to advise the Commission on the mostappropriate methods of promoting full em-ployment and economic stability.

The terms of reference of the Sub-Commis-sion on Economic Development are :

To study and advise the Commission on theprinciples and problems of long-term economicdevelopment with particular attention to theinadequately developed parts of the world,having the objective of:

(i) promoting the fullest and most effectiveutilization of natural resources, labour andcapital;(ii) raising the level of consumption; and(iii) studying the effects of industrializa-tion and changes of a technological orderupon the world economic situation.The composition of these two Sub-Commis-

sions is as follows;(a) Each Sub-Commission shall be com-

posed of seven persons selected by theCommission in consultation with the Secretary-


General and subject to the consent of the Gov-ernments of the countries of which the per-sons are nationals. Not more than one personshall be selected from any single country.

(b) The terms of office of the membersshall be three years. Members shall be eligiblefor re-election. In the event that a member isunable to serve for the full three-year term, aperson selected by the Commission subjectto the foregoing provisions should serve in hisplace for the remainder of the term.1

After debate as to whether the members ofthe Sub-Commissions should serve in theirindividual capacity or as governmental repre-sentatives, a majority of the Council membersvoting on paragraph (a) above supported theproposition that the persons to be selectedunder this paragraph should serve in theirpersonal capacities and not as governmentalrepresentatives.

b. First Session

The Economic and Employment Commissionheld its first session at Lake Success, NewYork, from January 20 to February 5, 1947.It elected the following as its officers :Chairman — Ragnar Frisch (Norway)Vice-Chairman — Roland Wilson (Australia)Vice-Chairman — A. P. Morozov (U.S.S.R.)Rapporteur — Isidor Lubin (U.S.A.)

The Commission considered questions ofeconomic development, employment and eco-nomic stability and the balance of payments.

While recognizing that the carrying out ofdevelopment activities rested with the gov-ernments and peoples of the countries orareas concerned, the Commission referred tothe obligation of the United Nations under

1 The draft resolution submitted by the ad hocCommittee on the terms of reference of the Sub-Commissions of the Economic and EmploymentCommission contained the following two provi-sions :

(c) The Commission shall invite experts,named by those inter-governmental agencieswhich are deemed by the Commission to be par-ticularly concerned with the work of each of theSub-Commissions, to participate regularly inthe work of that Sub-Commission. Experts fromother inter-governmental agencies may be in-vited by each Sub-Commission to participatein the discussion within the scope of their ac-tivities.

non-governmental agencies, may be invited bythe Sub-Commission with the consent of theSecretary-General to be present for purposes ofconsultation on matters within their specialcompetence.

the Charter to aim at the creation of condi-tions of stability and well-being and to pro-mote higher standards of living. Such im-provements in less developed countries orareas would be likely to flow from projectswhich were an integral part of long-term andbalanced programs of development, and theseprograms should include the social, scientific,health, education and cultural aspects of com-munity life.

The Commission instructed its Sub-Com-mission on Economic Development:

(1) To inform the Commission as early aspossible regarding current and plannedstudies, field surveys,2 and provision of tech-nical advice and assistance to Members in thefield of economic development both by theSecretariat of the United Nations and by theinter-governmental agencies.

(2) To keep under consideration and tomake recommendations to the Commissionregarding the general planning and co-ordina-tion of the activities mentioned in paragraph1 above. Particular attention should be givento the participation of the various inter-gov-ernmental agencies in these activities and,where appropriate for the United Nations toparticipate, to the nature of its participation.

(3) To commence a study, in co-operationwith the other Commissions of the UnitedNations and the specialized agencies con-cerned, with the view to making recommenda-tions regarding the need for an internationalcode relating to foreign investment which willcover among other things the protection ofeconomic and social interests of the countriesin which investments are to be made, as wellas the protection of investors, both publicand private; and conduct studies into theneed for and methods of international incor-poration of private business firms conductingbusiness operations on an international or aworld scale.

The Council decided to delete these two para-graphs on the understanding that they be putin a footnote to the resolution.

It was agreed to postpone final decision of thisissue until the fourth session of the Economic andSocial Council after the proceedings in the forth-coming second part of the first session of theGeneral Assembly.

At its first session the Economic and Employ-ment Commission recommended that the Councildefer making any decision on the appointment ofcorresponding members to the Commission untilthe Commission had had an opportunity to con-sider the question of such appointments in thelight of its own experience and its future needs.

By "studies" was meant the compilation andcollating of information already available orobtainable without field investigation. By "fieldsurveys" was meant the obtaining of informationin the area concerned.

(d) Experts, including experts nominated by 2


(4) To make recommendations to the Com-mission relative to:

(a) the organization of international co-operation with respect to scientific, techno-logical and economic research relating toproduction and development, the conserva-tion of resources, the adoption of improvedmethods of production and technical pro-cesses to stimulate greater productivity, andthe implementation of the mutual responsi-bilities of Members, under relevant interna-tional agreements, in relation to the inter-national supply of facilities for economicdevelopment including capital funds, capitalgoods and materials, equipment, advancedtechnology and trained personnel;(b) the furnishing of such technical assis-tance within the resources available, asMembers of the United Nations mayrequest, relating to production and develop-ment; and to the organization, in co-opera-tion with the governments concerned, ofsuch missions as may be needed to performthis function.

(6) To make recommendations to the Com-mission relative to any other matter whichthe Sub-Commission may feel should be drawnto the attention of this Commission, includingany modification of these instructions whichit may wish to suggest.

The Commission requested the Secretariatto make arrangements, in co-operation withthe specialized agencies concerned, to provideon request technical advice to enable govern-ments to plan and carry out balanced develop-ment programs. If substantial assistance wasrequired, special agreements should be madebetween the United Nations and the govern-ment requesting the assistance, and theseagreements should cover the question of de-fraying expenses. The Secretariat was alsoto provide the data necessary for the Com-mission and the Sub-Commission on EconomicDevelopment.

The Commission considered that its inter-est in the field of employment and economicstability would include the broad economicproblems of production, consumption andinvestments, national incomes and their dis-tribution, and the balance of payments. Itfelt that there would be no danger of over-lapping between the functions of the Sub-Commission on Employment and EconomicStability and the specialized agencies andother commissions if the Sub-Commissionconcentrated on the general aspects of theproblem. It instructed the Sub-Commission:

1. To report to the Commission as earlyas possible on current world economic con-

ditions and trends, giving particular attentionto any factors that are preventing, or arelikely to prevent in the near future, the main-tenance of full employment and economicstability, together with analyses indicatingcausal factors involved and recommendationsas to desirable action.

2. To report to the Commission at its earlyconvenience on:

(a) The preliminary views of the Sub-Commission concerning the kinds of inter-national action which are likely to be feasibleand of assistance in maintaining economicstability and full employment. In this con-nection the Sub-Commission should bear inmind the important links between stabilityand development and should examine suchproposals as:

(i) The concerted timing, to the extentwhich may be appropriate and practicablein the interests of employment policy, ofnational and international measures toinfluence credit conditions and the termsof borrowing;(ii) National or international arrange-ments, in suitable cases, to promote duestability in the real incomes of producersof primary products, taking account bothof the interests of consumers and pro-ducers regardless of country;(iii) The timing, to the extent which maybe appropriate and practicable in theinterests of employment policy, of capitalexpenditures on projects which are eitherof an international character or are inter-nationally financed; as well as theexpansion of investments in less-developedcountries as measures designed to main-tain stability of employment duringperiods of depression in more highlyindustrialized countries.(b) Recommended methods and forms of

reporting economic conditions and trends,including the definition of specific informa-tion to be collected. In this connection, theSub-Commission should, in co-operationwith the Secretariat, give consideration toarrangements for the regular collection,analysis and exchange of information ondomestic employment problems, trends andpolicies, including as far as possible infor-mation relating to national income, demand,and balances of payments (including meth-ods of presenting the multilateral aspectsof balance of payments problems).

(c) Any other matter which the Sub-Commission may feel should be drawn tothe attention of this Commission, includingany modifications of these instructions whichit may wish to suggest.

The Secretariat, in co-operation with thespecialized agencies concerned, was asked toprovide necessary data for the Commission


and the Sub-Commission on Employment andEconomic Stability, and in particular to makeperiodic reports to the Commission and Sub-Commission on world economic trends andto draw their attention to any specific eco-nomic situations requiring consideration. Itwas also asked to keep abreast of methods ofeconomic and statistical analysis and to con-sider arrangements for bringing togethereconomists and technicians in related fieldsto exchange ideas and develop methods ofappraising and forecasting economic trends.

The Commission considered that the balanceof payments was such a broad subject thatthe Commission itself and its already estab-lished sub-commissions would necessarilyhave to deal with it. It therefore recommendedthat no sub-commission on this subject shouldbe established at present, but that the Secre-tariat in co-operation with the specializedagencies concerned should make regular re-ports and analyses of balances of payments.

The Commission felt that for the timebeing adequate co-ordination of its work andthe work of its sub-commission with thatof the specialized agencies was achieved bythe presence of representatives of the agenciesat its meetings and by the working arrange-ments initiated by the Secretariat. It sug-gested, however, that the Secretariat considerestablishing a co-ordination register to main-tain a classified file of information on allsubstantial work in the economic and statisti-cal fields under way or planned in all the com-missions, sub-commissions, specialized agen-cies and non-governmental organizations on:collection of data; analysis of data; and opera-tive tasks.

The Council discussed the report of theCommission at its fourth session.

Representatives stressed the inter-relationof full employment and the development ofbackward countries, and certain delegates feltthat the recommendations of the Commissiondid not go far enough. Draft resolutions andamendments were submitted.

The Council approved the instructions givenby the Economic and Employment Commis-sion to its Sub-Commission on EconomicDevelopment and its Sub-Commission on Em-ployment and Economic Stability. It requestedthe Commission:

(a) to investigate and report, taking fullaccount of the responsibilities of the special-ized agencies and the inter-governmentalorganizations regarding the most appropriateforms of international action for facilitatingthe better utilization of world resources ofmanpower, materials, labour and capital inorder to promote higher standards of livingthroughout the world, more particularly inundeveloped and under-developed areas;

(b) to initiate regular reports to the Coun-cil on world economic conditions and trends,giving particular attention to any factorsthat are preventing or are likely to preventin the near future the maintenance of fullemployment and economic stability, togetherwith analyses indicating the casual factorsinvolved and recommendations as to desirableaction; and

(c) to consider and report to the Council asearly as practicable regarding the most appro-priate forms of international action to main-tain world full employment and economicstability, taking full account of any viewsput forward by the International LabourOrganisation, the International MonetaryFund, the International Bank for Reconstruc-tion and Development, the Food and Agricul-ture Organization of the United Nations, theInterim Co-ordinating Committee for Inter-national Commodity Arrangements, the Pre-paratory Committee of the Trade andEmployment Conference (particularly thedraft resolution on international action relat-ing to employment appearing in the report ofthe first session of this Committee), and bynon-governmental organizations in CategoryA in regard to questions of particular concernto them, and bearing in mind that the actionto promote full employment when unemploy-ment or under-employment result from thelack of effective demand may differ from thatwhich is appropriate when, as in devastatedareas or undeveloped or under-developed coun-tries, the obstacle is the deficiency of certainfactors such as equipment, fuel and rawmaterials which are necessary to employproductively the available supply of labour.

The Council requested the Secretary-Generalto make the necessary provisions for carryingout the services suggested by the Commissionand to assume the responsibility for drawingto the attention of the Commission and its Sub-Commission on Employment and EconomicStability any economic situations whichshould receive special consideration and, inparticular, such developments as would, inthe opinion of the Secretary-General, justifythe calling of a session of the Economic andEmployment Commission in accordance withits rules of procedure.


The Council also expressed the view that theCommission in carrying out its functions inregard to technical and other assistance to anycountry should be guided by the principle thatsuch assistance should not be used for thepurpose of exploitation or of obtaining politi-cal and other advantages exclusively for coun-tries rendering such assistance.

On the question of the balance of paymentsthe Council requested the Secretary-General

(a) to make the necessary arrangementsfor full and regular reports on and analysesof balances of payments in close co-operationwith and using to the fullest extent possiblethe resources of the International MonetaryFund and other interested inter-governmentalagencies in order to assist the Economic andEmployment Commission and its Sub-Com-missions in considering the economic prob-lems related to or arising out of balances ofpayments; and

(b) to consult with the International Mone-tary Fund and other interested inter-govern-mental agencies with the view to developingstandards of reporting data in the field ofbalances of payments.

c. Second SessionThe Economic and Employment Commis-

sion held its second session from June 2 to17, 1947, at Lake Success, New York.

It elected the members of the Sub-Commis-sions on Employment and Economic Stabilityand on Economic Development.

The Commission examined various aspectsof economic development. It was suggestedthat development programs should be directedtoward making nations less dependent onforeign markets, and that internationallyassisted programs should be compatible withagreed international objectives, such as theexpansion of world trade and economic sta-bility. The Secretariat was requested to ar-range for comparative analyses of the patternsof industrialization. With regard to the meansof development, emphasis was placed in the dis-cussion on the availability of loan funds andthe provision of technical assistance and ad-vice. It was emphasized that such loans andassistance should be in the interest of thepeoples of the countries receiving them, with-out political or other advantages accruingexclusively to the countries rendering them,and that programs of economic developmentshould proceed in such a way as to promote

economic stability and progress in both capitalexporting and capital importing countries.The Commission endorsed the principle thatsmall initial projects should be developedwithout waiting to see whether they couldbe included in larger projects.

The Commission recommended that theEconomic and Social Council request theGeneral Assembly to appropriate any ad-ditional funds that might be necessary forthe Secretary-General to carry out the inves-tigations recommended by the Commission,to provide technical assistance to MemberGovernments upon their request and to facili-tate the co-ordination of the work of theEconomic and Employment Commission andits Sub-Commission on Economic Developmentwith the activities of the Economic Commis-sion for Europe, the Economic Commissionfor Asia and the Far East and other commis-sions interested in economic development orreconstruction and with the InternationalBank for Reconstruction and Development andother specialized agencies with responsibilitiesin this field.

The Commission decided not to draw up adefinitive program of reports on world eco-nomic conditions and trends but to proceedexperimentally. It would make a comprehen-sive review, once each year, of world economicconditions and trends in the light of recom-mendations from its sub-commissions andinclude in its report to the Council its com-ments and recommendations. The Secretariatwas to be left free to prepare, where appropri-ate in co-operation with the specializedagencies, and publish such reports andanalyses as it found necessary and feasiblein the light of changing world economic con-ditions and the consequent changing require-ments of the Assembly, the Council, and itscommissions and sub-commissions, takinginto account suggestions made by members ofthe Commission, the Commission's instruc-tions to its sub-commissions and the scheduleof meetings of the Council, the Commissionand its sub-commissions.

The Commission felt that the rehabilitationof the economics disrupted by war was aprerequisite to attaining world economic sta-bility, and that, though considerable effortshad been made in this direction, much re-mained to be done. The abnormal rise in prices


had proved a handicap to recovery. The Com-mission submitted two resolutions on the sub-ject for the consideration of the Council, asfollows :

Resolution ITHE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL(a) URGES the Members of the United

Nations to contribute within their capacitiestoward achieving the purposes of the Charterrelating to the promotion of higher standardsof living, full employment, and conditions ofeconomic and social progress and development;

(b) RECOMMENDS to Member Nations thathave already attained high levels of outputthat they take appropriate steps to main-tain such levels in order to remain in a positionto assist the world economy to attain fullemployment and economic stability;

(c) RECOMMENDS to Member Nations thathave commodities which they can make avail-able for the reconstruction of countries dis-rupted by war that they avoid, to the extentthat their resources of foreign exchange per-mit, measures tending to reduce imports fromcountries in need of economic reconstructionin order to increase the ability of such coun-tries to purchase their necessary requirementsin international markets, and that they con-tinue to make financial and other resourcesavailable to assist in providing essential goodsto Members in need of economic reconstruc-tion; and

(d) RECOMMENDS to Member Nations whoseeconomies are in need of reconstruction thatto the extent their resources permit they(i) direct their attention above everythingelse to increasing their production to a maxi-mum level, (ii) adopt monetary and fiscalpolicies which will yield them the maximumassistance in increasing production withoutcompromising economic stability, (iii) makeevery effort to maximize the use of their man-power in a manner which will afford the

greatest possible efficiency, and (iv) avoidsuch measures restrictive of internationaltrade as will reduce their ability to securenecessary imports and impair economic sta-bility in other parts of the world.

Resolution IITHE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL(a) CALLS the attention of the Members

of the United Nations to the existence ofunemployment in a number of countries, whichis reaching sizable proportions in some ofthe countries, and calls upon the Governmentsof the countries concerned to adopt all meas-ures within their powers for the achievementof full employment;

(b) CALLS upon the Members of the UnitedNations to take measures towards loweringof abnormally high prices, especially forexport goods; and

(c)2 FAVORS loans and credits to MemberNations which are directed exclusively towardseconomic stability and reconstruction in theinterests of the peoples of the countries receiv-ing credit.

The Commission asked the Sub-Commissionon Employment and Economic Stability tomake recommendations on the longer-termproblems of economic stability and full em-ployment, taking into account the varioussuggestions made to the Commission.

The Commission appointed a representativeto the Population Commission and suggestedthat the Economic and Social Council shouldrecommend to the General Assembly that itappropriate such additional funds as might benecessary to carry out the essential secretar-iat functions relating to economic stability anddevelopment which had been requested by theCouncil.

D. ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION OF DEVASTATED AREAS

On February 2, 1946, the General Assemblyhad adopted a resolution which asked theEconomic and Social Council to place thesubject of the economic reconstruction ofdevastated areas on the agenda of its firstmeeting, as an urgent matter in the economicand social field.1

1. TEMPORARY SUB-COMMISSION ON ECONOMICRECONSTRUCTION OF DEVASTATED AREAS

The urgent need for international assistancein the economic reconstruction of the devas-

tated areas was discussed at the first sessionof the Council. The Council resolved that itwas the function of the Economic and Employ-ment Commission to advise it on the problems

1 See p. 76.2 A motion to add the following words at the

beginning of this paragraph was regarded as re-jected in accordance with Rule 39 of the Commis-sion's Rules of Procedure after two tied votes of6 to 6:

"Supplementing the Resolution on Technicaland Other Assistance of 28 March 1947."


of economic reconstruction of the devastatedareas and other urgent economic problemsarising from the war, including the methodsof meeting short-term situations most consis-tently with the requirements of long-termeconomic policy. On the recommendation ofthat Commission, a Temporary Sub-Commis-sion on Economic Reconstruction of Devas-tated Areas was established by resolution ofthe Council on June 21, 1946, at its secondsession.

The terms of reference of the Sub-Commis-sion were to advise on:

(a) the nature and scope of the economicreconstruction problems of those countrieswhich face great and urgent tasks in this field,whether by reason of occupation or physicaldevastation;

(b) the progress of reconstruction and themeasures of international co-operation bywhich reconstruction in those countries mightbe effectively facilitated and accelerated.

For these purposes the Economic and SocialCouncil authorized the Sub-Commission tomake enquiries, with the consent of the gov-ernments concerned, in countries which hadbeen occupied or devastated by war, exceptGermany and Japan, with a view to makinga preliminary report on the problems of eco-nomic reconstruction in the countries visited,bearing in mind the special claims of countrieswhich were Members of the United Nations.In considering the reconstruction problemsof these countries, the Sub-Commission wasinstructed to take into account their economicrelations with Germany and Japan and toobtain information as required through thegovernments of the occupying powers. Rela-tions with neutral countries were likewise tobe considered.

The Sub-Commission was comprised of thefollowing Members: Australia, Belgium,Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia,France, Greece, India, Netherlands, New Zea-land, Norway, Peru, Philippine Republic,Poland, Ukrainian S.S.R., U.S.S.R., UnitedKingdom, United States, Yugoslavia.

The Sub-Commission met in London on July29 and concluded its session on September 13,1946. The Sub-Commission consisted of twoWorking Groups, one for Europe and Africaand one for Asia and the Far East. It wasdecided that the Working Group for Asia andthe Far East should confine its work in London

to a preliminary discussion of the mannerin which its enquiries could best be conductedat a later stage, and that the Sub-Commissionshould be mainly concerned in London withthe writing of a preliminary report on Europe.

The Working Group for Europe and Africaappointed three sub-committees which made adetailed analysis of the material submittedby governments, inter-governmental agenciesand the United Nations Secretariat, and con-ducted on-the-spot enquiries in Belgium,Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Luxembourg,the Netherlands, Poland and Yugoslavia inorder to supplement the information sub-mitted, particularly data on the reconstructionand development programs of the devastatedcountries. After full discussion the Sub-Com-mission approved the reports and recommen-dations of the two Working Groups fortransmission to the Council. In addition, theSub-Commission agreed to refer to the Councila proposal for the establishment of an Eco-nomic Commission for Europe which had beenpresented originally by the representatives forPoland, the United Kingdom and the UnitedStates. The representatives for the U.S.S.R.and the Ukrainian S.S.R. reserved their posi-tion on the report as a whole.

The report was submitted to the Councilat its third session. The report on Europegave a picture of war devastation and of theprogress of recovery in the devastated areasto date, on the basis of the data collected.The short-term and long-term problems con-cerning man-power, food, agriculture, fueland power, major industries, housing, trans-port, finance and currencies and trade, werestudied and an attempt was made to envisagethe reconstruction of Europe as a whole. Foreach of the above fields measures of inter-national co-operation were recommended.

A considerable proportion of the representa-tives on the Council were in general agreementwith the report. Certain representatives, how-ever, were of the opinion that the terms ofreference of the Sub-Commission directed itto establish the short-term requirements ofthe devastated areas and that an adequate studyof those problems had not been fully carriedout. They further disagreed with the variousreferences in the report to long-term problemsand insisted that the proposal for the establish-ment of an Economic Commission for Europeshould be examined at a later stage.


The Council adopted the following reso-lutions :

(VGeneral Resolution

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL havingconsidered the Preliminary Report of theTemporary Sub-Commission on EconomicReconstruction of Devastated Areas of theEconomic and Employment Commission;

1. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to trans-mit to the General Assembly, the MemberGovernments of the United Nations and tothe specialized agencies the preliminary re-port and this present resolution for theirconsideration, and to call the attention ofthose Governments and agencies to the mat-ters with which they are particularly con-cerned for appropriate action by them;

2. (a) REQUESTS the Secretary-General ofthe United Nations to undertake forthwithspecial studies of the needs of the devas-tated countries of the United Nations forlong-term and short-term financing onfavourable conditions of urgent reconstruc-tion requirements (including the importof raw materials); to review the existingmeans of meeting such needs (includinginter-governmental loans and credits, theInternational Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment, private and commercialcredits); and to draw the attention of theEconomic and Social Council to any caseswhere the existing means of financingthese urgent reconstruction requirementsappear to be insufficient;

(b) WELCOMES the recent announcement ofthe International Bank for Reconstructionand Development on the progress made inits organization and operations and expres-ses the hope that devastated countries ofthe United Nations, requiring funds forreconstruction purposes, will be able to takefull advantage of the Bank's operations atthe earliest possible date.

3. DRAWS the specific attention of the Mem-ber Governments and specialized agenciesconcerned to the following matters importantfor the reconstruction of devastated areas:

(a) The part which the InternationalMonetary Fund can play within the frame-work of its Articles of Agreement to assistin the reconstruction of devastated areasby facilitating exchange of currencies;

(b) The necessity for coal-producing coun-tries to continue their efforts to increasecoal exports in order to meet the require-ments of the devastated areas, and forcountries producing mining equipment andsupplies to increase production and exportsto the countries in need;

(c) The furnishing of maximum assist-ance, including technical assistance, topromote the expeditious re-establishment ofagricultural production;(d) The urgent need for international co-operation in the utilization and training ofman-power;(e) The need for rehabilitation of trans-port;(f) The widespread need for new machin-ery and equipment including agriculturalequipment and the special need for spareparts including those formerly obtainedfrom ex-enemy countries;(g) The desirability of exchanging infor-mation and experience regarding urgenthousing problems;(h) The importance of reviving and ex-panding international trade;(i) The need for increased production ofelectric power;

Requests the Secretary-General to takeappropriate action to assist in the promotionof international co-operation on these matters.

(ii)Resolution Endorsing the UNRRA

Council ResolutionTHE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL1. STRONGLY ENDORSES the recommendation

made by the UNRRA Council at its FifthSession in August 1946 that the GeneralAssembly of the United Nations should "forth-with establish or designate such agency oragencies as it may deem appropriate" whosefunctions shall include:

(a) a review of the needs in 1947 forfinancing urgent imports of the basic essen-tials of life, particularly food and suppliesfor agricultural production, after the term-ination of UNRRA programmes to the extentthat they cannot otherwise be met, and(b) the making of recommendations as tothe financial assistance which might berequired to meet such needs as are foundto exist as a result of foreign exchangedifficulties which cannot be dealt with byexisting agencies.2. RECOMMENDS that the General Assembly,

in view of the nature and urgency of theproblem in certain countries as indicated inthe preliminary report of the TemporarySub-Commission on Economic Reconstructionof Devastated Areas of the Economic andEmployment Commission, take appropriateaction as soon as possible in connection withthe above mentioned UNRRA Council resolu-tion.

3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to under-take immediately the collection and analysisof information relating to the subjects


enumerated in paragraph 1 above with a viewto the submission of this data to the agencyor agencies to be established or designatedby the General Assembly, and recommendsthat other international organizations andGovernments provide all possible assistanceto the Secretary-General in the performanceof this task.

Resolution on Survey of the EconomicReconstruction of Devastated Areas

in Asia and the Far East

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, havingtaken note of the preliminary report of itsTemporary Sub-Commission on EconomicReconstruction of Devastated Areas and real-izing the urgent need of the early carrying-out of a study on Asia and the Far East,

1. REQUESTS the Secretary-General of theUnited Nations to prepare background ma-terial on war devastation and reconstructionneeds of the Asiatic and Far Eastern coun-tries.2. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to ar-range a preliminary field survey of theterritories concerned to be undertaken bythe Working Group or certain Membersthereof.3. REQUESTS the Working Group for Asiaand the Far East to reconvene in Nankingat a time designated by the Secretary-Gen-eral, to study the material prepared by theSecretariat and information received fromthe preliminary field survey and from gov-ernments, and to prepare a preliminaryreport for submission to the Economic andSocial Council at its first session in 1947.

(iv)

Resolution for Continuing the Work of theSub-Commission on Devastated Areas

in Europe

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL in-structs the Temporary Sub-Commission(Working Group for Europe and Africa) toreconvene if necessary at a date to be fixedby the Secretary-General for the purpose ofpreparing its final report with a view of mak-ing concrete proposals to further the recon-struction of devastated areas.1

(v)THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL resolves

that the proposal for the establishment of anEconomic Commission for Europe be con-sidered at the next ordinary or special sessionof the Council, certain delegations reservingthe right to raise the matter at the GeneralAssembly.

(vi)THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL resolves

that the following proposal be considered atthe next ordinary or special session of theCouncil :

The status of the Temporary Sub-Commis-sion for Economic Reconstruction of Devas-tated Areas be raised to that of a Commissionto be called The Temporary Commission forEconomic Reconstruction of Devastated Areas.

(Following the establishment of an Eco-nomic Commission for Europe and an Eco-nomic Commission for Asia and the Far East,the Economic and Social Council decided at itsfourth session that the activities of the Tem-porary Sub-Commission on Economic Recon-struction of Devastated Areas should beterminated.)

2. ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPEThe General Assembly on December 11,

1946, adopted a resolution noting the prelim-inary report of the Temporary Sub-Commis-sion on Economic Reconstruction of Devas-tated Areas and the relevant resolution of theEconomic and Social Council at its thirdsession. It approved the Council's recommen-dations and urged the Members of the UnitedNations, the Economic and Social Council,and the specialized agencies and inter-govern-mental organizations concerned to take allpossible steps which might lead to the earlysolution of the problems of the economicreconstruction of devastated areas. It alsodirected the Secretary-General to transmit tothe International Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment the Assembly's opinion that theBank should come into full operation as soonas possible. It recommended that the Economicand Social Council and its commissions shouldconsider undertaking, in co-operation with thespecialized agencies concerned, a general sur-vey of raw material resources needed for theeconomic reconstruction of devastated areas.Finally it recommended that the Council atits next session should give prompt and favor-

1 The Council agreed that the following proposalshould be transmitted to the Temporary Sub-Com-mission (Working Group for Europe and Africa) :

The Temporary Sub-Commission on EconomicReconstruction of Devastated Areas should un-dertake the necessary surveys in order to in-vestigate the potential resources of the non-devastated countries with a view to ascertainhow the needs of the devastated areas could bemet with the products and raw materials avail-able in the former countries.

(iii)


able consideration to the establishment of anEconomic Commission for Asia and the FarEast.

The Temporary Sub-Commission on theEconomic Reconstruction of Devastated Areashad submitted to the third session of theCouncil a detailed draft of the terms of refer-ence of the proposed Economic Commissionfor Europe. The question was also consideredby the Economic and Employment Commissionduring its first session, from January 20 toFebruary 5, 1947. That Commission suggestedthat the terms of reference of the proposedEconomic Commission for Europe should beformulated by the Economic and Social Coun-cil itself, taking into account the followingguiding principles:

(a) The proposed Economic Commissionfor Europe, with the agreement of therespective governments, should initiate andparticipate in measures for facilitating con-certed action for the economic reconstruc-tion of Europe.(b) The Commission should give prior con-sideration to measures to facilitate the eco-nomic rehabilitation and reconstruction ofdevastated countries which are Members ofthe United Nations.(c) Immediately upon its establishment,the Commission should consult with themember governments of the Emergency Eco-nomic Committee for Europe, the EuropeanCoal Organization, and the European Cen-tral Inland Transport Organization with aview to the absorption or termination ofthese Organizations, while ensuring thatthere is no interruption in the essentialwork performed by them.(d) In view of the special functionscontemplated for the Commission, the Com-mission should be empowered to make rec-ommendations on any matter within itscompetence directly to its member govern-ments, governments admitted in a consulta-tive capacity, and specialized agenciesconcerned, but the Commission should sub-mit for the Council's consideration any ofits proposals for activities that might haveimportant effects on the economy of theworld as a whole.(e) Subject to such measures of financialand budgetary control as may be necessary,the Commission should be empowered toestablish such subsidiary machinery as itdeems appropriate for facilitating the carry-ing out of its responsibilities.(f) The Council should consider measuresto ensure that the necessary liaison is main-tained between the Economic Commission

for Europe and other organs of the UnitedNations, in particular the Economic andEmployment Commission and the EconomicCommission for Asia and the Far East.

The Commission recommended that theCouncil transfer future work on reconstruc-tion in Europe from the Temporary Sub-Com-mission on Economic Reconstruction ofDevastated Areas to the Economic Commis-sion for Europe. It also recommended thatthe Council should consider the establishmentof an Economic Commission for Asia and theFar East after the Temporary Sub-Commis-sion on Economic Reconstruction of Devas-tated Areas had submitted its report on thereconstruction needs of these areas. The Com-mission drew to the Council's attention thefact that the General Assembly had notexpressed any views on measures to be takenconcerning the economic reconstruction ofdevastated areas in North Africa and Ethiopiaalthough these areas were included in thescope of the activities of the Temporary Sub-Commission. It recommended that the Councilconsider the necessary measures.

The Transport and Communications Com-mission recommended to the fourth sessionof the Economic and Social Council the crea-tion of a European Transport Organizationto succeed the European Central Inland Trans-port Organization (ECITO).

The Secretary-General presented a memo-randum to the fourth session of the Economicand Social Council, outlining a possible pro-cedure for establishing the proposed Eco-nomic Commission for Europe, including theformation of a preparatory committee. TheCouncil decided, however, to establish theEconomic Commission for Europe forthwithand, after considerable discussion, determinedits terms of reference.

The U.S.S.R. representative presented aseries of amendments to the draft terms ofreference of the Commission with the objectof providing: that prior consultations withspecialized agencies should not be mandatoryon the Commission; that the Commissionshould not be required to report to the Councilon its plan of future activities; that the com-petence of the Commission should extend onlyover its members and not over all Europeancountries; that the Allied Control Authoritiesof the occupied territories should be admitted


in a consultative capacity on matters of par-ticular concern to them; that inter-govern-mental organizations apart from specializedagencies should not be admitted in a con-sultative capacity; and that transport prob-lems should be handled by the Transport andCommunications Commission and should notbe the concern of the Economic Commissionfor Europe. As none of these amendmentswas accepted by the Council, the U.S.S.R.representative abstained from voting.

a. Terms of ReferenceThe terms of reference of the Commission,

adopted by the Council, were as follows:

1. The Economic Commission for Europe,acting within the framework of the policiesof the United Nations and subject to thegeneral supervision of the Council shall, pro-vided that the Commission takes no actionin respect to any country without the agree-ment of the government of that country :

(a) initiate and participate in measuresfor facilitating concerted action for theeconomic reconstruction of Europe, for rais-ing the level of European economic activity,and for maintaining and strengthening theeconomic relations of the European coun-tries both among themselves and with othercountries of the world;(b) make or sponsor such investigationsand studies of economic and technologicalproblems of and developments within mem-ber countries of the Commission and withinEurope generally as the Commission deemsappropriate;(c) undertake or sponsor the collection,evaluation and dissemination of such eco-nomic, technological and statistical informa-tion as the Commission deems appropriate.2. The Commission shall give prior con-

sideration, during its initial stages, to meas-ures to facilitate the economic reconstructionof devastated countries of Europe which areMembers of the United Nations.

3. Immediately upon its establishment, theCommission shall consult with the membergovernments of the Emergency EconomicCommittee for Europe, the European CoalOrganization and the European Central In-land Transport Organization with a view tothe prompt termination of the first, and theabsorption or termination of the activitiesof the second and third, while ensuring thatthe essential work performed by each of thethree is fully maintained.

4. The Commission is empowered to makerecommendations on any matter within itscompetence directly to its member Govern-ments, Governments admitted in a consultative

capacity under paragraph 8 below, and thespecialized agencies concerned. The Commis-sion shall submit for the Council's prior con-sideration any of its proposals for activitiesthat would have important effects on theeconomy of the world as a whole.

5. The Commission may, after discussionwith any specialized agency functioning inthe same general field, and with the approvalof the Council establish such subsidiary bodiesas it deems appropriate for facilitating thecarrying out of its responsibilities.

6. The Commission shall submit to theCouncil a full report on its activities andplans, including those of any subsidiarybodies, once a year and shall make interimreports at each regular session of the Council.

7. The members of the Commission are theEuropean Members of the United Nations andthe United States of America.

8. The Commission may admit in a consul-tative capacity European nations not Membersof the United Nations and shall determinethe conditions in which they may participatein its work.

9. The Commission shall invite representa-tives of the Free Territory of Trieste (whenit is established) to participate in a consulta-tive capacity in the consideration by the Com-mission of any matter of particular concernto the Free Territory.

10. The Commission may consult with therepresentatives of the respective Allied Con-trol Authorities of the occupied territories,and be consulted by them for the purpose ofmutual information and advice on mattersconcerning the economies of these territoriesin relation to the rest of the Europeaneconomy.

11. The Commission shall invite any Mem-ber of the United Nations not a member ofthe Commission to participate in a consulta-tive capacity in its consideration of any matterof particular concern to that non-member.

12. The Commission shall invite represen-tatives of specialized agencies and may inviterepresentatives of any inter-governmentalorganizations to participate in a consultativecapacity in its consideration of any matterof particular concern to that agency or organi-zation, following the practices of the Eco-nomic and Social Council.

13. The Commission shall take measures toensure that the necessary liaison is main-tained with other organs of the UnitedNations and with the specialized agencies.

14. The Commission shall adopt its ownrules of procedure, including the method ofselecting its Chairman.

15. The administrative budget of the Com-mission shall be financed from the funds ofthe United Nations.


16. The Secretary-General of the UnitedNations shall appoint the staff of the Commis-sion, which shall form part of the Secretariatof the United Nations.

17. The headquarters of the Commissionshall be located at the seat of the Europeanoffice of the United Nations.

18. The first session of the Commissionshall be called by the Secretary-General ofthe United Nations as soon as practicableafter the Commission has been created by theEconomic and Social Council.

19. Not later than 1951 the Council shallmake a special review of the work of theCommission with a view to determiningwhether the Commission should be terminatedor continued, and if continued what modifica-tion if any should be made in its terms ofreference.

The Council also drew the attention of theEconomic Commission for Europe to thoseparts of the first report of the Transport andCommunications Commission relating to func-tions in the field of European inland transportand requested it

to convene at the earliest possible date ameeting of transport experts drawn fromits member Governments, from otherEuropean Governments admitted in a con-sultative capacity, and the Allied ControlAuthorities of the occupied countries andfrom appropriate European inter-govern-mental transport organizations, to formu-late recommendations which shall form thebasis of a report by the Commission to theCouncil at its fifth session, if possible, onthe functions and organizational arrange-ments within the framework of the Commis-sion required to deal with European inlandtransport problems in general.

b. First SessionThe Economic Commission for Europe held

its first session from May 2 to May 14, 1947,at Geneva.

The Commission elected as Chairman E.Warum (Denmark) and as Vice-ChairmanJ. Rudzinski (Poland).

The Commission decided that it would takethe initiative in determining which non-mem-ber countries and inter-governmental organi-zations, as being of assistance to its work,should be admitted in a consultative capacity.As regards transport matters, it was decidedto invite to a meeting of transport expertsEuropean non-member countries which haddirect connections by road, rail or inlandwaterways with countries in continentalEurope.

In addition to constitutional and organiza-tional questions the Commission discussed thequestion of European inland transport andwhat functions of the Emergency EconomicCommittee for Europe and the European CoalOrganization should be continued.

It instructed the Executive Secretary toapproach the Allied Control Authorities inGermany with a view to ascertaining theirviews on how to collaborate with the Commis-sion, and to make an immediate study of howto take over, without interruption, those ofthe functions of the Emergency EconomicCommittee for Europe which were consideredessential.

The Commission also requested the Execu-tive Secretary to convene a meeting of trans-port experts on May 27, 1947, in Geneva, toframe recommendations with regard to thefunctions and organizational structure of thatpart of the machinery of the Economic Com-mission for Europe which was to deal withtransport matters. The meeting of expertswas also to recommend practical measuresconnected with the termination of the activi-ties of the European Central Inland TransportOrganization and to outline the essential workin the field of European transport performeduntil now by ECITO which should be fullymaintained in the transfer of activities tothe Economic Commission for Europe. TheMeeting of Transport Experts was held inGeneva from May 27 to June 6 and submittedrecommendations to the Commission on thesematters.

The Commission recommended that theEuropean Coal Organization continue itsactivities until its functions were transferredto the Economic Commission for Europe andin any case not later than the end of 1947.It recommended that the Executive Secretary,after consultations with Member Govern-ments, the Chairman of ECO, and such expertsas necessary, present concrete proposals tothe second session of the Economic Commis-sion for Europe regarding the structure ofthe future coal body, its membership andposition within the framework of the Com-mission, its rules of procedure and its termsof reference. The new coal body, the Commis-sion proposed, should not carry out its recom-mendations without the approval of theinterested governments.

Yearbook of the United Nations 485

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOE ASIA ANDTHE FAR EAST

The Working Group for Asia and the FarEast met at Lake Success on February 14,1947, for its second session. It was composedof representatives of Australia, Canada,China, France, India, Netherlands, New Zea-land, Peru, Philippine Republic, U.S.S.R.,United Kingdom and United States, under thechairmanship of China. After a general dis-cussion of preliminary material laid before itby the Secretariat, it divided into two sub-groups: one to study and redraft the factualmaterial on war devastation and the progressof reconstruction in the various countries;and the other to produce a general analysisleading to specific recommendations. Thereports of the two sub-groups were thenbrought together into a single report. Thisreport, which included recommendationsformulated and approved by the WorkingGroup, was presented to the Economic andSocial Council at its fourth session.

The report stressed the number of peopleaffected and pointed out that the physicaldevastation and the indirect injuries resultingfrom disruption of the existing means oflivelihood fell upon communities which for themost part even before the war lived at themargin of subsistence. It outlined the particu-lar importance of the economic reconstructionof these countries to the other nations ofthe world.

The report covered China, the Indo-ChineseFederation, the Malayan Union, Singapore,Siam, Hongkong, Papua and New Guinea,the Philippine Republic, British Borneo, Bur-ma, the Netherlands Indies, the Gilbert andEllice Islands, the Solomon Islands, India,Portuguese Timor and Korea. It gave a gen-eral survey of war damage, and dealt with:living conditions and manpower; food, agri-culture, and forestry; industry and mining;transport and communications, foreign tradeand balance of payments; finance; and immedi-ate needs for economic reconstruction.

The report also contained an analysis ofreconstruction problems and suggested meth-ods of organizing international aid.

It recommended that the Economic and So-cial Council should establish an EconomicCommission for Asia and the Far East, andoutlined certain guiding principles which itsuggested that the Council should take intoconsideration.

a. Terms of Reference

After considering the report of the Work-ing Group, the Council established an Eco-nomic Commission for Asia and the Far Eastwith the following terms of reference :

1. The Economic Commission for Asia andthe Far East, acting within the frameworkof the policies of the United Nations andsubject to the general supervision of theCouncil, shall, provided that the Commissiontakes no action in respect to any countrywithout the agreement of the Government ofthat country:

(a) initiate and participate in measuresfor facilitating concerted action for theeconomic reconstruction of Asia and theFar East, for raising the level of economicactivity in Asia and the Far East and formaintaining and strengthening the eco-nomic relations of these areas both amongthemselves and with other countries of theworld;(b) make or sponsor such investigationsand studies of economic and technologicalproblems and developments within terri-tories of Asia and the Far East as theCommission deems appropriate;(c) undertake or sponsor the collection,evaluation and dissemination of such eco-nomic, technological and statistical infor-mation as the Commission deems appro-priate.

2. The territories of Asia and the Far Eastreferred to in paragraph 1 shall include inthe first instance, British North Borneo,Brunei and Sarawak, Burma, Ceylon, China,India, Indo-Chinese Federation, Hong-Kong,Malayan Union and Singapore, NetherlandsIndies, Philippine Republic and Siam.

3. The members of the Commission shall, inthe first instance, consist of Australia, China,France, India, Netherlands, Philippine Re-public, Siam, Union of Soviet Socialist Re-publics, United Kingdom and United Statesof America, provided that any State in thearea which may hereafter become a Memberof the United Nations shall be thereupon ad-mitted as a member of the Commission.

4. The Commission shall invite any Memberof the United Nations not a member of theCommission to participate in a consultativecapacity in its consideration of any matter ofparticular concern to that non-member.

5. The Commission shall invite representa-tives of specialized agencies and may inviterepresentatives of any inter-governmental or-ganizations to participate in a consultativecapacity in its consideration of any matterof particular concern to that agency or or-ganization, following the practice of the Eco-nomic and Social Council.


6. The Commission shall take measures toensure that the necessary liaison is maintain-ed with other organs of the United Nationsand with the specialized agencies.

7. The Commission shall adopt its own rulesof procedure, including the method of select-ing its Chairman.

8. The administrative budget of the Com-mission shall be financed from the funds ofthe United Nations.

9. The Secretary-General of the United Na-tions shall appoint the staff of the Commis-sion, which shall form part of the Secretariatof the United Nations.

10. The first session of the Commission shallbe called by the Secretary-General of theUnited Nations as soon as practicable afterthe Commission has been created by the Eco-nomic and Social Council.

11. The headquarters of the Commissionshall be located at the seat of the office of theUnited Nations in Asia and the Far East.Pending the establishment of such headquar-ters, the temporary offices of the Commissionshall be located at Shanghai, subject to reviewby the Economic and Social Council at its firstsession in 1948.

12. Not later than 1951 the Council shallmake a special review of the work of the Com-mission with a view to determining whetherthe Commission should be terminated or con-tinued, and if continued what modification ifany should be made in its terms of reference.

The Council requested the Commission:

1. to consider at its first session, and pre-pare for submission to the fifth session ofthe Council, recommendations concerning:

(a) the membership of the Commission,including the provisions to be made forassociating with the work of the Commis-sion any territory or group of territoriesin the area that may be proposed from timeto time by the member Government re-sponsible for the international relations ofsuch territory or group of territories;

(b) its geographical scope;

(c) any other changes in or additions toits terms of reference which the Commissionmay deem necessary or desirable. The Com-mission shall, in this connection, take noteof all the documents before the Council andits Committee and the discussions thereon.

2. To undertake the collection of further in-formation relating to economic reconstruc-tion, and make such investigations, includingenquiries in the field, as it may consider

necessary, and to submit a report on theresult of these investigations to the next ora subsequent session of the Council.

3. In assuming its work under paragraph 1and 2:

(a) to meet at Shanghai to inaugurate in-vestigations as stated under paragraph 2,and(b) to appoint a committee of the wholeto meet at the interim headquarters of theUnited Nations to consider the questionsarising under paragraph 1 and to submitits recommendations to the fifth sessionof the Economic and Social Council.4. To make recommendations to the Council

regarding a temporary headquarters of theCommission.

The Council requested the Secretary-Gen-eral, in framing an administrative budget forthe Commission, to make suitable financial pro-visions for the cost of investigations andfield surveys.

The U.S.S.R. representative abstained fromvoting on the terms of reference of the Com-mission as a whole because he objected tothe terms of a United Kingdom amendmentadopted by the Council by 5 votes to 4 pro-viding for the association with the work ofthe Commission of any territory or groupof territories in the area proposed by theMember Government responsible for the in-ternational relations of such territories. Healso objected to the provisions concerning therelations between the Commission and thespecialized agencies.

The United Kingdom representative re-gretted that it had not been mentioned in theterms of reference that regard should betaken of existing machinery for internationalcollaboration in the area concerned, as pro-posed in the report of the Working Groupfor Asia and the Far East, and instanced inparticular the work of economic co-ordinationbeing performed in South-East Asia by LordKillearn's organization.

b. First Session

The Economic Commission for Asia andthe Far East held its first session in Shang-hai from June 16 to 25, 1947.

It elected T. F. Tsiang (China) as its Chair-man, and Miguel Cuarderno (Philippines)Vice-Chairman.

The session was attended by representativesof specialized agencies.


The Commission considered the Report ofthe Working Group for Asia and the FarEast and agreed that it set forth all the fac-tors of economic reconstruction but that cer-tain gaps existed in it which could be filledin only by detailed study.

The Commission decided that steps shouldbe taken to complete the study of the Work-ing Group and to analyze, in the light of allthe information available, the short-term re-quirements of the countries within the geo-graphical scope of the Commission in respectof essential reconstruction needs. It decidedto ascertain how far these requirements couldbe met and to suggest measures to ensuretheir being met (a) from domestic sources;(b) from within the region; and (c) fromall other sources.

It also decided that steps should be taken :to suggest the measures necessary to facili-tate training in the economic field of ad-ministrative and technical personnel of thecountries concerned and the obtaining ofcompetent technicians from outside bycountries in need of them;to examine any other matters relating tothe reconstruction requirements of thearea (such as obstacles to the flow ofgoods), the early consideration of whichis essential for the completion of the abovestudies.The Secretariat was instructed to make the

necessary investigations with due regard toany investigations already carried out or nowbeing carried out by other organs of theUnited Nations. The government of eachcountry whose problems were being investi-gated was to be invited to associate itselfwith the investigations.

The Secretariat was requested to submitto the Commission's next session a reportcontaining its suggestions, including suggest-ions with regard to the establishment of fieldteams where necessary, the character of suchteams, their functions and the area whereinit was proposed that they operate.

A Committee of the Whole was set up toprepare a resolution for submission to theEconomic and Social Council and to decideon the site for the next meeting of the Com-mission, which it was agreed should be heldin the latter half of November. The Committeeof Whole was scheduled to meet in New Yorkon July 10, 1947. The U.S.S.R. representativeabstained from voting on the Commission's

decisions and objected to the procedure ofsetting up a Committee of the Whole with theright to report direct to the Economic and So-cial Council. The Indian representative alsoquestioned the division of functions betweenthe Commission and a Committee of the Wholeand gave notice that he would, either at themeeting of the Committee in New York or at alater session of the Commission, move theinclusion on the Commission of other coun-tries in Asia such as Burma, Ceylon, Indo-nesia and Viet-Nam, and would ask for a com-plete review of the Commission's presentmembership.

4. NEEDS OF NORTH AFRICA AND ETHIOPIAA draft resolution proposing the establish-

ment of a special Economic Commission forNorth Africa and Ethiopia was proposed bythe representative of India at the fourth ses-sion of the Economic and Social Council.Certain members of the Council, however, ex-pressed doubt as to whether North Africaand Ethiopia could be regarded as an economicwhole and felt that further information wasrequired.

The Economic and Social Council adoptedthe following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL TAKESNOTE of the fact, to which attention has beendrawn by the Economic and Employment Com-mission in its report, that North Africa andEthiopia were included in the scope of theactivities of the Temporary Sub-Commissionon Economic Reconstruction of DevastatedAreas :

CONSIDERS THAT it is essential that theUnited Nations give simultaneous considera-tion to all war-devastated areas; and

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to make afield survey, with the concurrence of theGovernments and administrations concernedand at their request, of the reconstructionproblems of Ethiopia and of other devastatedterritories not included in the reports ofthe Temporary Sub-Commission on EconomicReconstruction of Devastated Areas, and toreport to the Economic and Social Councilat its next session the measures necessary toeffect a speedy reconstruction.

5. SECRETARY-GENERAL'S INTERIM REPORTAs requested by the Economic and Social

Council in its resolution of October 11, 1946,the Secretary-General arranged for studiesof the needs of the devastated countries ofthe United Nations for long-term and short-term financing or urgent reconstruction re-


quirements, and for a review of the existingmeans of meeting such needs. A questionnairewas dispatched to the following Member Gov-ernments: Australia (for New Guinea),Belgium, China, Denmark, Ethiopia, France,Greece, India, Luxembourg, Netherlands,Norway, Philippines, Siam, U.S.S.R. (forNorthern Korea), United Kingdom, UnitedStates (for Southern Korea) and Yugoslavia

The Secretary-General presented an interimreport to the fourth session of the Economicand Social Council. The report pointed outthat as it was based on information submittedby governments, it did not include countriesfrom which no information had been received;it dealt only with European areas to avoidoverlapping with the studies of the WorkingGroup for Asia and the Far East of theTemporary Sub-Commission on EconomicReconstruction of Devastated Areas; certainof the estimates supplied by governmentswere not on a comparable basis. The reportalso dealt with certain countries not Membersof the United Nations on the grounds thatthe United Nations Special Technical Com-mittee on Relief Needs after the Terminationof UNRRA had considered all countries for-merly assisted by UNRRA and that the exist-ing means of international credit had beendrawn upon both by Members and by non-mem-bers of the United Nations.

The import requirements and estimatedbalances of payment position for 1947 wereestimated as follows:

(Millions of U. S. Dollar Equivalents)

Relief Reconstructionand other Needs

Countries for 1947(1)

Foreign ExchangeResources AvailableAgainst ImportPrograms for 1947 Deficit

(2) (1) (2)

U.N. MemberCountries

Belgium-Luxembourg

CzechoslovakiaEthiopiaPranceGreeceNetherlandsPolandYugoslaviaNon-Member

CountriesAustriaFinlandHungaryItaly

1,650. 0

757. 090.2

3,027. 0501.0

1,326. 0717.4467. 5

322. 5332. 5147.0

1,506. 8

1,290. 0

642. 030.8

1,901. 6111.5

1,003. 0348. 0132.1

100.0319.8

50.5911.0

360. 0

115.059.4

621.4 1389. 5323. 0369. 4335. 4

222. 512.783.01

595. 8

In calculating the deficits the following re-sources were taken into account: gold hold-ings, foreign exchange balances, and long-term external assets; estimated foreignexchange receipts on current account andequivalent imports under barter agreements;unexpended balances of foreign loans andcredits received and available for expendi-ture in 1947. Gold, foreign exchange balances,and long-term external assets were offsetagainst the requirements only to the extentthat governments had stated them to be avail-able to meet these requirements.

The report outlines the following resourcesas potentially available to meet the deficits:additional relief grants and other contribu-tions; reparations and restitution of proper-ty, including monetary gold; loans and credits.It stated that the major potential source ofreconstruction loans in 1947 was the Inter-national Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment but that the situation withrespect to urgent reconstruction requirementswould not become clearer until the Bank haddetermined the extent to which its resourceswould be used to meet the applications for itsassistance in 1947.

The Economic and Social Council by a ma-jority of 15 for and 2 against passed thefollowing resolution proposed by the Nether-lands representative.

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL HAVINGTAKEN NOTE of the interim report by the Sec-retary-General on the needs of the devastatedcountries of the United Nations for long-termand short-term financing of urgent reconstruc-tion requirements, accompanied by a reviewof the existing means of meeting such needs(document E/228);

RECOGNIZING the importance of continuingthe study of the financial needs of the devas-tated countries of the United Nations;

RECOGNIZING that the financial difficultieswhich hamper the economic reconstructionof the devastated countries, Members of theUnited Nations, cannot be fully understood

TOTAL 10,844.9 6,840.3 3,487.11 The deficit is arrived at by taking into account

reductions in gold reserves.


unless the following facts are taken into ac-count :

(a) that at present a substantial part ofthe goods imported by the devastatedcountries, Members of the United Nations,for the satisfaction of their most pressingneeds, must be paid for in freely convert-ible foreign currency;

(b) that the limited amount of freely con-vertible foreign exchange available to thesecountries is further limited by the factthat the devastated countries of Europeare required to regulate their accounts withGermany in freely convertible foreign cur-rency;

(c) that the foreign exchange receipts ofthese countries for the goods they exportand the services they render are only to asmall extent in freely convertible foreignexchange,

BEQUESTS the Secretary-GeneralTo continue, in close collaboration with the

Governments concerned and with the Inter-national Monetary Fund, to study thequestions under review in document E/288;

To extend the study to all devastated areasof the United Nations; and

To present to the Economic and SocialCouncil, the Regional Commissions for Europeand for Asia and the Far East and theEconomic and Employment Commission, asearly as possible a report indicating the finan-cial needs and resources of the devastatedcountries of the United Nations in the im-mediate future, especially in respect of theirrequirements and receipts of freely convert-ible foreign currency; and

RECOMMENDS that the Governments con-cerned give the fullest co-operation to theSecretary-General in the performance of theabove task.

E. RELIEF NEEDS AFTER THE TERMINATION OF UNRRA

The General Assembly on December 11,1946, had established a Special TechnicalCommittee consisting of ten experts servingin their individual capacities, designated bythe Governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada,China, Denmark, France, Poland, the U.S.S.R.,the United Kingdom and the United States.The Committee was directed by the Assembly :

(a) to study the minimum import require-ments of the basic essentials of life, particu-larly food and supplies for agricultural pro-duction of countries which the Committeebelieves might require assistance in the pre-vention of suffering or of economic retro-gression which threatens the supply of thesebasic essentials;(b) to survey the means available to eachcountry concerned to finance such imports;(c) to report concerning the amount offinancial assistance which it believes may berequired in the light of (a) and (b) above.The Committee first met on December 18

and held 30 sessions. It submitted its reportto the Secretary-General on January 23, 1947.

The Committee reviewed the data suppliedby the Secretary-General in accordance withthe General Assembly's resolution on theneeds and resources for international pay-ment of the following countries: Austria,

Czechoslovakia, Finland, Greece, Hungary,Italy, Korea, Philippine Commonwealth, Po-land and Yugoslavia. The Committee alsoheard additional evidence submitted byrepresentatives of Austria, Czechoslovakia,Finland, Greece, Hungary, Poland and Yugo-slavia, the Secretary-General of the Interna-tional Emergency Food Council and the Chiefof the Bureau of Supply of UNRRA. Replieswere not received from the Byelorussian S.S.R.and the Ukrainian S.S.R.

The Committee drew up a minimum list ofimport requirements consisting of the basicessentials of life and of such other importsas were necessary to prevent suffering onthe one hand or economic retrogression onthe other, under the headings of food, agri-cultural supplies, textiles and footwear,medical supplies, fuel and industrial supplies;it calculated the foreign currency resourcesavailable to the countries under considerationfor meeting the minimum import programs.

In calculating import requirements theCommittee considered that capital items andimports required for reconstruction and re-habilitation of agriculture and industry dam-aged or destroyed by the war, or imports


intended to increase agricultural and industrialactivity, were outside its terms of reference.It also made allowance for the carry-over ofassistance from UNRRA during 1947.

In calculating the means of the countriesconcerned to finance the minimum importrequirements out of their own resources, theCommittee considered that such requirementsshould be regarded as a first charge uponthe proceeds of exports and other free resour-ces in foreign currency of these countries.At the same time the Committee recognizedthat certain exports, e.g. those governed bybarter arrangements, could not be freely usedto finance minimum import requirements andthat certain loans were earmarked for otherpurposes.

The report of the Special Technical Com-mittee was communicated by the Secretary-General to Members, and was noted by theEconomic and Social Council at its fourthsession. The Secretary-General also reportedto the Council on activities under the GeneralAssembly resolution on relief needs.

The U.S.S.R. representative on the Com-mittee had made a statement criticizing theCommittee's report on the ground that, owingto an inequitable approach to the assessmentof relief requirements for various countries,the estimates computed were too high forcertain countries and too low for others. Re-ferring to this statement, the U.S.S.R. repre-sentative on the Council said that in numerouscases the present economic conditions of acountry and the degree of devastation causedby the war were ignored, and that the require-ments for fuel, capital equipment, clothingand other articles had been calculated on apurely mechanical basis, and were thereforefrequently erroneous.

The Czechoslovak representative pointedout certain deficiencies in that part of theCommittee's report which concerned Czecho-slovakia, e.g. the statement that no graindeficiency was to be expected from Czecho-slovakia, whereas that country had importedgrain before the war and still needed to do so.

The resolution adopted by the General As-sembly had also called on Members to assistin furnishing relief and had recommendedthat they should keep the Secretary-Generalinformed concerning their plans for assisting

in meeting relief needs in 1947, and concern-ing the progress of their relief activities.

In his letter of February 7, 1947, transmit-ting the report of the Special TechnicalCommittee the Secretary-General called theattention of Members to the provisions ofthe resolution inviting information. TheSecretary-General reported to the Councilthat he had not received official statementsfrom Members concerning their plans, al-though in response to informal inquiries hehad been assured that the matter would beseriously considered by appropriate govern-ments departments and that he would beinformed as soon as possible concerning plansfor assisting in meeting relief needs in 1947.He would make this information availableto Members when he had received it and wasarranging for informal consultations amonginterested governments, in accordance withthe General Assembly's resolution.

On February 19, 1947, the Secretary-General received a communication from theDirector-General of UNRRA, requesting thatthe United Nations consider taking over thefunctions of UNRRA with regard to proceedsin the form of local currency derived fromthe sale of UNRRA supplies by receivingcountries.

The matter was considered by the Eco-nomic and Social Council at its fourth session,and the Secretary-General was authorized toreceive reports on the manner in which theproceeds were used and to transmit a reportto the Council. The Cuban and U.S.S.R. rep-resentatives abstained from voting on thisdecision. The Cuban representative felt thatthe Economic and Social Council was notcompetent to make such a decision withoutprevious authorization by the General As-sembly. The U.S.S.R. representative objectedto items being placed on the agenda at thelast moment, pointing out that such a pro-cedure made it impossible for representativesto consult competent organizations. He be-lieved that there was no need for the Councilto take any decision in the matter.

The General Assembly in its resolution ofDecember 11, 1946, on relief needs after thetermination of UNRRA directed the Secretary-General "to consider the ways and means ofcollecting and utilizing contributions from


persons, organizations, and peoples all overthe world, equivalent to the earnings of oneday's work for the purpose of helping to meetrelief needs during 1947" and to report toMember Governments and to the Economicand Social Council. The Economic and SocialCouncil was to take what action it thoughtappropriate.

The Secretary-General's report estimatedthat such a collection would materially help infurnishing funds for urgent relief needs, andwould have a powerful moral and psychologi-cal effect. Countries which had themselvessuffered should also participate, it was rec-ommended, and the collection should be linkedwith an equitable system for the allocationof funds.

The report recommended that the collectionbe made available for the alleviation of dis-tress among the world's children, adolescents,expectant and nursing mothers, without dis-crimination because of race, creed, nationalitystatus, or political belief. For this purpose itwas suggested that the International Chil-dren's Emergency Fund1 should be the mainrecipient of the proceeds of the collection.

The Economic and Social Council consideredthe Secretary-General's report at its fourthsession, and approved the "One Day's Pay"collection. Certain representatives felt, how-ever, that other forms of appeal might alsobe used, as being more adaptable to certaincountries. The Council passed the followingresolution :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILHAVING CONSIDERED the report of the

Secretary-General in virtue of paragraph 8 of

the General Assembly resolution No. 48 (1)of 11 December 19462 and

TAKING NOTE of the General Assemblyresolution No. 57 (1) of the same date andthe need of the International Children'sEmergency Fund for contributions:

1. APPROVES in principle the proposal fora special world-wide appeal for non-governmental voluntary contributions tomeet emergency relief needs of children,adolescents, expectant and nursing mothers,without discrimination because of race,creed, nationality status, or political belief,by way of a "One Day's Pay" collection orsome alternative form of collection betteradapted to each particular country;

2. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to con-tinue his exploration of the most appro-priate procedures for carrying forwardthis work and to make such arrangementsas may be necessary for this purpose, tak-ing into account the circumstances, includ-ing the foreign exchange position, of eachcountry.

3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to re-port to the next session of the Economicand Social Council on the progress of thisproject;

4. URGES Governments to facilitate thisvoluntary effort, on the understanding thatagreement will be reached between theSecretary-General and each country

(a) as to the disposal of the nationalcollections,(b) as to the purchase of supplies withinthe country for use elsewhere; and

5. AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General, afterdue consultations, to fix a date most suit-able for the collection.

F. CONFERENCE ON RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND UTILIZATION

On September 14, 1946, by a letter from theUnited States representative to the ActingPresident of the Economic and Social Council,the United States proposed that a scientificconference be held in that country to considerthe conservation and effective utilization ofnatural resources. At the same time the UnitedStates submitted a draft resolution recogniz-ing the war's drain on natural resources, theirimportance to the reconstruction of devastatedareas and the need for continuous develop-

ment of the techniques of resource conserva-tion and utilization, and proposing theestablishment of a preparatory committee toprepare and carry through the conference. Aletter to the United States representativefrom the President of the United Statesexpressing his hopes for the approval of theproposed conference by the Council was alsoappended, together with a tentative program

1 See p. 518 ff.2 See pp. 163, 164,


prepared by the departments of the UnitedStates Government concerned with resources.

The Council decided to retain the item onits agenda but to postpone decision on it untilthe fourth session of the Council, so that theinterim period could be used for consultationsamong Member Governments, specializedagencies and the Secretariat.

On December 5, 1946, the Secretary-Generalwrote to the Governments of the United Na-tions and to the specialized agencies concernedcalling their attention to the proposed scien-tific conference on resource conservation andutilization and offering his services toassemble any comments they cared to make.Replies were received from twenty govern-ments and from the Food and AgricultureOrganization and the International Bank forReconstruction and Development. Certain re-plies expressed support of the proposal; othersexpressed certain reservations such as that itwould not be possible to hold the conferencein 1947 in view of the already heavy programof international conferences, that preparatorywork should be undertaken either by anexpert committee or by preparatory meetingson specific subjects, and that the conferenceshould not be intended to lead to any explicitprogram of government action. The UnitedStates submitted an amendment to its originalproposal to delete from the items proposedfor the agenda the consideration of the majoreconomic uses of atomic energy and to addcertain items relating to irrigation problems.

The Council considered the matter at itsfourth session, and general agreement withthe idea of holding the conference, providedit was not held before 1948, was expressed.The U.S.S.R. representative expressed theview that fundamental emphasis should belaid on encouraging the investigation of theexistence of natural resources in Non-Self-

Governing Territories, including Trust Terri-tories.

The Council adopted the following reso-lutions :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILRECOGNIZING the importance of the world's

natural resources, particularly due to thedrain of the war on such resources, and theirimportance to the reconstruction of devastatedareas, and recognizing further the need forcontinuous development and wide-spread appli-cation of the techniques of resource conserva-tion and utilization,

DECIDES to call a United Nations Scien-tific Conference on the Conservation andUtilization of Resources for the purpose ofexchanging information on techniques in thisfield, their economic costs and benefits, andtheir inter-relations; such conferences to beheld not earlier than 1948;

DECIDES that the Conference be devotedsolely to the exchange of ideas and experienceon these matters among engineers, resourcetechnicians, economists and other experts inrelated fields;

REQUESTS the Secretary-General(a) to undertake the necessary preparatorywork related to the scope and organizationof the Conference program and to theconsideration of the place and date of theConference;(b) in carrying out the task entrusted tohim under paragraph (a), to consult withthe representatives of the specialized agen-cies having important responsibilities in thefields related to the Conference programand to consider suggestions which may besubmitted to him by Members of the UnitedNations;AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General, if he

deems it appropriate, to convene a preparatorycommittee of experts who in his judgment willassist him in carrying out the work describedin paragraph (a);

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to keep theCouncil informed of his activities under theresolution.

G. PREPARATORY COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ONTRADE AND EMPLOYMENT

The Council, at its first session, approveda resolution on February 18, 1946, concerningthe calling of an International Conference onTrade and Employment in the latter part of1946. The Council established a PreparatoryCommittee and appointed as members therepresentatives of the Governments of thefollowing countries: Australia, Belgium, Lux-

embourg, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba,Czechoslovakia, France, India, Lebanon,Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, SouthAfrica, the U.S.S.R., the United States ofAmerica and the United Kingdom.

The preparation of an annotated draftagenda, including a draft convention, forconsideration by the conference, taking into


account suggestions submitted to it by theCouncil or by any Members of the UnitedNations, was entrusted to this PreparatoryCommittee. The Council suggested that theagenda to be discussed by the PreparatoryCommittee should include the followingtopics :

A. International agreements relating to:(a) the achievement and maintenance ofhigh and stable levels of employment andeconomic activity;(b) regulations, restrictions and discrim-inations affecting international trade;(c) restrictive business practices; and(d) inter-governmental commodity ar-rangements.

B. The establishment of an internationaltrade organization as a specialized agency ofthe United Nations having responsibilitiesin the fields of (b), (c) and (d) above.

The Council further requested the Prepara-tory Committee, when considering the fore-going items, to take into account the specialconditions which prevail in countries whosemanufacturing industry is still in its initialstages of development, and the questionsthat arise in connection with commoditieswhich are subject to special problems of ad-justment in international markets.

Finally, the Preparatory Committee wasrequested to make recommendations to a sub-sequent session of the Council regarding theagenda (including a draft convention), andthe date and place of the Conference on Tradeand Employment; and also what States, ifany, not Members of the United Nations,should be invited.

In connection with the above resolution,the Council was informed that the Govern-ment of the United States had invited theGovernments of fifteen countries controllinga substantial proportion of world trade tomeet for the purpose of negotiating thereduction of specific trade barriers and dis-criminations in advance of the generalConference.

At the second session of the Council, theSecretary-General made an announcement inwhich he stated that it would not be possibleto hold the International Conference on Tradeand Employment until 1948 in view of thescope and complexity of the preparatorywork which would be necessary before theConference could be held. The Secretary-

General announced, however, that arrange-ments were being made for the PreparatoryCommittee of the Conference to meet in Lon-don on October 15, 1946.

The first session of the Preparatory Com-mittee was held in London from October 15,1946, to November 26, 1946. Its report wasconsidered at the fourth session of the Eco-nomic and Social Council. The reportcontained chapters dealing with: achievementand maintenance of high and steadily risinglevels of effective demand, employment andeconomic activity; industrial development;general commercial policy; restrictive busi-ness practices; inter-governmental commodityarrangements; and the establishment of anInternational Trade Organization. Annexedto it was a draft Charter of the projected ITO.

The Preparatory Committee requested itsExecutive Secretary:

to draw the attention of the Economic andSocial Council to those portions of the Re-port of the Preparatory Committee whichwere concerned with the possible perform-ance by the International Trade Organiza-tions of functions in relation to industrialdevelopment and to ask the Economic andSocial Council to state, before the com-mencement of the second session of theCommittee, whether paragraph (3) ofArticle II of the Charter included provision-ally in the Chapter on Economic Develop-ment is in accordance with the Council'sviews on the appropriate allocation offunctions relating to economic development.

The Economic and Employment Commis-sion considered that it was premature to at-tempt to make a rigid division of functionsnot yet allocated in the field of economicdevelopment amongst specialized agencies,commissions and sub-commissions of theCouncil, but stressed the desirability of co-ordinating policies and activities in this fieldwith a view to providing complimentaryrather than competitive technical services.

It saw no reason to suggest that Article 11should be omitted from the draft Charter,but assumed that the Conference in formulat-ing it would consider the responsibilities ofexisting specialized agencies in this field andthe terms of reference established by theCouncil for the Sub-Commission on EconomicDevelopment. The Commission expressed itswish to be kept informed of the developmentof plans for the ITO's activities in this field.


Some members of the Council, however,felt that these recommendations of the Eco-nomic and Employment Commission were toonegative.

The Council passed the following resolution :THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILHAVING CONSIDERED the request of the Pre-

paratory Committee of the United NationsConference on Trade and Employment con-tained in annex 8 of the Report of its FirstSession,

for the International Trade Organization toassume the functions relating to economicdevelopment as described in Article 11, para-graph 3 of the draft charter appended tothe above-mentioned report. The Councilexpects that careful consideration will begiven by the United Nations Conference onTrade and Employment to the final formula-tion of this paragraph in the light of theagreed purposes and functions of the Inter-national Trade Organization, bearing in mind

(a) the terms of reference establishedby the Council for the Economic and Em-ployment Commission and its Sub-Commis-sion on Economic Development, and

(b) the responsibility in this field ofinter-governmental organizations which arenow, or are qualified to be, specializedagencies under Article 57 of the UnitedNations Charter.

The Norwegian and U.S.S.R. representa-tives abstained from voting on the resolutionon the ground that advising Members oneconomic development was a function of theEconomic and Social Council and its Com-missions rather than of the ITO, and it wasimportant to avoid overlapping.

With regard to inter-governmental consul-tation and action on commodity problems thePreparatory Committee recommended:

that, insofar as inter-governmental con-sultation or action in respect of particularcommodities is necessary before the Inter-national Trade Organization is established,the Governments concerned should adoptas a guide the Chapter on Inter-govern-mental Commodity Arrangements of theCharter appended to the Report of theCommittee.It requested the Secretary-General of the

United Nations,pending the establishment of the Inter-national Trade Organization, to appoint anInterim Co-ordinating Committee for Inter-national Commodity Arrangements, to con-sist of the Executive Secretary of thePreparatory Committee for an International

Conference on Trade and Employment asChairman, a representative from the Foodand Agriculture Organization to be con-cerned with the agricultural primary com-modities, and a person to be selected at thediscretion of the Secretary-General to beconcerned with non-agricultural primarycommodities, this Committee to keep in-formed of inter-governmental consultationor action in this field and to facilitate byappropriate means such consultation oraction.

The Economic and Employment Commissionat its first session decided to defer considera-tion of international commodity controls, andto request the Secretariat to collect andanalyze the necessary data.

The Economic and Social Council, at itsfourth session, considering the measure ofagreement regarding commodity problemsand the co-ordination of commodity consulta-tions reached in the first session of thePreparatory Committee on Trade and Employ-ment and the Preparatory Commission onWorld Food Proposals of the Food and Agri-culture Organization, decided, the Cuban andU.S.S.R. representatives abstaining, to recom-mend:

that, pending the establishment of theInternational Trade Organization, Membersof the United Nations adopt as a generalguide in inter-governmental consultationor action with respect to commodity prob-lems the principles laid down in chapterVII as a whole, i.e. the chapter on inter-governmental commodity arrangements ofthe draft charter appended to the reportof the first session of the PreparatoryCommittee of the United Nations Confer-ence on Trade and Employment, althoughrecognizing that discussions in future ses-sions of the Preparatory Committee of theUnited Nations Conference, as well as inthe Conference itself, may result in modifi-cations of the provisions relating to com-modity problems.

The Council also requested the Secretary-General

to appoint an interim co-ordinatingcommittee for international commodityarrangements to keep informed of and tofacilitate by appropriate means such inter-governmental consultation or action withrespect to commodity problems, the com-mittee to consist of a chairman to representthe Preparatory Committee of the UnitedNations Conference on Trade and Employ-ment, a person nominated by the Food andAgriculture Organization of the UnitedNations to be concerned in particular withagricultural primary commodities, and a

Is OF THE VIEW that it would be appropriate


person to be concerned in particular withnon-agricultural primary commodities.

In accordance with this instruction theSecretary-General appointed J. R. C. Helmore(Chairman), a member of the United King-dom delegation to the Preparatory Committeeof the United Nations Conference on Tradeand Employment, representing the Prepara-tory Committee, L. A. Wheeler, of the UnitedStates Department of Agriculture, represent-ing the Food and Agriculture Organization,and G. Peter, Director of Economic Af-fairs at the Ministry of French Overseas

Territories, as members of the Interim Com-modity Co-ordinating Committee.

At its second session the Economic andEmployment Commission requested the Secre-tariat to prepare a report on the question ofhow shortages in important commodities con-stitute obstacles to reconstruction of devas-tated areas, to economic development of under-developed countries and to economic stabilityand full employment. The report was to besubmitted to the Sub-Commission on Employ-ment and Economic Stability and to the Sub-Commission on Economic Development.

H. RESOLUTIONS REGARDING ASSISTANCE TO THE FOOD AND AGRICULTUREORGANIZATION

During its second session, the Council re-ceived a communication from the Chairmanof a Special Meeting which had been con-vened by the Food and Agriculture Organ-ization to consider international food prob-lems, particularly those to which referencehad been made in the resolution on worldshortage of cereals adopted by the GeneralAssembly on February 14, 1946.1

Following the consideration of the reportof the Special Meeting, the Economic andSocial Council adopted a resolution, on June21, 1946, relating to the long-term aspects ofthe Special Meeting's recommendations. Theresolution requested the Secretary-General to

offer all possible assistance to the Food andAgriculture Organization at all stages, in mak-ing the survey and in preparing proposals con-cerning longer-term international machinerywith reference to food with a view to ensuringthat these proposals are in harmony with thebroad pattern of the United Nations for inter-national economic organization and co-opera-tion.

During the third session of the Council theSecretary-General reported on the discussionswhich had taken place on such longer-termproposals, referring particularly to the estab-lishment by the Food and Agriculture Organ-ization of a Preparatory Commission, inwhich representatives of the Council were in-vited to participate to consider proposalswhich had been made for the establishment ofa World Food Board or of some other arrange-ment to achieve the same objectives.

On October 3, 1946, the Council adopted aresolution appointing the Chairman of the

Economic and Employment Commission, or analternate designated by him, to take part inthe deliberations of the Preparatory Commis-sion, and requesting the Secretary-Generalalso to appoint a representative to speak espe-cially for the Preparatory Committee of theInternational Conference on Trade and Em-ployment. By the same resolution the Coun-cil requested the Secretary-General to reporton these discussions to each session of theCouncil until the Preparatory Commission hadcompleted its work, and requested the Eco-nomic and Employment Commission to "keepitself closely informed of the progress of thedeliberations of the Preparatory Commissionand to advise the Council as to the natureand timing of further measures that may berequired in order to assure progress towardsthe basis objective."

A report was accordingly presented by theSecretary-General to the fourth session ofthe Economic and Social Council on the meet-ings of the Preparatory Commission on WorldFood Proposals from October 28, 1946, toJanuary 24, 1947. Professor W. A. Mackintosh,as chairman of the Nuclear Economic andEmployment Commission, represented the Eco-nomic and Social Council at the meetings ofthe Commission, and David Owen, AssistantSecretary-General in charge of EconomicAffairs, was appointed by the Secretary-Gen-eral to speak especially for the PreparatoryCommittee of the International Conferenceon Trade and Employment.

1 For text of the resolution, see p. 75.


The Preparatory Commission establishedtwo Committees, the first on development andfood programs and the second on price stabil-ization and commodity policy. Later the twoCommittees held joint meetings.

In his report the Secretary-General listednine items in the report of the PreparatoryCommission of particular concern to the Eco-nomic and Social Council. These concerned:

(1) Population studies.(2) Provision of information and advice onindustrialization and general economic de-velopment.(3) Requests by governments for missionsto study the general exploitation of the re-sources of a country, both agricultural andindustrial.(4) Industrial development — the prob-lem of selecting industries with reasonable

prospects of economic success and of mini-mizing the dislocation in existing channelsof trade.

(5) Finance for development projects andprograms.(6) Wise domestic finance in countries be-ing developed.(7) Co-ordination of activities of special-ized agencies.(8) Interim co-ordinating committee tofacilitate and keep informed of consulta-tion or action in respect of inter-govern-mental commodity arrangements.(9) Representation of Economic and SocialCouncil on proposed World Food Council.The Council agreed to take no action on

the report of the Secretary-General until thefull Conference of FAO had considered theReport of its Preparatory Commission onWorld Food Proposals.

I. RESOLUTION ON FAO TIMBER CONFERENCE

A resolution was presented by the Czecho-slovak representative at the fourth session ofthe Economic and Social Council recognizingthe seriousness of the timber shortage, wel-coming the initiative taken by the Food andAgricultural Organization in calling an in-ternational timber conference to meet inCzechoslovakia in April 1947 and urgingparticipation in the conference by Membersof the United Nations to whose economy theproduction, import or export of forest pro-ducts was important.

The resolution was adopted by the Economicand Social Council with certain draftingchanges aimed, inter alia, at including thewhole problem and not, as in the originaldraft, merely the European aspects of it.

The resolution as adopted read:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILRECOGNIZING the seriousness of the present

timber shortage which is delaying reconstruc-tion and threatening economic recovery indevastated countries,

CONSIDERING the urgent need for inter-national consultation with regard to thisproblem,

CONSIDERING that in any immediate solu-tions which may be found, full considerationmust be given to the long-range requirementsof a sound afforestation policy,

WELCOMES the initiative taken by the Foodand Agriculture Organization of the UnitedNations in calling an international timberconference to meet in Czechoslovakia on 28April 1947;

NOTES with satisfaction the decision takenby the FAO that other conferences would becalled in various parts of the world in 1947,in order to consider this problem;

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to arrangefor representation of the United Nations atthe conference in response to the invitationof the Food and Agriculture Organization ofthe United Nations, and

URGES the Members of the United Nationsto whose economy Europe's production, importor export of forest products is important,whether immediately or from the point ofview of longer-range development of poten-tial resources and consumption requirements,to participate in the timber conference.

J. TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS

1. TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONSCOMMISSION

The Council at its first session establishedthe Temporary Transport and Communica-tions Commission, in nuclear form, to ad-vise it on the adequacy of the structure of

international organization in the fields oftransport and communication and on substan-tive problems in these fields. The Commissionwas directed to make a general review of in-ternational organization in the fields of trans-port and communications, to establish pre-liminary contacts with inter-governmental


agencies, to advise the Council with respect tothe disposition of the functions of the Com-munications and Transit Organization of theLeague of Nations and to report to the Coun-cil after consultation with the appropriateinter-governmental agencies on substantiveproblems requiring immediate attention.

a. Terms of ReferenceThe terms of reference adopted by the

Council at its second session in the light ofthe Report of the nuclear Commission wereas follows:

The functions of the Commission shall be:(a) to assist the Economic and Social Coun-cil in its tasks concerned with transport andcommunications problems;(b) to advise the Council on the co-ordina-tion of the work of specialized agencies inthe sphere of transport and communica-tions;(c) to report to the Council, on its request,on the work of any of the specialized agen-cies in the sphere of transport and commun-ications;(d) to advise the Council in fields whereno permanent international organization yetexists and on problems which concern morethan one sphere of transport or communica-tions;(e) to suggest to the Council the creationof new agencies, or the conclusion of newconventions or the revision of existing con-ventions;(f) on instructions of the Economic andSocial Council and when so authorized byconvention or agreement between the par-ties, to perform the task of conciliation incases of disputes between States and (or)specialized agencies, on problems concerninginternational transport and communicationswhere not dealt with by other means;(g) to perform such other tasks as theEconomic and Social Council may require ofit on any question concerning internationaltransport and communications;(h) to assist the Security Council, if sodesired by the Economic and Social Coun-cil, in accordance with Article 65 of theCharter;(i) to assist the Trusteeship Council, ifso desired by the Economic and Social Coun-cil, in accordance with Article 91 of theCharter.In the five individual fields of transport and

communications, aviation, telecommunications,postal services, inland transport and shipping,the Council considered the question of whatinter-governmental organizations there shouldbe and the suitability of certain existing spe-cialized organizations to be brought into rela-tion with the United Nations. In the aviation

field the Council directed that negotiationsshould begin immediately with the ProvisionalInternational Civil Aviation Organization forestablishing such a relationship. In the caseof telecommunications, on the other hand, theCouncil considered that a world conference wasneeded to review the organization of the exist-ing International Telecommunications Unionand its radio regulations, while in both thetelecommunications and postal field it directedthe Secretary-General to convene meetingsof experts to draft proposals for bringing theInternational Telecommunications Union andthe Universal Postal Union into relation withthe United Nations, such proposals to be sub-mitted by the competent national administra-tions to the Telecommunications Conferenceand the Congress of the Universal PostalUnion respectively. The Secretary-Generalhad brought the Council's decisions to theattention of the Members of the United Na-tions and was making arrangements for con-vening the meetings of telecommunicationsand postal experts.

The inland transport and shipping fields,in which, as contrasted with the case of theother three fields, there was no existing per-manent world organization, were to be thesubject of further study by the Transport andCommunications Commission. With regardto inland transport, the Commission was tosubmit recommendations to the Council on thequestion of the forms of relationship and theorganizations with which the Council shouldestablish relationship. In the shipping field theCommission was directed to report the con-clusions of its study concerning the questionof the establishment of a world-wide inter-governmental organization to deal with tech-nical matters. The Council, in addition, author-ized the Secretary-General to seek the viewsof the United Maritime Consultative Councilwhich was to meet in Amsterdam in June. TheSecretary-General in accordance with thisauthorization requested the views of theUnited Maritime Consultative Council.

In addition to the organizational matters,the Council dealt with certain substantivequestions brought to its attention by theTemporary Commission. It agreed that acommission of experts should prepare theground for a world conference on passport andfrontier formalities. It asked the Transportand Communications Commission to examinethe situation and the machinery needed with


respect to co-ordination of activities in thefields of aviation, shipping and telecommun-ications with respect to safety at sea and inthe air. The Council furthermore drew theattention of the interested Governments totwo specific problems: the re-establishmentand re-organization of inter-governmentaland other international machinery for the co-ordination of rail problems in Europe, andthe need for improvement of the present sit-uation of inland waterways in Europe.

The continuation of the activities of theLeague of Nations Organization for Com-munications and Transit was entrusted insome instances to the relevant specialized in-ter-governmental organizations and in othersto organs of the United Nations. In the lattercategory the Statistical Commission of theCouncil was to continue the study of theproblem of the unification of transport statis-tics in collaboration with the Transport andCommunication Commission and the inter-ested specialized agencies; the Transport andCommunications Division of the Secretariatwas to publish the monthly summary of im-portant events in the field of transportationand the periodical lists of multilateral conven-tions, agreements, etc., relating to transportand communications questions.

The Council at its third session recom-mended adoption by the General Assembly ofthe agreement with the Provisional Interna-tional Civil Aviation Organization which hadbeen negotiated pursuant to the decision ofthe Council at its previous session.

The Council supplemented its decision takenat the second session, requesting the Secretary-General to convene a meeting of experts toprepare for a world conference on passportand frontier formalities, by its decision at thethird session to ask the Secretary-General toprepare and circulate to the Members of theUnited Nations the draft agenda of this meet-ing and in its preparation to take into con-sideration the discussions and recommenda-tions of the Provisional International CivilAviation Organization, the Conference of Offi-cial Travel Agencies meeting in London fromOctober 1 to 7, the International Chamber ofCommerce at its meeting in Paris June 20 to21, 1946, and any other competent internation-al group making recommendations on thissubject. The Transport and CommunicationsCommission was asked to report to the Coun-cil without delay on the question of the meth-

ods by which the Council could best be advisedon travel questions.

The Council decided at its second sessionthat the Commission should consist of onerepresentative from each of fifteen Membersof the United Nations selected by the Council.At its third session, the Council selected thefollowing States to designate the initial mem-bers:For two yearsBrazilIndiaNetherlandsPolandUnited Kingdom

For three yearsChileChinaFranceNorwayUnion of South Africa

For four yearsCzechoslovakiaEgyptU.S.S.R.United StatesYugoslavia

6. First SessionThe Transport and Communications Com-

mission held its first session from February6 to 18, 1947.

It elected the following as its officers:Chairman—J. J. Oyevaar (Netherlands)Vice-Chairman—N. Y. Bezroukov (U.S.S.R.)

The Commission recommended that no spe-cial new international organization should becreated to advise the Economic and SocialCouncil on travel questions, but that this taskshould be undertaken by the Commission it-self.

It took account of the decision adopted atthe International Conference of NationalTourist Organizations, held in London inOctober 1946, that an exploratory committeeshould study the international organizationof the official technical tourist bodies and rec-ommend whether the pre-war Union inter-nationale des organes officiels touristiquesshould be revised and revived or whether anew organization was necessary. The Com-mission asked the Secretariat to follow devel-opments' in this connection and those con-cerning any other competent internationalgroup in this field and report to the Commis-sion at its next session.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session entrusted the Transport andCommunications Commission with the task ofadvising the Council on travel matters andrequested it to follow international develop-ments in this field and report to the Councilfrom time to time.


2. UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION1

As directed by the Economic and SocialCouncil at its second session the Secretary-General called a meeting of governmental ex-perts for the purpose of drawing up proposalson the establishment of relations between theUniversal Postal Union and the United Na-tions.

The meeting was held at the United Na-tions Headquarters at Lake Success fromDecember 10 to 18, 1946, and was attendedby representatives of 39 countries. It adopteda draft agreement between the United Na-tions and the Universal Postal Union.

The Transport and Communications Com-missions expressed pleasure at the results ofthe meeting of governmental experts andvoiced the hope that the agreement woulddefinitely be concluded at the forthcomingCongress of the Universal Postal Union inMay.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session authorized the Committee onNegotiations with Specialized Agencies toenter into negotiations "at the appropriatetime" with the Universal Postal Union forthe purpose of bringing it into relationshipwith the United Nations, and to submit tothe Council a report on the negotiations, in-cluding a draft preliminary agreement.

3. INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION2

The Commission took note that the meetingof governmental experts to prepare a draftagreement with the International Telecom-munications Union, to be convened in accord-ance with the decision of the Economic andSocial Council at its second session, would beheld a few days prior to the forthcoming In-ternational Telecommunications Conference it-self and in or near its meeting place. TheCommission expressed the hope that an agree-ment bringing the International Telecommun-ications Union into relationship with theUnited Nations would be concluded during theConference.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session authorized the Committee onNegotiations with Specialized Agencies toenter into negotiations "at the appropriatetime" with the International Telecommunica-tions Union for the purpose of bringing itinto relationship with the United Nationsand to submit to the Council a report on thenegotiations, including a draft preliminaryagreement.

4. TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCEThe Transport and Communications Com-

mission at its first session examined a U.S.S.R.proposal resulting from the decisions of theFive-Power Conference held in Moscow onOctober 21, 1946. This proposal urged that theEconomic and Social Council ask the UnitedStates to call: (a) an administrative confer-ence on May 15, 1947, "for the purpose of re-vising radio regulations and of redistributingfrequencies among services, as well as for theorganization of an international committee forthe registration of wave-lengths,' and (b) aplenipotentiary conference on July 1, 1947, torevise the International Convention on Tele-communications and to reorganize the Interna-tional Telecommunications Union. The pro-posal suggested that all nations which wereMembers of the United Nations as well asother States (excluding Franco Spain) "whichpossess their own territory and a permanentpopulation, have a government of their ownand possess the right of establishing diplo-matic relations with other states," should beinvited.

The United States representative felt thatinvitations should, be sent only to membersof the International Telecommunications Un-ion, with the exception of Franco Spain. Hementioned that the invitations had alreadybeen sent and the proposed decision by theEconomic and Social Council would only beconfirmation of this action. The United King-dom representative opposed the Soviet pro-posal on the ground that it would mean thatthe conference would be held outside of theexisting International TelecommunicationsUnion framework and would therefore createa new organization.

The Commission decided, with the UnitedKingdom representative in opposition and re-serving his position, to adopt the points ofthe Soviet proposal referring to the calling ofthe two conferences. As regards the countriesto be invited, it decided by a majority of 7 to2, with 3 members abstaining, to suggest thatinvitations should be extended to all membersof the International Telecommunications Un-ion and to those Members of the United Na-tions not members of the Union, on the under-standing that the possibility from the point ofview of principle of approaching any govern-ment be left to the Economic and SocialCouncil for decision.

1 See Part Two, The Specialized Agencies.2 See Part Two, The Specialized Agencies.


When the question was again discussed atthe fourth session of the Economic and SocialCouncil, the Council decided, the U.S.S.R. rep-resentative abstaining, to adopt an amend-ment proposed by the United Kingdom repre-sentative as follows:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILNOTES that the United States has is-

sued invitations to a Radio-CommunicationsAdministrative Conference and to a Plenipo-tentiary Conference of the International Tele-communications Union on 15 May and 1 July1947, respectively, and

ENDORSES the action of the United Statesin not inviting the Franco Government ofSpain to these Conferences, in accordancewith the resolution of the General Assemblyof 12 December 1946.1

5. CONCILIATION OF DISPUTESThe commission decided to bring to the

attention of the Economic and Social Councilthe fact that its powers to deal with the con-ciliation of disputes, as foreseen in its termsof reference, did not include the transfer tothe Commission of the task of the League ofNations Committee for Communications andTransit in connection with the settlementof disputes, as foreseen in several conven-tions in this field concluded under the League'sauspices. The Commission decided by a major-ity vote to adopt provisionally the procedurefollowed in this respect by the League Com-mittee.

6. PROPOSED SHIPPING CONFERENCEAs requested by the Economic and Social

Council at its second session, the Secretary-General sought the views of the United Mari-time Consultative Council on the question ofestablishing a future world inter-government-al organization in the field of shipping.

The United Maritime Consultative Councilconsidered this question at its session inOctober 1946 and made recommendations, in-cluding a draft convention for the establish-ment of an inter-governmental maritime con-sultative organization.

The Transport and Communications Com-mission decided, with the absention of theU.S.S.R. and Yugoslav members, to suggest tothe Council the establishment of a world-wideinter-governmental organization in the field ofshipping to deal with technical matters andthe convening for this purpose by the Secre-tary-General of an international conference.

As the draft proposal of the U.M.C.C. wasnot strictly limited to the technical field, the

Commission recommended that it should beused as a working draft to form the basis ofdiscussion at the conference, and stressed thefact that governments would be free to presenttheir views to the Conference. It suggestedthat governments should be requested to sub-mit their comments and proposed amendmentsin advance so that these as well as theU.M.C.C. draft could be circulated to all gov-ernments participating in the Conference.

The Commission expressed the desirabilitythat delegates to the Conference should havefull powers to sign conventions concluded atthe Conference so as to avoid the necessity ofconvening a second diplomatic conference tosign the adopted text.

It considered that the conference should beheld in 1947 in Europe and recommended thatas many countries as possible should be in-vited.

The Economic and Social Council discussedthe proposal at its fourth session. Certain rep-resentatives questioned whether the proposedorganization was necessary, and pointed outthe burden, particularly for smaller countries,of a multiplicity of international organiza-tions. The Council therefore decided that theproposed conference should consider the estab-lishment of such an organization on the under-standing that if it considered this favourablyit should draw up the necessary convention.At the suggestion of the Indian representative,supported by other representatives, the Coun-cil also decided that the Conference should con-sider whether the proposed organizationshould deal with unfair restrictive practices byshipping concerns. The Council passed the fol-lowing resolution :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILREQUESTS the Secretary-General(a) to convene a conference of interested

Governments to consider the establishment ofan inter-governmental maritime organization.The draft convention prepared by the UnitedMaritime Consultative Council on this matter,concerning the scope and the purpose of theproposed organization, will serve as a work-ing paper forming the basis of discussion forthe conference. The conference will alsoconsider if the scope and purposes of theorganization should include the removal orprevention of unfair restrictive practices byshipping concerns;

(b) to circulate the above-mentioned draftconvention to all the Governments invited tothe conference;

(c) to inform the Governments which are1 See pp. 129, 130.


invited to the conference that any commentswhich they may wish to make on specificarticles of the draft convention or amend-ments which they may wish to propose inadvance of the conference, should be submit-ted to the Secretary-General for circulation toall Governments participating in the confer-ence and for consideration by the confer-ence itself;

(d) to draw up a provisional agenda forthe conference including the items mentionedabove;

(e) to invite all the Members of the UnitedNations, and the following Governments, toparticipate in the conference: Albania, Aus-tria, Bulgaria, Eire, Finland, Hungary, Italy,Portugal, Roumania, Switzerland, Transjor-dania, Yemen.

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILEXPRESSES the hope that the Governments

invited to the conference may give theirrespective delegations full powers enablingthem to sign such convention on the establish-ment of an inter-governmental maritime or-ganization as may be concluded at the confer-ence.

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILREQUESTS the Secretary-General to invite

the specialized agencies, inter-governmentalorganizations and international organizationsin this field, as may be appropriate, to sendobservers to the conference.

The conference shall meet, if practicable,in the autumn of 1947, at a place to be deter-mined by the Secretary-General after consulta-tion with the President of the Council.

7. CO-ORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES IN AVIATION,SHIPPING AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN RE-GARD TO SAFETY AT SEA AND IN THE AIR

The Transport and Communications Com-mission at its first session took note of acommunication from the United KingdomGovernment concerning the conference with aview to revising the International Conventionon the Safety of Life at Sea of 1929, on thebasis of Article 61 of the Convention.

The Commission by a majority adopted aproposal submitted by the United Kingdomand United States delegations. The proposalprovided that the Conference should invitethe Provisional International Civil AviationOrganization, the Provisional Maritime Con-sultative Council, the International Tele-communications Union and the InternationalMeteorological Organization to send represen-tatives to the conference to join in the study ofthe best machinery for co-ordinating the air-sea rescue activities of these four organiza-tions, and that recommendations should be

submitted to the Economic and Social Council.The proposal provided that a committee con-sisting of one representative of each of thefour organizations should be set up on theinitiative of the Secretary-General to preparea factual report describing existing measuresfor co-ordinating safety and rescue arrange-ments and, if possible, to make recommenda-tions. The report of this committee would besent to the Secretary-General for the informa-tion of the Transport and CommunicationsCommission, and a copy forwarded for theconsideration of the Safety of Life at SeaConference.

The representative of Yugoslavia stressedthe desirability of including Albania, Bul-garia and Roumania in the list of countriesto be invited to the Conference, and the repre-sentative of the ILO expressed the Organiza-tion's desire to have its Joint Maritime Com-mission invited to attend the conference in aconsultative capacity. The United Kingdomrepresentative said that the suggestions inquestion would be brought to the notice ofhis Government,

The Economic and Social Council acceptedthe principle of the recommendations andadopted the following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILAfter considering the suggestions of the

Transport and Communications Commissionconcerning the co-ordination of activities inthe fields of aviation, shipping and telecom-munications, in regard to safety at sea andin the air,

TAKES NOTE of the fact that the UnitedKingdom Government, having convened theConference on Safety of Life at Sea, is pre-pared to invite the necessary experts in thefields mentioned to the Conference, and also,preliminary to the Conference, to convene apreparatory committee of experts to considerthe co-ordination of activities in these fields;and

INSTRUCTS the Secretary-General to con-tinue the preliminary study of this problemwhich has already been commenced, to followand assist the work of the preparatory com-mittee and of the Conference itself, and tokeep the Transport and Communications Com-mission informed of developments in this con-nection.

The U.S.S.R. representative stated his oppo-sition to inviting representatives of FrancoSpain to the Conference or representatives ofPICAO, of which Spain was a member, tothe preparatory committee. The United King-dom Government stated that his Government


would pay regard to the Assembly resolutionregarding Franco Spain, but doubted whetherit would wish to exclude technical expertsrepresenting PICAO from the preparatorycommittee.

8. PROPOSED INLAND TRANSPORT ORGANIZATIONThe Transport and Communications Com-

mission considered the question of un-economiccompetition between the ports of WesternEurope, submitted by the International La-bour Organisation. It thought that the long-term aspect of the problem might be consid-ered by a European Transport Body, if andwhen created, and decided to postpone to itsnext session consideration of the short-termaspect of the question since a report on thematter was already being prepared by theEuropean Central Inland Transport Organ-ization.

As requested by the Economic and SocialCouncil, the Commission studied the questionof inter-governmental agencies in the field ofinland transport.

While recognizing that only the Govern-ments composing ECITO should decide itsdate of termination, the Commission noted thegeneral feeling of its members that ECITOshould be terminated before the end of1947, and preferably before the end of Septem-ber. It considered that at present there wasno suitable existing organization to carry onits general tasks, and that a new internation-al organization for inland transport in Europeshould be created to come into operation afterthe termination of ECITO.

The Commission thought that the neworganization should have consultative and ad-visory functions in the whole field of inlandtransport, should perform such tasks as theUnited Nations might require of it in regardto any question concerning inland transport,and deal with the liquidation of any tasks notterminated by ECITO on its dissolution. Itsuggested the following general functions forthe new organization:

1. To provide machinery for the discussionamong governments of subjects of commoninterest in the field of inland transport.2. To promote agreement on long-term in-land transport policy in Europe.3. To collaborate closely with the proposedEconomic Commission for Europe, the exactnature of the relations to be determinedwhen the character of the latter organiza-tion has been decided.4. To promote action by the appropriate

bodies in matters requiring their attentionin their respective fields.5. To promote, if necessary, the creationof new inland transport organizations inEurope, and/or the fusion of the organiza-tions already existing in this field.6. To encourage the removal of all forms ofdiscriminatory action and unnecessary re-strictions by governments in the field ofinternational inland transport.7. To promote the co-ordination of the dif-ferent forms of international inland trans-port — rail, waterways, and roads.8. To undertake the study of technical andeconomic problems in the field of interna-tional inland transport, to collect existingdocumentation and to promote the standard-ization and extension of statistics and docu-mentation, and to provide for exchange ofinformation among governments on mattersunder consideration by the organization.9. To assist governments in the revisionof existing international inland transportconventions and agreements, in the conclu-sion of such instruments; and to observe andreport on their operation.10. To advise governments on matters ofinternational inland transport requiringconciliation and arbitration.The Commission recommended that the

structure of the proposed organization and itsrelation to the appropriate United Nationsbodies should be examined by a conferenceof the interested governments. It suggestedthat the conference be convened by the Eco-nomic and Social Council, that it be held assoon as possible, that all countries with a ma-jor interest in European transport, includingthe occupying powers, be invited to partici-pate, and other governments invited to sendobservers, and that the existing inter-govern-mental organizations in the field of Europeaninland transport be invited to send represen-tatives to the conference. It suggested that theconference be held in Paris.

Ten members of the Commission concurredin these recommendations, though the UnitedStates member stated that he would havepreferred to leave the setting up of the Euro-pean Transport Organization to the EconomicCommission for Europe. The U.S.S.R. repre-sentative voted against the recommendationsas he believed the question should be post-poned until the Economic and Social Councilhad taken a decision concerning the EconomicCommission for Europe. He objected in anycase to giving the new organization functionsother than technical and advisory. The Yugo-slav member abstained from voting since he


doubted the necessity of creating a new trans-port body of the type of ECITO owing to theexistence of other international bodies in thisfield.

Differences of opinion were expressed inthe Commission regarding the structure ofthe proposed organization. Two different typesof structure were suggested: (a) an inter-governmental agency of the same nature asthe world-wide organizations in other fields oftransport, with a council, technical commit-tees and its own secretariat and a relationshipwith the United Nations similar to that of theworld-wide organizations in other branches oftransport, and absorbing at least some of theexisting inter-governmental bodies; and (b)a commission of experts similar to the Trans-port and Communications Commission meet-ing occasionally and advising the EuropeanEconomic Commission as the Transport andCommunications Commission advised the Eco-nomic and Social Council, the existing regionalbodies remaining autonomous bodies relatedto the Economic Commission for Europe.

The Commission considered three alterna-tives suggested by the ECITO Council Com-mittee for the relationship of the proposed or-ganization to various United Nations bodies:

1) The European Transport Organizationto be linked directly to the Economic andSocial Council, autonomous as regards theEconomic Commission for Europe althoughclosely linked with it;2) The European Transport Organizationto be a transport branch of the EconomicCommission for Europe.3) The European Transport Organizationto be a branch of the Economic Commissionfor Europe but to have its own Trans-port Council, consisting of transport repre-sentatives of the member governments.

The continental European members of theCommission preferred the first alternative,but there was general agreement among theten members concurring in the recommenda-tions that it was difficult to determine theproper relationship of the proposed EuropeanTransport Organization to the Economic Com-mission for Europe in view of the lack ofinformation concerning the character of thelatter.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session decided to consider the ques-tion in connection with the setting up of the

Economic Commission for Europe. In estab-lishing the Commission it drew attention tothose aspects of the Transport and Communi-cations Commission relating to functions inthe field of European inland transport, andrequested the Commission to convene a meet-ing of transport experts to make recommenda-tions on the machinery for dealing withEuropean inland transport problems.1

After discussing the question of regionalorganization of inland transport in Asia andthe Far East and in the Americas the Com-mission agreed as a first step to recommendto the Economic and Social Council that theSecretariat be asked to study and report onthese matters and. that it be authorized toseek the information required to make thestudy. These recommendations were approvedby the Economic and Social Council, whichalso authorized the Secretary-General instudying the organization of inland transportin the Americas to take account, among otherthings, "of the views of the appropriate Amer-ican inter-governmental transport organiza-tions."

9. PASSPORTS AND FRONTIER FORMALITIESThe Meeting of Experts to Prepare for a

World Conference on Passports and FrontierFormalities, decided upon by the Council atits third session, took place in Geneva fromApril 14 to 25, 1947, and was attended by rep-resentatives from thirty-one countries andobservers from six others, as well as observersfrom various international organizations. Themeeting adopted a report to the Economic andSocial Council.

The meeting placed on record its view thatthe general abolition of the requirement ofcarrying a passport for purposes of foreigntravel was not feasible at present, but thatbilateral or multilateral agreements to waivethis requirement should be encouraged on thebasis of reciprocity. It recommended that the"international type" of passport recommendedby the Passport Conferences held in 1920 and1926, or an improved version which took ac-count of the characteristics of the internation-al type, should be generally used.

The experts also made recommendationsdesigned to ensure the maximum durationand extent of validity of passports, and sug-gested that formalities for obtaining pass-ports should be simplified as far as possible.

1 See Economic Commission for Europe, p. 481 ff.


On the question of visas, the meeting, whilefeeling that in present circumstances thegeneral abolition of visas was not practicable,recommended the universal abolition of exitvisas and the reduction of preliminary exitformalities to a minimum. The meeting recom-mended the conclusion of inter-governmentalagreements with the objective of a generalabolition of entrance and transit visas. Themeeting also made recommendations on theduration and extent of validity of visas, andon the reduction of charges and the simplifi-cation of the formalities for obtaining them.

The recommendations on frontier formali-ties included suggestions for simplifying theexisting system: by expediting control; bycombining control of passports, luggage, cur-rencies and, where applicable, preliminarysanitary control; by allowing bona fide travel-ers to import under certain conditions fundsin foreign currencies which they could laterre-export; by simplifying the formalities forobtaining at frontiers posts the national cur-rency required for the immediate needs oftravelers; and by simplifying customs for-malities.

The meeting suggested to the Economic andSocial Council that it consider convening afurther meeting of experts.

10. DANUBIAN VESSELSThe Council at its third session had before

it proposals from the Yugoslav and Czecho-slovak Governments recommending the resti-tution of the Danube vessels and bargesbelonging to Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia,which had been removed by the German army,and were under the control of the UnitedStates occupation authorities in Austria andGermany. The United States representative

and other representatives expressed theopinion that the question of the restitution ofthese vessels could not be separated from thebroader problem of Danubian traffic in gen-eral. During the discussion the Greek delega-tion also submitted a proposal for restitutionof Danubian vessels belonging to Greece takenover during the war by Roumania andGermany and now under the control of theU.S.S.R. occupation authorities; a number ofthe representatives maintained that the cir-cumstances of this case were not sufficientlyclear for discussion and the Council decidednot to vote on it.

The Yugoslav and Czechoslovak proposalswere rejected by the Council, which adopted aUnited States resolution recommending that aconference of representatives of interestedStates meet not later than November 1, 1946,for the purpose of resolving the problems ofthe resumption of international traffic on theDanube and establishing provisional operatingand navigation regulations. It was pointed outthat the provisions of supplementary rule Kof the Rules of Procedure of the GeneralAssembly (requiring due consultation withMembers of the United Nations) applied inthis case.

On October 8, 1946, the Secretary-Generalsent telegrams to the Governments of Czecho-slovakia, France, Greece, the United Kingdomand the United States, the U.S.S.R. andYugoslavia asking them for their views onthe question of holding a conference to dealwith the international traffic on the Danube.Since some States replied opposing the pro-posal, it was felt that no useful purpose wouldbe served by convoking a conference in theimmediate future.

K. FISCAL PROBLEMS

1. FISCAL COMMISSIONa. Terms of Reference

At its third session the Council decidedto establish a Fiscal Commission with thefollowing terms of reference:

The Fiscal Commission shall:(a) Study and advise the Council in the

field of public finance, particularly in itslegal, administrative and technical aspects;

(b) Advise the Council and other Commis-sions of the Council either upon their requestor on its own initiative on the fiscal implica-tions of recommendations made by the Com-

missions in their fields, and in general, co-operate in matters of common interest withother Commissions of the Council and otherorgans of the United Nations, including thespecialized agencies.

The Council also directed that shortly afterits creation, and thereafter when appropriate,the Commission should make recommenda-tions and report to the Council with respectto its terms of reference, organization andprogram of work.

The Council decided at its second sessionthat the Commission should consist of one


representative from each of fifteen Membersof the United Nations selected by the Council.At its third session, the Council selected thefollowing States to designate the initialmembers :

For two yearsBelgiumCzechoslovakiaIndiaNew ZealandUnited States

For three yearsColombiaCubaLebanonPolandU.S.S.R.

For four yearsChinaFranceUkrainian S.S.R.United KingdomUnion of South Africa

b. First SessionThe Fiscal Commission held its first session

at Lake Success, New York, from May 19 toMay 29, 1947, and elected as its officers:

Chairman — Rodolphe Putman(Belgium)

Vice-Chairman — Pavel M. Chernyshev(U.S.S.R.)

Rapporteur — Dr. A. R. F. Mackay(New Zealand)

Owing to the illness of Mr. Putman, Mr.Chernyshev acted as Chairman after the firstmeeting.

The Commission established two temporaryworking committees for the duration of itsfirst session: a Committee on Technical Prob-lems of Public Finance in General and Infor-mation Required by the Commission for theAccomplishment of Its Tasks; and a Com-mittee on International Tax Relations.

It recommended a program of work whichthe Secretary-General should be asked toundertake and in which Member Governmentsshould be asked to assist him. The Commissionrecommended that he should be asked to : buildup a fiscal information service, and makeappropriate arrangements so as to be equippedto give, on request, technical information andassistance on fiscal matters; report to theFiscal Commission cases where the programsapproved by the Economic and Social Councilor other Commissions had fiscal provisionsor implications; request Member Governmentsto submit to the Secretariat for the use ofthe Fiscal Commission copies of publicationsissued by them relating to budgets, govern-ment revenue and other receipts, appropria-tions and expediture, public debt and infor-

mation on the most significant facts andtrends relative to public finance in the courseof each year; arrange for the compilationand publication of a Public Finance Survey1937-1947 in continuation of the series PublicFinance formerly published by the League ofNations, and for the publication of the volume"Public Debt 1914-1947", begun by the Leagueof Nations; ascertain from the Economic andSocial Council and other commissions whetherany special studies of a technical nature shouldbe made by the Fiscal Commission to advisesuch organs on the fiscal aspects of theirinquiries; subject to the policies of the Gen-eral Assembly and the Economic and SocialCouncil, invite non-members to co-operate insupplying this information.

On the specific question of international taxrelations the Commission recommended thatthe Secretary-General should be requested to:

(a) Make a review and revision of the workwhich has already been accomplished by theLeague of Nations in the field of interna-tional tax problems with particular refer-ence to further action to be taken for thesolution of such problems;(b) Collect, publish and distribute the textof treaties for the prevention of doubletaxation, and for mutual assistance in thecollection of taxes and the exchange of in-formation;(c) Obtain from Member Governments andcompile information on administrative prac-tices in Member countries, so that countriesnegotiating treaties may know what tech-niques are available for securing and ex-changing information and for co-operatingin the collection of taxes;(d) Collect information on tax systems(including statutes, regulations and admin-istrative practices) particularly thoseaspects of such systems which:(i) in effect impose more burdensome taxeson foreigners than on nationals or on inter-national transactions than on domestic, asfor example: impose higher rates onforeigners; tax capital transfers in or putof the country; refuse foreigners the privi-lege accorded nationals of deducting ex-penses attributable to income from the tax-ing country; provide for presumptive or em-pirical tax assessments on foreigners;(ii) in effect, make special concessions toforeigners, or to international transactions;(iii) give taxes extra-territorial applica-tions;(iv) tax international travel, transport andcommunications;(v) Make special tax provisions for foreignheld public debt.


(e) Collect detailed documentary materialon internal tax legislation in every countryto the extent to which such legislation coversforeign nationals or resources;

(f) Collect from Member Governmentstheir comments on the model bilateral taxconventions prepared at the Regional TaxConference held in Mexico City in 1943 underthe auspices of the Fiscal Committee of theLeague of Nations and at the final sessionof the Fiscal Committee held in London in1946. The comments should cover the threetypes of treaties: double taxation of income;double taxation of estates and successions;reciprocal administrative assistance. Thesecomments should be circulated to the members

of the Fiscal Commission well in advance ofthe next session;

(g) Study these problems from the pointof view of their effects on international tradeand investment.

It further recommended that the Secretary-General should invite Member Governmentsto report on fiscal problems which in theiropinion should be given consideration by theFiscal Commission.

It was the understanding of the Commissionthat Members would furnish only such officialinformation as was generally accessible inaccordance with applicable internal regu-lations.

L. STATISTICAL PROBLEMS

1. STATISTICAL COMMISSIONAt its first session the Council established

a Statistical Commission, in nuclear form,to report back to the Council on the functionsand the scope of work which the permanentStatistical Commission should undertake.

a. Terms of ReferenceThe Council considered the report of the

nuclear Commission at its second sessionand decided that the terms of reference ofthe Statistical Commission should be asfollows :

The Commission was to assist the Council:(a) in promoting the development of

national statistics and the improvement oftheir comparability;

(b) in the co-ordination of the statisticalwork of specialized agencies;

(c) in the development of the central statis-tical services of the Secretariat;

(d) in advising the organs of the UnitedNations on general questions relating to thecollection, interpretation and dissemination ofstatistical information;

(e) in promoting the improvement of sta-tistics and statistical methods generally.

Further, the Council decided that:(a) the Statistical Commission should

formulate recommendations concerning themethods by which the activities of quasi-governmental and non-governmental statisticalorganizations may be related to those of theUnited Nations in fostering international co-operation in the improvement of statistics;

(b) a central statistical unit should beorganized within the Secretariat of the UnitedNations;

(c) arrangements should be made wherebythe Secretariat of the United Nations wouldmaintain, without interruption, the statisticalactivities of the League of Nations,

The Council decided at its second sessionthat the Commission should consist of onerepresentative from each of twelve Membersof the United Nations selected by the Council.At its third session the Council selected thefollowing States to designate the initialmembers :

For two yearsChinaNetherlandsU.S.S.R.United States

For three yearsCanadaIndiaMexicoUkrainian S.S.R.

For four yearsFranceNorwayTurkeyUnited Kingdom

In addition the Council may appoint in theirindividual capacities not more than twelvecorresponding members from countries notrepresented on the Commission. Such mem-bers are to be appointed with the approval ofthe Governments concerned.

b. First Session

The Statistical Commission held its firstsession from January 27 to February 7, 1947.It elected the following as its officers:

Chairman — H. Marshall (Canada)Vice-Chairman — P. C. Mahalanobis (India)Rapporteur — S. A. Rice (United States)


The Commission heard statements fromrepresentatives of the specialized agencies ontheir statistical activities, and made recom-mendations for the co-ordination of theseactivities with those of the United Nations.These recommendations were adopted by theEconomic and Social Council in the followingresolution :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL,TAKES NOTE of the report of the first session

of the Statistical Commission, andDECIDES as follows:THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL,TAKING NOTE of the recommendation of

the Statistical Commission regarding the co-ordination of statistical activities of theUnited Nations and the specialized agenciesrelating to the collection, interpretation anddissemination of statistical information,

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to makeperiodic reports at sessions of the StatisticalCommission on progress achieved in develop-ing administrative instruments, procedures,and agreements through which effective statis-tical co-operation may be secured between theUnited Nations and the specialized agencies.The initial report should be made at thesecond session of the Statistical Commissionand should include the following items :

(a) A comprehensive inventory of thestatistical activities and needs of all theconstituent organs of the United Nations,the specialized agencies, and inter-govern-mental organizations qualified to be special-ized agencies under Article 57 of theCharter.(b) The extent to which complete or partialduplication may exist among these activitiesand needs.(c) The proposed distribution of primaryresponsibilities for the collection and publi-cation of statistics in various specializedfields among the specialized agencies andthe Statistical Office of the United Nations,taking into account the agreements reachedbetween the specialized agencies and theUnited Nations.(d) The steps taken to co-ordinate thecollection and publication of such statisticstogether with proposed methods of achiev-ing further co-ordination.(e) Proposals to arrange for the collectionand publication of statistical data requiredfor international purposes which may notalready be adequately provided through thestatistical activities of the United Nationsor the specialized agencies.(f) The extent to which the objectives ofthe agreements existing between the UnitedNations and the specialized agencies withrespect to statistical services have beenrealized. The report should point out thedifficulties, if any, which have been encoun-tered in carrying out the agreements and

the means which should be undertaken toremove such difficulties.The Statistical Commission at its first ses-

sion also requested the Statistical Office of theUnited Nations to consult with the Inter-national Monetary Fund and other interestedagencies with a view to developing standardsof reporting data in the field of balance ofpayments, and requested the Secretary-Gen-eral to report on the subject to the Commis-sion at its next session.

The Statistical Commission expressed theview that the appropriate functions of theUnited Nations and the specialized agencieson the one hand, and those of non-govern-mental organizations interested in statisticson the other should be:

(a) That the United Nations and special-ized agencies have responsibilities for thecollection, analysis, and publication of sta-tistics required in the performance of theirassigned tasks and for the general develop-ment and improvement of an adequate andco-ordinated international statistical sys-tem;(b) That non-governmental internationalorganizations interested in the developmentof statistics should maintain and developtheir scientific and professional characterand should direct their activities toward thedevelopment of statistical methodology andscientific standards, the interchange and dif-fusion of knowledge, the training of statis-ticians, and the maintenance of high profes-sional competence.The Commission recommended that the

Economic and Social Council should admit toconsultative status international organiza-tions interested in the development of statis-tics which so requested and which would beguided by this definition of roles, and shouldrequest the Secretary-General to be guided bythe definition in his discussions with theseorganizations so as to avoid undesirable dupli-cation, and report periodically on these dis-cussions to the Commission.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session requested the Secretary-Gen-eral, in developing relationships with such non-governmental organizations, to be guided bythe principles set forth by the Statistical Com-mission, and especially to consider the desir-ability of:

(a) eliminating duplication in statisticalprogrammes and activities as between suchorganizations and the United Nations;(b) assuming responsibility for such statis-tical activities as might be more appropri-ately undertaken by the United Nations thanby the non-governmental organizations.


The Commission stressed the urgency ofsecuring, so far as possible, comparability inthe statistics of different countries with re-gard to "industrial classification" and recom-mended :

(a) That the Secretary-General obtain fromGovernments, copies of their industrialclassifications (copies of classifications forstatistical nomenclature), covering allbranches of economic activity, now in useor under consideration by them, togetherwith any explanatory notes which may beavailable and that this information be col-lated;(b) That a report on the data received besubmitted to a Committee of the StatisticalCommission in order that it may plan andconsider a future program of work in thisfield;(c) That the Economic and Social Councilauthorizes the Statistical Commission in ad-dition to appoint a Committee of Experts, ata date to be specified by the Commission.This Committee shall consist of not morethan seven members to serve in their indi-vidual capacities and to make proposals tothe Statistical Commission on a standardindustrial classification.The Commission elected a Committee on

Industrial Classification composed of six mem-bers of the Commission.

The Statistical Commission also recom-mended that the publication of national in-come and expenditure data should be under-taken promptly in order to provide comparablefigures for as many countries as possible.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session passed the following resolution :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILHAVING NOTED with approval the recom-

mendations of the Statistical Commissionregarding its program for the developmentof an international standard industrial clas-sification,

AUTHORIZES the Statistical Commission toinvite individual experts, not more thanseven in number, to work with the Committeeon Industrial Classification established by theCommission to make proposals to the Com-mission on a standard industrial classification.

The Statistical Commission expressed thewish to assume formally the functions of theCommittee of Statistical Experts set up underthe International Convention relating to Eco-nomic Statistics (1928) and requested theSecretary-General to prepare a report on theassumption by the United Nations of respon-sibilities entrusted to the League of Nationsunder this Convention, for consideration bythe Commission at its next session.

On the recommendation of the Commission,the Economic and Social Council requested theSecretary-General :

(a) to arrange for the publication of thefollowing technical papers prepared underthe direction of the League of Nations Com-mittee of Statistical Experts :

(i) Measurement of national income andthe construction of social accounts,(ii) Banking statistics, recommendationson scope and principles of classification,(iii) Note on balance of payments statis-tics;

(b) to collect any comments received or tobe received from Governments on the techni-cal papers cited above, and in consultationwith the appropriate agencies to make thesecomments available in connection with anywork undertaken in the fields to which thesepapers relate.The Commission endorsed the proposal to

prepare a Supplement to the Monthly Bulletinof Statistics, and recommended that a revisededition of the Supplement should be endorsedperiodically. The Economic and Social Councilendorsed these recommendations.

2. SUB-COMMISSION ON STATISTICAL SAMPLINGThe Economic and Social Council had

authorized the Statistical Commission toestablish a Sub-Commission on StatisticalSampling, to consist of not more than ninemembers. The Commission established theSub-Commission and nominated its members.It recommended that the Secretary-Generalshould request R. A. Fisher (United King-dom) to serve as consultant to the Sub-Com-mission. It directed the Sub-Commission :

(a) To draft recommendations to the Com-mission concerning its detailed terms ofreference and composition in conformitywith Chapter VII of the report of thenucleus Commission;(b) To examine the status of the methodsused in applications of statistical samplingin different countries and in different fieldsof subject matter;(c) To give special consideration to theuse of statistical sampling methods in meet-ing the actual needs of the United Nations,the specialized agencies and non-govern-mental organizations brought into consulta-tive status with the United Nations with aview to filling gaps in the informationneeded by them;(d) To examine the possibility of usingsampling methods to assess the reliability ofcomplete enumeration;(e) To give special consideration to thosefields in which sampling methods are to bepreferred to complete enumeration in re-spect of reliability, speed, cost and otherfactors.


3. WORLD STATISTICAL CONGRESSAt the third session of the Economic and

Social Council the Lebanese representativedrew attention to the expectation that duringthe latter part of 1947 there would be a num-ber of important international meetings relat-ing to statistical matters in the United States.He made the proposal that the Secretary-General, in consultation with the StatisticalCommission, should explore "with those re-sponsible for the organization of such meet-ings and with the appropriate specializedagencies, the practicability and desirabilityof co-ordinating the arrangements being madein such a manner as to constitute a WorldStatistical Congress in September 1947, underthe aegis of the Economic and Social Council,and should make a report and recommenda-tions on this matter to the Council at its nextmeeting." Several representatives, however,preferred that the matter should be referredfor consideration to the Statistical Commis-sion. The Council decided to approve theproposal in the form set out above.

In accordance with this resolution theStatistical Commission was asked for its viewson this proposal. It recommended that such aconference should be held and expressed theview that:

It would be desirable for the Economic andSocial Council to assume responsibility fora limited program of general meetingsunder its auspices to be known as the WorldStatistical Congress, focusing attentionupon the statistical activities of the UnitedNations, the specialized agencies, and non-governmental organizations. The arrange-ments for such meetings should be co-ordinated with those of the internationalorganizations which are scheduled to meetduring the same period.

The Statistical Commission also maderecommendations concerning participation inthe Congress of Members of the UnitedNations, specialized agencies, non-governmen-tal organizations and officials of the UnitedNations; co-ordination with the organizationsplanning statistical meetings; circulation of

the agenda. The Population Commission en-dorsed the recommendations of the StatisticalCommission. (The representatives of theU.S.S.R., the Ukrainian S.S.R. and Yugoslaviadid not participate in this decision).

The Secretary-General reported to the Eco-nomic and Social Council on the estimated costof holding the Congress and on the practica-bility of holding it in September 1947.

On the basis of these recommendations theEconomic and Social Council at its fourthsession passed the following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKING NOTE of the recommendation of

the Statistical Commission regarding the de-sirability of holding a World StatisticalCongress

DECIDES to convene a World StatisticalCongress, to be held in Washington, D. C. inSeptember 1947, consisting of a limited pro-gramme of general meetings focusing atten-tion upon the statistical activities of theUnited Nations, the specialized agencies, andnon-governmental organizations;

INVITES Members of the United Nationsto participate in the World Statistical Con-gress by naming delegations consisting of anadequate number of leading statisticians oftheir countries;

INVITES the specialized agencies, inter-governmental agencies, and interested non-governmental organizations to participate bysending to the Congress officials responsiblefor their statistical activities and by co-ordinating the time and place of their statis-tical meetings with those of the World Statis-tical Congress; and

REQUESTS the Secretary-General(a) to arrange for the participation ofappropriate officials of the United Nationsin the Congress;(b) to circulate the agenda for the Con-gress sufficiently well in advance of themeeting to enable Member Governments todetermine the composition of their delega-tions; and(c) to work with representatives of organi-zations planning statistical meetings duringthe same period, and to take such otheraction as he may consider necessary andappropriate in connection with the arrange-ments for the Congress.

M. POPULATION PROBLEMS

1. POPULATION COMMISSIONa. Terms of Reference

The Council decided at the third session toestablish a Population Commission (replacingthe former name of Demographic Commis-

sion) with the following terms of reference:The Population Commission shall arrange

for studies and advise the Council on:(a) population changes, the factors associ-ated with such changes, and the policiesdesigned to influence these factors;


(b) inter-relationships of economic andsocial conditions and population trends;(c) migratory movements of populationand factors associated with such move-ments;(d) any other population problems on whichthe principal or subsidiary organs of theUnited Nations or the specialized agenciesmay seek advice.

The first task of the Population Commissionwas to be the drawing up of a specific pro-gramme of work based on its terms of refer-ence and taking into account any modificationsin those terms of reference which the Commis-sion might wish to recommend to the Council.

The Council decided at its second sessionthat the Commission should consist of onerepresentative from each of twelve Membersof the United Nations selected by the Council.At its third session the Council selected thefollowing States to designate the initialMembers :

For two yearsChinaUnited

KingdomUnited StatesU.S.S.R.

For three yearsAustraliaCanadaFranceUkrainian

S.S.R.For four yearsBrazilNetherlandsPeruYugoslavia

In order to maintain close liaison betweenthe Population Commission and other bodiesconcerned with population problems, the Coun-cil decided that the Population Commissionshould invite representatives from the Eco-nomic and Employment Commission, Statis-tical Commission, Social Commission and,until such time as the World Health Organiza-tion should become a specialized agency, fromthe Interim Commission of the World HealthOrganization, such representatives to takepart in the proceedings but not to be entitledto vote.

b. First SessionThe Population Commission held its first

session from February 6 to February 19,1947. It elected the following as its officers :

ChairmanVice-Chairman

Alberto Area Parró (Peru)V. A. Rabichko

(Ukrainian S.S.R.)Rapporteur — David Glass

(United Kingdom)

The Commission restricted itself to pre-paring a limited interim program, and recom-mended that the Secretary-General prepareoutlines for certain more comprehensive long-term work. It expressed the view that it wasat present desirable to avoid any strict linesof demarcation between the work of the Popu-lation Commission and that of other commis-sions, in particular the Statistical Commission.

The Commission heard statements from therepresentatives of the Food and AgricultureOrganization, the International Labour Or-ganisation, the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization and theWorld Health Organization, and consideredquestions of collaboration between the Com-mission and the specialized agencies. Itrecognized the need of the Food and Agricul-ture Organization for statistics, estimates andstudies relating to population and recom-mended that the Economic and Social Councilshould request the Secretary-General to pro-vide means whereby in collaboration withthe Food and Agriculture Organization thedata needed by that Organization might besupplied.

The Economic and Social Council passedthe following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKES NOTE of the report of the first

session of the Population Commission anddecides as follows:

TAKING NOTE of the report of the Popu-lation Commission on the needs of the Foodand Agriculture Organization for populationstatistics, estimates, and studies, in connec-tion with the current activities of that organ-ization; and

RECOGNIZING that statistics, estimates, andstudies on these subjects are needed alsoby other specialized agencies and branchesof the United Nations and by Member States;

RECOMMENDS the Secretary-General:1. to provide means whereby the populationstatistics, estimates, and studies needed bythe United Nations and by the variousspecialized agencies may be supplied incollaboration with the agencies concerned,taking into consideration the question ofappropriate allocation of costs in accordancewith the agreements existing between theUnited Nations and the specialized agen-cies;2. to report to the Population and Statis-tical Commissions at their next sessions onsteps taken to this end.


2. INTERNATIONAL CENSUS PLANThe Statistical Commission at its first

session recommended that the Economic andSocial Council should (1) welcome the stepswhich were being taken to conduct co-opera-tively population censuses of Americannations; (2) express the belief that theexperience gained in this co-operative projectwould be of value to Member Governmentsto their own countries, and serve as a basisfor useful conclusions in possible projects inall countries of the world; and (3) requestMember Governments taking part in the 1950Census of the Americas to keep the Secretary-General and the Statistical Commission in-formed as to the development of the projectand furnish to the Secretary-General copiesof schedules and basic documents of thiscensus, to be distributed to each MemberGovernment of the United Nations.

The Population Commission at its first ses-sion endorsed these recommendations andrecommended that the Economic and SocialCouncil should in addition encourage MemberStates proposing to take censuses in or around1950 to use comparable schedules, and requestthe Secretary-General to: (1) offer adviceand assistance to Members preparing to takecomparable censuses; (2) co-operate withFAO and Member States intending to par-ticipate in the proposed World Census ofAgriculture; and (3) keep Member Statesand the Statistical and Population Commis-sions informed of developments under theseheads.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session, passed the following reso-lution :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKING NOTE OF1. The recommendations of the Statistical

Commission regarding the 1950 Census ofthe Americas;

2. The Population Commission's endorse-ment of these recommendations;

3. The further recommendations of thePopulation Commission regarding inter-national census plans;

RECORDS its welcome of the steps whichare being taken to conduct co-operativelypopulation censuses of American nations andagricultural censuses of all nations of theworld;

EXPRESSES its belief that the experiencegained in the preparation and conduct of theseco-operative projects will be of great valueto Member States in their own countries, and

will serve as a basis for useful conclusions inpossible population census projects in allcountries of the world;

RECOMMENDS that all such Member Statesas are proposing to take censuses in or around1950 use comparable schedules, so far as it ispossible to do so; and

REQUESTS1. The Secretary-General to offer adviceand assistance to all such Member States asare prepared to take comparable populationcensuses, whether by complete enumerationor on the basis of a scientific sample.2. The Secretary-General to co-operate withthe Food and Agriculture Organization andwith all such Member States as intend toparticipate in the proposed 1950 worldcensus of agriculture.3. That Member States taking part in the1950 census of the Americas and the 1950world census of agriculture keep the Sec-retary-General informed as to the develop-ment of the projects.4. That Member States taking part in the1950 census of the Americas furnish theSecretary-General with copies of schedulesand basic documents of this census, as theyare prepared, which he shall distribute toall Member States of the United Nations.5. The Secretary-General to keep MemberStates and the Statistical and PopulationCommissions informed on developmentsunder the above heads.

3. DEMOGRAPHIC DATAThe Population Commission recommended

that the Economic and Social Council shouldauthorize, in addition to any inclusion ofpopulation statistics in general annual orother periodic publications of the UnitedNations, the publication by the Secretary-General of a Demographic Yearbook, on theground that the quantity and nature of thedata desirable for demographic purposes wentbeyond the scope of general publications pub-lished by the United Nations and the special-ized agencies. The statistical data containedin the Yearbook, should be taken from officialstatistics published or supplied by separategovernments or calculated by the Secretariatwith the consent of the separate governmentsconcerned.

The Commission recommended that theSecretary-General should be requested to pre-pare for its consideration at its next sessionan outline of the contents of the proposedYearbook, taking into account the needs ofthe United Nations and of the specializedagencies. It also recommended that he shouldbe requested to consider publishing in the


Yearbook, or separately, an annual digest oflegislation concerning sources of populationdata, population changes, and migration. Itrecommended that the first issue of the Year-book should be published not later than 1948.

These recommendations were approved bythe Economic and Social Council at its fourthsession.

The Population Commission also maderecommendations on the need for improvingthe accuracy, comparability and usefulness ofdemographic data, and the Statistical Com-mission emphasized the need for taking stepsto make statistics compiled by different coun-tries more comparable.

On the basis of these recommendations, theEconomic and Social Council at its fourthsession adopted the following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKING NOTE OF1. The report of the Population Commission

on the need for improving the accuracy, com-parability, and usefulness of demographicdata;

2. The concern expressed in the report ofthe Statistical Commission, regarding theurgency of working towards greater com-parability of data through uniformity ofdefinitions and classifications;

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to pre-pare, for consideration by the PopulationCommission at its next session (in consulta-tion with the Statistical Commission andthe specialized agencies concerned), pro-posals :(a) for effecting greater comparability ofbasic data and summary statistical measure-ments relating to fertility, mortality (in-cluding infant mortality), characteristicsof the population, international and internalmigration and the labour force, whethersuch data are derived from complete cen-sus, sampling, registration, or administra-tive operations;(b) For improving the quality of suchdata;(c) For increasing their usefulness in re-lation to the needs of the United Nationsand of the specialized agencies.

4. POPULATIONS OF TRUST TERRITORIESThe Population Commission suggested that

a study should be made of the populations ofTrust Territories. It recommended that theEconomic and Social Council should offer itsassistance to the Trusteeship Council withrespect to population data and populationproblems of the Trust Territories, and morespecifically that it should propose to the

Trusteeship Council the collection of datamaking possible a demographic study foreach Trust Territory. Meantime, the Commis-sion proposed, the Secretary-General shouldbe authorized to proceed with such a studywithin the framework of existing data. TheCommission outlined certain questions whichshould be answered by such a study. It recom-mended that the Secretary-General shouldissue on the basis of the studies a series ofreports on the demographic characteristics ofthe populations of individual Trust Territories.It also recommended that he should be askedto prepare, in time for the next session ofthe Commission, a report on concrete achieve-ments in the fulfilment of the task.

The Commission members from the Ukrain-ian S.S.R., the U.S.S.R. and Yugoslaviathought that similar studies should also becarried out for other Non-Self-Governing Ter-ritories, and the Commission member fromBrazil thought it necessary that such studiesbe made for all areas of the world.

The Economic and Social Council acceptedthe recommendations of the Population Com-mission in the following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKING NOTE OF the report of the Popula-

tion Commission on the desirability of studiesof the population of Trust Territories;

OFFERS ASSISTANCE to the TrusteeshipCouncil, in accordance with the Charter ofthe United Nations (Chapter XII, Article 75,and Chapter XIII, Articles 88 and 91), withrespect to population data and populationproblems of the Trust Territories;

PROPOSES to the Trusteeship Council thecollection of data through the questionnairesprovided by Chapter XIII, Article 88, whichwill make possible a demographic study foreach of the Trust Territories, covering thefollowing subjects :

(a) The dynamics of the past populationgrowth and present numbers;(b) Birth and mortality rates (particularlyinfant mortality), the mean expectation oflife and the prospects of population growth;(c) The distribution of the population byoccupations and educational levels;(d) The density and distribution of thepopulation in specific areas of the giventerritory;(e) Migration of the population.REQUESTS the Secretary-General:1. Pending the collection of the above data,to proceed with studies of the population ofTrust Territories within the framework ofexisting data, covering the subjects listedabove, elaborating and analyzing them with


reference to sex and age groups and to theseparate ethnic and racial groups composingthe population of each Territory;(2) Issue, on the basis of these studies, aseries of reports on the demographic charac-teristics of the population of individualTrust Territories;(3) Prepare, for consideration by the popu-lation Commission at its next session, areport on concrete achievements in the ful-filment of this task.

5. POPULATION GROWTHOn the recommendation of the Population

Commission, the Economic and Social Councilpassed the following resolution concerningpopulation growth in relation to economicconditions :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKING NOTE OF the report of the Popu-

lation Commission concerning studies ofpopulation growth in relation to economicconditions,

BEQUESTS the Secretary-General to form-ulate, for consideration by the PopulationCommission at its next session, a statementindicating the steps which might be taken toencourage studies by Member States of themost favourable rate of population changefrom the economic and social points of view.

The Population Commission, while decidingnot to prepare at its first session final plansfor its future, long-term work, drew attentionto the necessity of studying the interplay ofthe economic, social and demographic factorshindering the attainment of an adequate stand-ard of living and cultural development of thepopulation of certain countries. It also drewattention to certain specific questions. On itsrecommendations, the Economic and SocialCouncil at its fourth session passed the follow-ing resolution :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKING NOTE OF the report of the Popu-

lation Commission regarding the necessity ofstudying the interplay of the economic, socialand demographic factors which hinders theattainment of an adequate standard of livingand the cultural development of the populationin certain countries,

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to pre-pare for consideration by the PopulationCommission at its next session, a plan ofstudy of demographic problems in connec-tion with the subjects listed below, for thosecountries the Governments of which shallrequest assistance in the study of theseproblems:

(a) Size and rate of growth of the popu-lation;(b) Population distribution and density invarious parts of the country;(c) Social conditions among the people;(d) Degree of industrial development;(e) Character and conditions of land use;(f) Social and occupational composition ofthe population;(g) Distribution of the people by level ofeducation.The Population Commission also recom-

mended that the Economic and Social Councilshould take into consideration the fact thatdevastated areas had suffered not only materialdamage, but also losses to their populationsthrough the last two world wars.

It further recommended that the Economicand Social Council should instruct the Secre-tary-General to take steps to ensure that assoon as possible sufficient qualified staff beprovided to implement the Commission's pro-posals.

7. MIGRATION QUESTIONSThe question of migration was considered

by both the Social and Population Commissionsat their first sessions. The Social Commissionrecommended to the Economic and Social Coun-cil the constitution of an ad hoc technical com-mittee composed of members representing theSocial and Populations Commissions and suchrepresentatives of the appropriate specializedagencies, particularly the ILO, as they mightinvite, to consider the documentation on migra-tion to be submitted by the Secretariat to thiscommittee.

This recommendation was endorsed by thePopulation Commission at its first session.

The Economic and Social Council, however,considered that further consideration of thequestion was necessary and adopted the follow-ing resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILHAVING CONSIDERED the recommendations

of the Population and Social Commissionsrelating to migration questions, and being ofthe opinion that further consideration of thesequestions by the Council should be postponedpending further study,

INVITES the Commissions concerned, afterappropriate consultations, to report to theCouncil on a practical plan for the allocationof functions, without duplication of work,among the various organs concerned in thefield of migration, and

BEQUESTS the Secretary-General to makesuch preliminary studies as would facilitateand expedite the work of the Commissions.

6. STUDY OF DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEMS


N. SOCIAL PROBLEMS

1. SOCIAL COMMISSIONa. Terms of Reference of Temporary Social

CommissionThe Council set up a Temporary Social Com-

mission, in nuclear form, at its first session,charged with the following tasks :

(a) to make a general review of inter-national organization in the social field, and ofproblems not dealt with by existing organiza-tions, with a view to making recommendationsto the Council at an early date regarding thestructure of commissions and sub-commissionsand possibly of new specialized agencies whichit appears desirable to maintain or establish.

(b) to report to the Council on the advisa-bility of bringing under the Council the activi-ties in the social field hitherto carried on bythe League of Nations, and such other activi-ties as the work on the treatment of offendersnow carried on by The International Penaland Penitentiary Commission;

(c) to assume on an interim basis pendingthe establishment of permanent machinery,the work of the League of Nations on suchsocial questions as traffic in women andchildren and child welfare;

(d) to report to the Council on substan-tive problems in the social field requiringimmediate attention.

6. Terms of Reference of Permanent SocialCommission

In the light of the report submitted bythe Temporary Commission to the Council atits second session, the Council decided thatthe terms of reference of the permanent Com-mission should be:

(a) to advise the Council on social ques-tions of a general character and in particularon all matters in the social field not coveredby specialized inter-governmental agencies;

(b) to advise the Council on practicalmeasures that may be needed in the socialfield;

(c) to advise the Council on measuresneeded for the co-ordination of activities inthe social field;

(d) to advise the Council on such inter-national agreements and conventions on anyof these matters, as may be required, and ontheir execution;

(e) to report to the Council on the extentto which the recommendations of the UnitedNations in the field of social policy are beingcarried out.

The Council also referred the followingmatters to the Social Commission :

(a) The observations of the TemporarySocial Commission concerning provisionneeded in the social welfare field includedin section XI of its report, and its suggestionsas to methods by which such work might becarried on are referred to the Social Commis-sion for early study and recommendation tothe Economic and Social Council.

(b) The observations and recommendationsconcerning the activities of the League ofNations in the social field included in SectionXIV of the report of the Temporary SocialCommission are referred to the Social Com-mission with the request that, in the light ofconditions prevailing in the post-war world

(i) it consider the best way of carrying onthe functions undertaken by the Leaguewith reference to traffic in women andchildren and all measures designed to pre-vent such traffic;(ii) it consider how work in the child wel-fare field can be effectively carried out, inco-operation with those international organ-izations which are concerned with particularaspects of these problems, and take steps tocreate a sub-commission especially consti-tuted for work in the child welfare field;(iii) it consider how effective machinerycan be developed for studying on a wideinternational basis the means for the pre-vention of crime and the treatment ofoffenders, undertake consultation with theInternational Penal and Penitentiary Com-mission, and recommend a scheme by whichwork on this whole subject can be fruitfullydelt with on a broad international basis inclose association with other social problems.

(c) The observations of the TemporarySocial Commission in section XV of its reportconcerning social problems requiring immedi-ate attention, especially problems in countriesdirectly affected by war or under enemyoccupation to which first priority should begiven and in countries which are under-devel-oped, are referred to the Social Commissionwith the request that it give special attentionto these problems and particularly to theurgent need for finding some way of dealingwith the important aspects of the work of theUnited Nations Relief and RehabilitationAdministration, mentioned in the report, afterit is brought to a close. The Social Commissionis also asked to consider the desirability ofsetting up international machinery in thefields of housing and town and countryplanning.

The Council decided at its second sessionthat the Commission should consist of onerepresentative from each of eighteen Membersof the United Nations selected by the Council.


At its third session, the Council selected thefollowing States to designate the initialmembers :For two yearsCzechoslovakiaFranceGreeceUnion of

South AfricaU.S.S.R.United States

For three yearsColombiaNetherlandsNew ZealandPeruUnited

KingdomYugoslavia

For four yearsCanadaChinaDenmarkEcuadorIraqPoland

c. First Session of Social CommissionThe Social Commission held its first session

at Lake Success, New York, from January 20to February 4, 1947, and elected the followingas its officers:Chairman — Frantisek Kraus

(Czechoslovakia)Vice-Chairman — David Wilson

(New Zealand)Rapporteur — Henry Hauck (France)

The Commission took note, as being eitherdirectly or indirectly within its terms ofreference, of various subjects falling underthe headings of: the standard of living; socialservices; and social policy applying to specialareas. It also approved suggestions made bythe Secretariat under which the Secretariatwould include in a periodical report to theCommission all the documentary materialnecessary to enable the Commission to advisethe Economic and Social Council.

The Commission considered the transfer tothe United Nations of the activities, powersand functions formerly exercised by theLeague of Nations relating to the traffic inwomen and children, the prevention of crimeand treatment of offenders, and child welfare.

2. TEMPORARY SOCIAL WELFARE COMMITTEEThe Economic and Social Council had

recommended to the Commission the estab-lishment of a sub-commission on child welfare.The Commission decided to establish a Tempo-rary Social Welfare Committee to determinethe best method of providing for work in thefield of child welfare and in particular toconsider whether a sub-commission should

be constituted in the near future, how itshould be composed and what terms of refer-ence it should have. The Committee was tosubmit a report containing concrete proposalsto the Commission's next session. The Com-mission felt that certain other unresolvedquestions relating to social welfare might bereferred to the Temporary Social WelfareCommittee.

While the Commission felt that the primaryresponsibility of the sub-commission on childwelfare would be to develop and put into ac-tion a general long-range program on behalfof the children of the world, whereas theInternational Children's Emergency Fundhad been created for the benefit of childrenand countries affected by the war, it recom-mended that the Temporary Committee shouldconsider the desirability of including in thesub-commission's terms of reference certainparticularly urgent matters:

a. welfare of child war victims, especiallyin the devastated countries (material, juridi-cal, social and moral welfare measures); prac-tical international mutual aid;

b. welfare and re-education of children,physically or mentally handicapped, or inmoral danger (furnishing of suitable equip-ment and model institutions);

c. organization of child welfare work ininsufficiently equipped countries.

The Temporary Committee was also to con-sider how far the study of measures to betaken for the development of a social senseand a spirit of national and internationalmutual aid amongst the young should be in-cluded in the sub-commission's terms of ref-erence.

The Secretariat, the Commission recom-mended, should proceed immediately to carryon necessary research and provide necessaryadvisory services to governments and inter-national agencies, relative to activities in thefield of child welfare. This recommendationwas approved by the Council.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session approved the setting up of theTemporary Welfare Committee and the com-position and functions assigned to it.

The Commission suggested a program offuture activities for the Secretariat, includ-ing a report on how far the various socialquestions were being studied by the Interna-tional Labour Office, and measures of co-opera-tion with specialized agencies and non-gov-ernmental organizations. The Economic and


Social Council requested the Secretary-Gener-al, after consultation with the appropriatespecialized agencies and inter-governmentalorganizations, to report to a future session ofthe Social Commission on the extent to whichsocial questions within the terms of refer-ence of the Social Commission had been orwere being studied by the specialized agenciesand inter-governmental organizations and tosuggest appropriate measures to enable theCommission effectively to carry out the tasksentrusted to it—in particular the study ofstandards of living in under-developed coun-tries and areas.

The Temporary Social Welfare Committeemet at Lake Success from February 4 to 18,1947, and from April 16 to 24. Its third ses-sion opened on June 30. The report of theCommittee was to be submitted to the nextsession of the Social Commission.

3. SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICEa. Program of Work

The Commission considered that whilecertain sectors of the social field came withinthe province of specialized agencies, welfarework was not within the competence of anyagency and should receive special attentionfrom the Commission. It considered partic-ularly: training of social welfare staff, pro-tection of children and adolescents, andtransfer to the United Nations of the urgentand important advisory functions exercisedby UNRRA in the field of social welfare.

The Commission recognized that the im-provement of social welfare services dependedessentially on the existence of specially train-ed staff to administer these services. Itbelieved that the Division of Social Questionsshould be adequately staffed with techniciansexperienced in the administration of welfareservices, with a view to advising governmentsin drawing up their national programs in thesocial sphere. It also believed that there shouldbe supplementary staff to furnish the neces-sary technical service in connection with thetransfer of welfare services from UNRRA andto assist in the administration of importantnational and international relief and recon-struction programs.

The Commission requested the TemporarySocial Welfare Committee established by itto give priority to developing an emergencyprogram to meet urgent needs. Such a pro-gram should include (1) consultation to

governments on developing training pro-grams; (2) the provision of fellowships togive experienced staff an opportunity toobserve new methods in other countries; and(3) the supplying of technical literature.Financial provision was made for continuingthese activities under the United Nations.The Commission agreed that the Secretariatshould assume the functions exercised by theLeague of Nations as regards the training ofqualified social service personnel, but thoughtthe Secretariat should assume a more positiverole than had the League. It thought that along-range program should include: (1) as-sistance to governments on the developmentof training programs; (2) the permanentestablishment of an international exchangeof students (fellows) and instructors inschools of social work along the lines of thefellowship program being taken over by theUnited Nations from UNRRA.

In discussing the report of the Social Com-mission certain members of the Economicand Social Council stressed the importance ofavoiding overlapping with the work of thespecialized agencies, in particular of the ILO.The representative of the ILO outlined someof the work of the Organisation in the socialfield, and stressed its willingness to co-operatewith the United Nations. Certain members ofthe Council felt that the recommendations ofthe Commission were too broad, in particularthe recommendations for training socialworkers.

The Council at its fourth session requestedthe Secretary-General, in co-operation withthe specialized agencies concerned:

1. To arrange for a study of:

(a) methods of social welfare administra-tion at present in use in different countries;(b) methods of furnishing advice and in-formation and providing experts forcountries which request such assistance,with a view to helping them to organizethe administration of their social services,including the training of social workers; and(c) how a long-term training programme ofassistance to Governments may be devel-oped, and how international training fellow-ships may be established.

2. To submit a report to the Social Com-mission and to the Council on items (b) and(c) above at the next session and item (a)at a subsequent session.


6. Transfer of Welfare Activities of UNRRAThe Council of UNRRA at its meeting in

Geneva in August 1946, passed ResolutionNo. 95, which stated:

WHEREAS UNRRA is now performing func-tions in the social welfare field such asthose concerned with the problems of under-nourished and orphaned children, the maimedand the handicapped, the training of skilledpersonnel, materials and equipment for com-munity services;

WHEREAS the Council is of the view thatinternational action in regard to certain ofthese functions will be necessary beyond thepresent emergency period;

WHEREAS the Council has taken note ofthe establishment by the Economic and SocialCouncil of the United Nations of a permanentSocial Commission to advise the Economic andSocial Council, inter alia, of requirements inthe field of social welfare and methods bywhich such requirements may be met; it istherefore RESOLVED:

1. That the Director-General consult withthe appropriate authorities of the UnitedNations with a view to considering thedesirability of transferring to the UnitedNations the functions being performed byUNRRA in the field of social welfare ex-clusive of those relating to displaced persons.2. That the Director-General is authorizedto transfer to the United Nations such ofthose functions now being performed byUNRRA in the social welfare field as theUnited Nations desires to undertake.3. That the Director-General is furtherauthorized to transfer to the United Na-tions from time to time any available rec-ords, equipment, materials and personnelof use in the performance of the above-mentioned functions, which the UnitedNations may desire.

The social welfare functions undertakenby UNRRA, whose continuation by the UnitedNations was recommended, fell under fiveheadings :

1. Training of social welfare personnel;2. Rehabilitation of the physically handi-

capped;3. Restoration of social welfare activities

and institutions;4. Co-ordination of the activities of volun-

tary agencies;5. Child welfare.

After considering the questions raised bythe UNRRA Resolution, the Council passedon October 1, 1946, the following Resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

adopted at the Fifth UNRRA Council Sessionin August 1946: Resolution No. 95 on socialwelfare activities of UNRRA, relating to thedesirability of transferring to the UnitedNations functions being performed byUNRRA in the field of social welfare exclusiveof those relating to displaced persons;1. REQUESTS the Secretary-General with aview to the assumption by the United Nationsof certain urgent and important advisoryfunctions in the field of social welfare carriedon by UNRRA, special consideration beinggiven to the needs of children:

(a) to consult immediately with theDirector-General of UNRRA;(b) to undertake such studies and investi-gations and formulate such recommenda-tions as he may deem necessary to assistin reaching a, conclusion concerning meas-ures that might be undertaken by theUnited Nations;(c) to submit recommendations to theGeneral Assembly regarding any mattersrequiring its authorization or special finan-cial provisions;(d) to take such other action as he deemsdesirable in the light of the abovementionedconsultations, studies and investigationsand in the light of any action that mayhave been taken by the General Assembly;(e) to report on the action taken to theSocial Commission at its first session.

2. REQUESTS the Social Commission at itsfirst session to make recommendations for con-tinued action required to carry on essentialfunctions performed by UNRRA in the fieldof social welfare.

The General Assembly on December 14passed a resolution1 providing for funds forfour types of services :

a. expert consultation to governments onwelfare services;b. fellowships for training of officials insocial welfare;c. advice, demonstration and instruction inconnection with the manufacture of pros-thetic appliances, training of handicappedpersons and furnishing demonstration equip-ment;d. furnishing technical publications.

The Commission recommended that confer-ences should be held between the Secretariatand governments receiving UNRRA servicesand other governments which requested ser-vices, on the following points: (1) the num-ber and type of experts requested; (2)

1 For text of resolution see pp. 161, 162.

TAKING NOTE OF the following resolution


selection of candidates for fellowships; (3)local services available to demonstration units;(4) specific type of literature needed andtranslations required.

The Commission believed that while specialconsideration should be given to providingadvisory social welfare services to thosecountries which were victims of aggression,and particularly to those which were Mem-bers of the United Nations and which hadbeen receiving UNRRA assistance, the basicprinciple should be that of the need of eachcountry for welfare services. This basic prin-ciple was endorsed by the Economic and SocialCouncil.

The Social Commission invited the Tempo-rary Social Welfare Committee to consider:

a. development of criteria for use in review-ing requests from the various governmentsfor advisory welfare services;

b. formulating and recommending to the So-cial Commission the manner in which theadvisory welfare services and activities of asub-commission on child welfare should beassociated with a general long-term programof United Nations activities in the social field,including the question of staff training;and to submit a report containing its recom-mendations to the Commission's next session.

It invited the Secretariat:(a) to deal with urgent work connected with

social services, such as assumption of theadvisory functions performed in this field byUNRRA (Resolution A/255 adopted by theGeneral Assembly on 14 December 1946).

(b) to study the methods of social welfareadministration at present in operation in thevarious countries, and to report to the Com-mission thereon.

(c) to furnish advice, information and ex-perts in response to requests from countries,in order to assist them in the organization ofthe administration of their social services,including the training of social work person-nel.

The Economic and Social Council authorizedthe Secretary-General, in co-operation, whereappropriate, with the specialized agenciesconcerned, within the limits of their im-portance :

(a) to undertake the functions formerlyexercised by the League of Nations in thefield of child welfare and social services;

(b) to deal with urgent work connectedwith social services, such as assumption of theadvisory functions performed in this fieldby UNRRA.

4. PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTSa. Review of Developments in the Field

The Social Commission reviewed new de-velopments in the field of child welfare, andthe activities of the League of Nations inthis field. It felt that the United Nations shouldcarry on the League child welfare activities,but with a more affirmative approach. TheCouncil approved the recommendation tocarry on the child welfare activities of theLeague pending a more definite recommen-dation for action by the Social Commission.

The Commission also considered the reportof the International Children's EmergencyFund, and, as authorized by the General As-sembly, recommended to the Economic andSocial Council certain principles for the opera-tion of the Fund.

b. International Children's Emergency Fund

The Council of UNRRA at its August, 1946,meeting in Geneva passed Resolution No.103 relating to the rehabilitation of thechildren and adolescents of countries whichwere victims of aggression. The Council ofUNRRA considered that this problem was oneof paramount importance for the recoveryof these countries and that international as-sistance in dealing with this problem wasdesirable. The Council of UNRRA recommend-ed the creation of an International Children'sFund and set up a Standing Committee toprepare the necessary recommendations inagreement with the United Nations.

The Economic and Social Council passedthe following resolution on September 30,1946:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, takingnote of Resolution 103 adopted at the FifthSession of the Council of UNRRA in August1946, which contemplates the creation of anInternational Children's Emergency Fund tobe utilized for the benefit of children and ado-lescents of countries which were the victims ofaggression, and which set up a StandingCommittee of the Council of UNRRA toprepare recommendations in agreement withthe Economic and Social Council of the UnitedNations with a view to the establishment ofinternational machinery for the administra-tion of such a fund,

RECOMMENDS1. That the General Assembly arrange, dur-

ing the second part of the first session, forthe creation of an International Children's


Emergency Fund, subject to the control ofthe Economic and Social Council. Such fundshall consist of any assets made availableby UNRRA and of any voluntary contribu-tion made available by governments, volun-tary agencies, individuals and other sources,and shall be utilized to the extent of its avail-able resources for the benefit of children andadolescents of countries which were victimsof aggression and in order to assist in theirrehabilitation.

2. That the Secretary-General prepare inconsultation with the Director-General ofUNRRA, the President of the Economic andSocial Council, and the UNRRA StandingCommittee on the Rehabilitation of Childrenand Adolescents, a draft resolution for trans-mission to the General Assembly establishingthe necessary international machinery forthis purpose.

On the basis of the recommendations ofthe Council the General Assembly establishedan International Children's Emergency Fund.1

The Executive Board of the Fund, consist-ing of representatives of Argentina, Australia,Brazil, Byelorussian S.S.R., Canada, China,Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ecuador,France, Greece, Iraq, Netherlands, New Zeal-and, Norway, Peru, Poland, Sweden, theUkrainian S.S.R., Union of South Africa, theU.S.S.R., the United Kingdom, the UnitedStates and Yugoslavia,2 held its first meetingon December 19, 1946, and elected as ChairmanDr. Ludwik Rajchman, the representative ofPoland.

On January 8, 1947, the Secretary-General,after consultation with the Board, appointedMaurice Pate (United States) as ExecutiveDirector of the Fund. The general services ofthe United Nations Secretariat were placedat the Fund's disposal.

The Executive Board laid down the Fund'stasks as being:

1. To collect funds,2. To ascertain the needs of children and

adolescents,3. To draw up programs of action.An initial contribution of $550,000 was

made to the Fund through the Director-General of UNRRA. This represented a con-tribution made by voluntary agencies andprivate individuals in the United States. Theconditions attached to the gift were that itshould be used only for the purchase of foodfor indigent children and adolescents.

It was not possible, until the UNRRA Cen-tral Committee met, to estimate the amount

which would become available to the Fundfrom UNRRA resources. The Executive Boardfelt that the major part of the resources ofthe Fund would have to come from contribu-tions made directly by governments and de-cided to make an appeal to governments forfinancial aid, and also to study, in co-operationwith voluntary agencies, other special meansfor raising funds. The work of voluntaryagencies was to be encouraged.

It would be necessary for each governmentqualified for assistance to submit proposals,together with the necessary information. TheFund would then be able to make recommen-dations. These recommendations would fallunder the headings: (a) food; (b) specialassistance to institutions for the benefit ofchildren and adolescents; and (c) trainingof personnel.

The Board established the following Com-mittees and Sub-Committees: Program Com-mittee; Sub-Committee of representatives ofLatin-America; Committee to review the milkproblem; Sub-Committee on finance; Sub-Committee to draw up rules of procedure ofthe Fund.

The Social Commission at its first sessionnoted with approval the report of the Execu-tive Board, and, as provided in the resolutionestablishing the Fund, made recommendationsto the Economic and Social Council on theprinciples of operation of the Fund.

These principles were adopted by the Eco-nomic and Social Council at its fourth session,as follows:

A. Scope of programsWithin the scope of the operations of the

Fund, as set forth in the General Assemblyresolution No. 59 (I) of 11 December 1946,priorities shall be given to the following typesof work:

1. Supplementing the essential food andother supplies needed to alleviate malnu-trition and disease in the children of thecountries enumerated in paragraph 1 of theGeneral Assembly resolution No. 57 (I) of11 December 1946, and to safeguard thehealth of expectant and nursing mothers.2. Encouraging the re-establishment ofchildren's institutions and services destroy-ed by the war, aiding in such re-establish-ment through supplying essential clothing

1 See resolution, pp. 163,164.2 Switzerland was added to the Executive Board

by a decision of the Economic and Social Councilon March 29, 1947.


and shoes and the furnishing of cod-liveroil or substitutes, as well as medical sup-plies.3. Enlisting the co-operation of the UnitedNations and the World Health Organi-zation in giving assistance for fellow-ships for the training of health and welfarepersonnel for children's work.B. Relation of emergency measures to

existing problemsEmergency measures shall be so developed

and administered as to utilize and strengthenthe permanent child health and child welfareprogrammes of the countries receiving assist-ance and promote effective co-ordination ofofficial and voluntary services.

C. Relation to other activitiesThe Fund shall maintain close relations

with other relief agencies and in particularwith the other activities of the United Na-tions, including appropriate specialized agen-cies and the Department of Social Affairsespecially staff assigned in accordance withthe General Assembly resolution with refer-ence to advisory welfare services performedby UNRRA (document A/255).

D. Co-operation with GovernmentsThe Fund shall not engage in any activity

in any country except in consultation with,and with the consent of, the Governmentconcerned.

E. StaffProvision shall be made for the technical

staff needed to ensure effective operation ofthe Fund, and to supply the technical servicesnecessary to achieve its objectives.

F. Information requiredGovernments requesting assistance will

submit proposals giving information requiredby the Executive Board or a committee there-of, as to need for assistance and methods bywhich the programme will be carried out.Such proposals should show how the followingrequirements will be met:

1. Provision for proper and efficient admin-istration of the program.2. Utilization, so far as possible, of exist-ing official and voluntary agencies, withprovision made for co-ordination of theservices of all agencies utilized in carryingout the programme for which assistance isrequested.3. Assurance that supplies and servicesunder the programme will be equitably dis-pensed or distributed on the basis of needwithout discrimination on the basis ofrace, creed, nationality status, or politicalbelief.4. Provision for reports for such periodsand containing such information as theExecutive Board may require.

G. Reports to the Economic and SocialCouncil

Reports submitted by the InternationalChildren's Emergency Fund should include anannual report and interim reports to eachsession of the Council in 1947 and 1948. Sofar as possible, these reports shall be con-sidered by the Social Commission prior totheir consideration by the Council.

The Economic and Social Council on March18 elected Switzerland as a member of theExecutive Board of the Fund, and approvedthe allocation to the Fund of the receipts ofthe "One Day's Pay" Collection.

On May 31 the United States authorizedcontributions to the Fund up to the amountof $15,000,000, and further contributions upto a maximum of $40,000,000, provided thatin the case of amounts above $15,000,000,they did not constitute more than 57 per centof the aggregate amount contributed to theFund by governments not receiving assistancefrom it.

The report of the Program Committee wasadopted at the ninth meeting of the ExecutiveBoard on June 19, 1947. The Board decidedthat the following elements should be con-sidered in determining relative needs:1. The proportion of undernourished child-ren in each country.2. The number of homeless and orphanedchildren in each country in need of care.3. The capacity of a country to meet itsown needs out of its currently available re-sources.4. The extent and duration of deprivation ofthe children of each country experienced dur-ing the war.5. The extent of wartime destruction of chil-dren's institutions in each country.6. The extent to which other internationalrelief supplies are available for the same orsimilar purposes.

The Executive Board also took the follow-ing decisions :

1. All countries eligible for assistance un-der the General Assembly Resolution will,upon application to the Fund and completionof an agreement between the Fund and thegovernment concerned, receive aid from theFund.

2. The Executive Director was authorizedto proceed with the procurement of suppliesout of the $560,000 on hand—composed of$550,000 donated to the Fund through theformer Director-General of UNRRA, and ap-proximately $10,000 obtained from individualdonors.


3. The Executive Director was authorizedto procure supplies as soon as the $15,000,000,or any part of it, authorized by the UnitedStates Congress, was made available to theFund, and out of any other sums made avail-able by governments.

4. The Executive Director was authorized tonegotiate with applicant governments to pro-vide supplies of milk, fats, cocoa, etc. in thefollowing countries for approximately sixmonths to the following number of children:Austria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240,000AlbaniaCzechoslovakia

240 000Finland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,HungaryChina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700,000France .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70,000Greece ........................... 340,000Italy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360,000Poland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700,000Yugoslavia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600,000

Total 3,250,000

Shipments were to begin as soon as sup-plies were available, but the total value ofsupplies was not to exceed 60 per cent of thetotal dollar value of the resources availableto the Fund. The initial distribution was toprovide for approximately 200 calories on anaverage, but this was not to be a precedentfor future allocations. The Executive Directorwas to report to the Program Committee onthese shipments and make proposals for anynecessary changes arising out of discussionswith the recipient governments.

5. TRAFFIC IN WOMEN AND CHILDRENThe Secretariat was instructed to consider

suitable measures for an effective campaignagainst the traffic in women and children andthe provisions to be contemplated for the pre-vention and suppression of prostitution, andto report to the Commission at its next ses-sion. It was to get into touch with the Com-mission Internationale de la Police Criminellewith a view to co-ordinating their respectiveefforts.

The Commission recommended that thenecessary steps should be taken to transferto the United Nations the Conventions ofSeptember 30, 1921, and October 11, 1933,for the Suppression of Traffic in Women andChildren, and the Convention of September12, 1923, for the Suppression of the Circula-tion of and Traffic in Obscene Publications.The Commission recommended that theprocedure which had been followed intransferring to the United Nations thefunctions exercised by the League under

Conventions on Narcotic Drugs should befollowed.

The Secretariat was also instructed to ex-amine the 1937 draft convention regardingthe exploitation of the prostitution of othersand make any necessary amendments in viewof changes in the general situation since 1937.It was also to ascertain from governmentswhether the convention as amended was likelyto meet with their approval. The Commissionwould consider the proposed amendments atits next session and decide whether the draftconvention should be sent to governments.

The Secretariat was also instructed to re-port on the possibility of implementing theproposal of the League of Nations for theestablishment of an Eastern Bureau to takethe necessary measures for the suppressionof the traffic in women and children in thoseareas, and the need for other regional bureaus.These recommendations were adopted by theEconomic and Social Council at its fourthsession.

6. PREVENTION OF CRIME AND TREATMENT

The Commission requested the Secretariatto submit a report on the prevention of crimeand the treatment of offenders, showing whichsuggestions were suitable for internationalaction and how they could be carried out.This request was endorsed by the Council.The Commission decided by 11 votes to 1,with 3 abstentions, not to enter into consulta-tions with the International Penal andPenitentiary Commission, as previouslyrecommended by the Council, so long as thisCommission had not severed its relationswith the Franco government. The Economicand Social Council at its fourth session ap-proved this action of the Social Commission.

7. ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT FOREIGNERSOn the recommendation of the Commission,

the Economic and Social Council at its fourthsession requested the Secretary-General,within the limits of his resources:

(a) to collect from governments the mostrecent information regarding their adminis-trative practices with respect to assistance toindigent foreigners;

(b) to report to the Social Commission at afuture session on the extent to which theModel Convention on Assistance to IndigentForeigners and Recommendations on Assist-

OF OFFENDERS


ance to Indigent Foreigners approved by theCouncil of the League of Nations at its 101stSession (May 1938) correspond to the exigen-cies of the present situation and the changes,if any, which should be made.

8. HOUSING AND TOWN PLANNINGThe General Assembly on December 14,

1946, recommended to the Economic and Soc-ial Council:

That it instruct the appropriate Commis-sions to expedite their study of housingproblems, with special reference to theorganization and unification of internationalexchanges of information relating, in par-ticular, to town planning principles, buildingtechniques and the climatic, economic andfinancial, legal and legislative aspects ofhousing and town planning questions; andto consider the desirability of holding aninternational conference of experts to ad-vise on the need for establishing an inter-national mechanism to collate such informa-tion, lay down guiding principles for newtechnical research on materials, methods ofuse and prefabrication, and to definestandards capable of general application.

The question was considered by the Eco-nomic and Employment Commission and theSocial Commission at their first sessions. TheChairmen of the two Commissions arrived atan agreement that the Social Commissionshould undertake to formulate the demandside of the problem, keeping in mind the im-portance of viewing housing needs in relationto other urgent needs and working out apriority schedule on a quantitative basis. Itwould then become the responsibility of theEconomic and Employment Commission toconsider other economic aspects of housing.

The Economic and Employment Commis-sion deferred consideration of the questionpending its consideration by the Social Com-mission. At its second session the Economicand Employment Commission designated anobserver to attend the session of the SocialCommission when the discussion of the con-ference of experts on housing took place.

The Social Commission in its discussionsdrew a distinction between:

a. the needs of the war-devastated areaswhose inhabitants had been brutally deprivedof their homes and were therefore entitledto priority rights;

b. the needs of the less developed parts ofthe world, where extensive town planning andbuilding programs ought to be undertaken andcombined with economic and social reform.

The Commission recommended the settingup of a housing and town planning service inthe Secretariat, and the calling of an inter-national conference of experts on housing andtown planning. The New Zealand representa-tive felt that the convening of an internationalconference was a premature step, and theNetherlands representative thought that theproblem should be dealt with by a regionalconference.

The importance of a study of housing prob-lems and the value of an international ex-change of opinion on such problems was em-phasized in the Council's discussions on thequestion, but some representatives expresseddoubt as to the necessity for setting up apermanent international agency. On the basisof resolutions proposed by France and theUnited States, the Council at its fourth sessionadopted the following resolution :

Taking into account the resolution of theGeneral Assembly of 14 December 1946,1 onhousing and town planning, and the reportsof the Social Commission and of the Economicand Employment Commission,

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL1. INSTRUCTS the Social Commission in col-

laboration with the Economic and Employ-ment Commission to continue its study ofhousing problems in close co-operation witheach other and with specialized agencies andother inter-governmental organizations con-cerned with these problems;

2. INSTRUCTS the Secretary-General in co-operation with the specialized agencies andinter-governmental organizations to arrangefor a study of housing problems for furtherconsideration by the Social Commission incollaboration with the Economic and Employ-ment Commission, and requests him to makethe necessary arrangements to provide facili-ties which will include the collection and dis-semination in the appropriate form of infor-mation relating to rural and urban housingand town planning and to report thereon tothe Social and Economic and EmploymentCommissions; and

3. DIRECTS the Secretary-General to submitto the Social Commission a proposal re-garding an international conference of expertson housing, including a statement of objec-tives, scope and composition. In the light ofsuch a proposal the Social Commission incollaboration with the Economic and Employ-ment Commission shall submit recommenda-tions to an early session of the Council as towhat further action should be taken.

1 See pp. 181, 182.


0. FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS

1. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTSAt its first session, the Council established

a Commission on Human Rights in nuclearform, to report on the functions and scope ofwork of the projected Commission on HumanRights. The nuclear Commission fully real-ized the great importance of the task entrust-ed to it under the Charter of the UnitedNations. The examination of documents sub-mitted by Members of the United Nationsled to a general discussion on the necessityof achieving and promoting the recognitionof human rights and fundamental freedomsfor all, in the hope of drawing from the lastWorld War the lessons which would aid thepeoples to achieve the highest aspirations ofmankind. Moreover, the nuclear Commis-sion paid special attention to plans andsuggestions presented to it through hearingsby qualified representatives of national andinternational organizations. It recommendedthat the full Commission should draft anInternational Bill of Rights and that the draft,as completed by the full Commission, shouldbe circulated among the Governments of theUnited Nations for their suggestions.

a. Terms of ReferenceThe Council considered the recommenda-

tions of the nuclear Commission during itssecond session, and adopted for the full Com-mission the terms of reference of the "nuclear"Commission with the addition of paragraph(e) below, as follows:

The work of the Commission shall be di-rected towards submitting proposals, recom-mendations and reports to the Councilregarding:(a) an international bill of rights;(b) international declarations or conventionson civil liberties, the status of women, free-dom of information and similar matters;(c) the protection of minorities;(d) the prevention of discrimination ongrounds of race, sex, language or religion;(e) any other matter concerning human rightsnot covered by items (a), (b), (c), and (d).

The importance of regional conferences ofexperts was emphasized by the nuclearCommission, and in this connection referencewas made to the Inter-American Conferenceon Problems of War and Peace held in MexicoCity in March 1945. On the recommendationof the nuclear Commission, the Council de-

cided that the full Commission be authorizedto call in ad hoc working groups of non-governmental experts in specialized fields, orindividual experts, without further referenceto the Council but with the approval of thePresident of the Council and the Secretary-General.

On the recommendation of the nuclearCommission, the Council decided that theSecretary-General should be requested tomake arrangements for the compilation andpublication of a yearbook on law and usagerelating to human rights, the collection andpublication of information on the activitiesconcerning human rights of all organs of theUnited Nations, the collection and publicationof information concerning human rights aris-ing from the Nürnberg and Tokyo trials ofwar criminals, and the collection and publi-cation of plans and declarations on humanrights by specialized agencies and non-governmental national and internationalorganizations.

The Council also decided that, pending theUnited Nations should be invited to considerthe desirability of establishing informationgroups or local human rights committeeswithin their respective countries to collabo-rate with them in furthering the work ofthe Commission on Human Rights.

The Council also decided that, pending theadoption of an international bill of rights,the general principle should be accepted thatinternational treaties involving basic humanrights, including to the fullest extent practi-cable treaties of peace, should conform to thefundamental standards relative to such rightsset forth in the Charter.

The nuclear Commission felt that thepromotion and observance of human rights,as defined in the Charter of the United Na-tions, could be fulfilled only if provisionswere made for the implementation of theobservance of human rights and of an inter-national bill of rights. The nuclear Com-mission suggested that, pending the eventualestablishment of an agency of implementation,the Commission on Human Rights should berecognized as qualified to aid the appropriateorgans of the United Nations. The Councildecided to request the Commission on HumanRights "to submit at an early date suggest-ions regarding the ways and means for the


effective implementation of human rights andfundamental freedoms, with a view to assist-ing the Economic and Social Council in work-ing out arrangements for such implementationwith other appropriate organs of the UnitedNations."

The Council decided at its second sessionthat the Commission should consist of onerepresentative from each of eighteen Membersof the United Nations selected by the Council.At its third session, the Council selected thefollowing States to designate the initialmembers :

For two yearsByelorussian S.S.R.ChinaLebanonPanamaUnited KingdomUruguay

For three yearsEgyptFranceIndiaIranUkrainian S.S.R.U.S.S.R.

For four yearsAustraliaBelgiumChilePhilippine RepublicUnited StatesYugoslavia

b. First SessionThe Commission on Human Rights held its

first session from January 27 to February 10,1947, and elected the following as its officers:

Chairman—Mrs. Franklin D. RooseveltVice-Chairman—Dr. P. C. ChangRapporteur—Dr. Charles Malik

The Commission considered the questionof the International Bill of Human Rights,the membership and functions of the Sub-Commissions on Freedom of Information andof the Press and on Prevention of Discrim-ination and Protection of Minorities, andthe procedure for dealing with communica-tions concerning human rights.

a. Drafting GroupThe Commission decided that the Chairman,

with the Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur,should, with the assistance of the Secretariat,formulate a preliminary draft InternationalBill of Human Rights to be submitted to theCommission at its next session. In draftingthe Bill, the Chairman could enlist the co-op-eration of any member of the Commission, andthe Commission could consult experts chosen

with the consent of their governments andany person or document it thought relevant toits work. The drafting group was to study anAustralian proposal which had been submit-ted to the Commission for the establishmentof an International Court of Human Rights.It was also to take into consideration theviews expressed by the Commission on whatshould be included in the International Billof Human Rights. These included such per-sonal rights as the right of personal freedom,freedom of religion, of opinion, of speech, in-formation, assembly and association, andsafeguards for persons accused of crime; suchsocial rights as the right of security, theright to employment, education, food, medicalcare and the right to property; and politicalrights such as the right to citizenship and theright of citizens to participate in the govern-ment; and the right to equality without dis-tinction.

Members of the Commission also expressedthe view that the constitutions of MemberStates should be taken into account; that theBill should be acceptable to all Members ofthe United Nations; that it should be short,simple, easy to understand and expressive;and that it should be a reaffirmation of themost elementary rights.

The Commission felt that the draft Billshould be submitted to it by the draftinggroup as a draft resolution for presentationto the General Assembly.

b. Drafting CommitteeWhen the Commission's Report was con-

sidered at the fourth session of the Economicand Social Council, certain members expressedthe view that the drafting group should beenlarged and should include the representa-tives of the European countries. The SocialCommittee of the Council proposed that themembers of the Commission for Australia,Chile, China, France and the U.S.S.R. should,with the members for the United States,Lebanon and the United Kingdom, form aTemporary Sub-Commission to draw up apreliminary draft of an International Bill ofHuman Rights on the basis of documentationsupplied by the Secretary-General. The Chair-man of the Commission on Human Rights onMarch 24, 1947, wrote to the President of theEconomic and Social Council stating that in

2. INTERNATIONAL BILL OF HUMAN RIGHTS


view of the suggestions of the Social Com-mittee she intended to appoint a drafting com-mittee consisting of the members of the Com-mission for Australia, Chile, China, France,Lebanon, the U.S.S.R., the United Kingdomand the United States,

This was noted with approval by the Eco-nomic and Social Council at its fourth session.The Council requested the Secretariat to pre-pare a documented outline concerning an In-ternational Bill of Rights, on the basis ofwhich the Drafting Committee was to drawup its preliminary draft, to be submitted tothe second session of the Commission on Hu-man Rights.

The Council decided:(a) that the draft prepared by the above-

mentioned drafting committee be submittedto the second session of the Commission onHuman Rights; and

(b) that the draft as developed by theCommission on Human Rights be submittedto all States Members of the United Nationsfor their observations, suggestions and pro-posals; and

(c) that these observations, suggestionsand proposals then be considered as a basis ofa re-draft, if necessary by the drafting com-mittee; and

(d) that the resulting draft then be sub-mitted to the Commission on Human Rightsfor final consideration; and

(e) that the Council consider the proposedinternational bill of human rights as sub-mitted by the Commission on Human Rightswith a view to recommending an internationalbill of human rights to the General Assemblyin 1948; and further

(f ) that the Commission on Human Rightsinvite the officers of the Commission on theStatus of Women, the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman and the Rapporteur, to be presentand participate without vote in its delibera-tions when sections of the draft of the inter-national bill of human rights concerning theparticular rights of women are being con-sidered.

The Council, pursuant to the resolution ofthe General Assembly of December 11, 1946,decided to transmit to the Drafting Commit-tee of the Commission on Human Rights andto the Commission the Declaration on Funda-mental Human Rights and Freedoms presentedby the delegation of Panama, and any otherdraft declarations received from MemberStates.

It also transmitted a draft resolution sub-mitted by the World Federation of TradeUnions on "Guarantees for the Exercise andDevelopment of Trade Union Rights" and a

memorandum and draft resolution submittedby the American Federation of Labor on theGuarantees for the Exercise and Developmentof Trade Union Rights to the Commission onHuman Rights "in order that it may con-sider those aspects of the subject which mightappropriately form part of the bill or declara-tion on human rights."

c. First Session of Drafting Committee

The Drafting Committee held its first ses-sion from June 9 to June 25, 1947. Its dis-cussions were based on a draft outline pre-pared by the Secretariat, which included therights mentioned in various national consti-tutions and in various suggestions for anInternational Bill of Human Rights. The Com-mittee also had before it a draft bill of rightsproposed by the United Kingdom and certainUnited States proposals for the re-wordingof some items appearing in the Secretariatoutline. A representative of UNESCO andconsultants from the American Federation ofLabor and the International Co-operativeAlliance attended the Committee's meeting.

Two views were expressed in the Commit-tee on the form which a preliminary draftmight take: that it should take the form ofa declaration or manifesto; or that thereshould also be a convention. The DraftingCommittee therefore decided to attempt toprepare two documents, one a working paperoutlining a declaration or manifesto settingforth general principles, and the second aworking paper containing suggestions as tothe contents of one or more conventions flow-ing from these principles to which Membernations might adhere.

A draft declaration containing a preambleand 44 suggested articles was prepared byProfessor Cassin at the request of a tempor-ary working group of the Committee, com-posed of the Chairman and the representa-tives of France, Lebanon, and the UnitedKingdom. The draft declaration was then re-vised by the temporary working group, andafter having been considered in detail by theCommittee was again revised by ProfessorCassin. The Drafting Committee, after furtherexamining the draft, submitted it to the Com-mission on Human Rights as a working paperfor a preliminary draft of an InternationalManifesto or Declaration on Human Rights.

The representatives of the United Kingdom,


the Lebanon, and the Chairman were askedindependently to go over the Secretariat outlineand the United Kingdom draft to determinewhich articles could readily lend themselvesto a convention. They agreed that the articlesin the convention part of the United King-dom draft could be submitted to the Commis-sion on Human Rights as forming part of adraft convention, with the addition of thethree following subjects:

(a) torture, physical integrity and cruelpunishments;

(b) the right to a legal personality; and(c) the right of asylum.After discussion, the Drafting Committee

suggested that the United Kingdom proposalshould form a basis for a draft conventionwhich the Commission on Human Rights mightwant to elaborate.

The members of the Drafting Committeefelt that implementation of the bill mighttake two forms: (1) some form of punish-ment of an offending state, the proposals forsuch punishment ranging from a public re-quest for information concerning the allegedviolation to trial before an international tri-bunal; (2) action on the part of the United Na-tions and the Member States to educate thepeoples of the world with regard to humanrights and to create conditions under whichrespect for and promotion of human rightswould be secured. The view was expressedthat the only practicable compulsory form ofimplementation would be an international con-vention ratified or adhered to by Member Gov-ernments. It was thought that the possibilitymight be studied of creating, within the frame-work of the United Nations, an organizationto receive, sift, examine and deal with com-munications alleging the violation of humanrights, and it was suggested that the Commis-sion on Human Rights might be grantedgreater responsibility in this field.

3. SUB-COMMISSION ON FREEDOM OFINFORMATION AND OF THE PRESS

The Commission on Human Rights at itsfirst session decided to establish a Sub-Com-mission on Freedom of Information and of thePress, as empowered by the Economic andSocial Council.

It recommended to the Council the terms ofreference of the Sub-Commission. It decidedthat the Sub-Commission should be composedof twelve persons, selected by the Commission

in consultation with the Secretary-General andsubject to the consent of the governments ofwhich the persons were nationals, that notmore than one person be selected from anysingle country, and that the terms of mem-bers should be, in the first instance, one year,subject to reconsideration by the Commissionbefore the end of that period. As the Commis-sion had not had time to select the membersof the Sub-Commission, it recommended thatthey should be selected by the Council fromlists of persons submitted by such HumanRights Commission members as cared to makenominations, each member nominating notmore than twelve persons from Members ofthe United Nations.

The Council appointed the members of theSub-Commission, subject to the consent oftheir governments, and resolved that the func-tions of the Sub-Commission should be:

(a) In the first instance, to examine whatrights, obligations and practices should beincluded in the concept of freedom of informa-tion and to report to the Commission on Hu-man Rights on any issues that may arise fromsuch examination;

(b) To perform any other functions whichmay be entrusted to it by the Economic andSocial Council or by the Commission on Hu-man Rights.

The U.S.S.R. and Czechoslovakian represen-tatives expressed the view that the Sub-Com-mission should not be composed of experts butof governmental representatives.

Following the General Assembly's resolu-tion on the calling of an International Confer-ence on Freedom of Information1, the Commission on Human Rights recommended thethe Sub-Commission on Freedom of Information and of the Press should submit recom-mendations regarding the program of thatConference and assist in its preparation.

The Economic and Social Council requested:the Sub-Commission on Freedom of Informa-tion and of the Press:to prepare, guided by resolution No. 59 (1)of 14 December 1946 of the General Assembly,a draft documented agenda for the Confer-ence on Freedom of Information, and tosubmit this along with proposals concerningpreparations for the Conference to the Com-mission on Human Rights and to the Council.These proposals shall include suggestionsconcerning the invitation of States, not Mem-bers of the United Nations, and plans wherebyappropriate specialized agencies, such as the

1 See p. 176.


United Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization, and appropriate non-governmental organizations may assist in thepreparation of the Conference and attend it.

The Council decided to transmit to theSub-Commission the draft agenda for theConference presented by the delegation ofFrance, and any other similar communicationsreceived from Member States. It recommendedthe Sub-Commission to invite a representativeof the International Organization of Journal-ists to be present as an observer at its meetingsfor purposes of consultation.

It decided that the decision on the date andplace of the Conference be deferred to thefifth session of the Council.

The Sub-Commission on Freedom of Infor-mation and of the Press held its first sessionfrom May 19 to June 4, 1947.

It recommended that the Conference shouldbe convoked for March or April 1948, andthat it be held in Europe. It recommendedthat the Conference should not be confined toMembers of the United Nations, and thatnon-member States invited should have fullrights of participation and voting. It recom-mended that the four specialized agencies inrelationship with the United Nations, theseven inter-governmental organizations withwhich relationship was contemplated, theeight non-governmental organizations in Cate-gory A, and, in Category B, the InternationalOrganization of Journalists should be invitedto participate in the Conference, the special-ized and inter-governmental organizations be-ing granted a status equivalent to that giventhem by the Economic and Social Council, andthe non-governmental organizations beinggiven a status equivalent to that granted bythe Economic and Social Council to organiza-tions in Category A.

The Sub-Commission recommended thatdelegations should be limited to five delegates,from each State, with five alternates, andadvisers as required.

It recommended that the Conference shouldhave a general committee (comprising thePresident of the Conference, the Vice-Prési-dents and the Chairmen of the principal com-mittees) and four principal committees onwhich each delegation would be represented.The first would consider the basic tasks of thePress and other media of mass information,the basic principles of information and gen-eral problems common to other committees.The second would be a committee on the

gathering and international transmission ofinformation. The third would be a committeeon implementation of the rights of all peoplesto receive accurate and comprehensive infor-mation, and the obligations of the press inthis connection. The fourth would be a com-mittee on law and continuing machinery.

The Sub-Commission recommended to theEconomic and Social Council that the Secre-tary-General be requested to prepare, in con-sultation with UNESCO, a written request forinformation concerning freedom of informa-tion, which, after submission to the Commis-sion on Human Eights, would be sent to allMembers of the United Nations and allother States invited to the Conference. Itrecommended that the Secretary-General berequested to prepare the necessary documenta-tion for the Conference.

In the discussions of the formulation of thedraft agenda there were fundamental differ-ences of opinion, based on the differences ofgovernment controls over the gathering, trans-mission and dissemination of information. Amajority of the Sub-Commission thought thatthe provisional draft agenda opened the wayfor wide and useful discussion of all the mainpoints contained in the terms of reference ofthe Conference, but that all agenda itemsshould be considered only as titles or headingsof subjects upon which the Conference mightbe invited to reach its own conclusions.

Items were listed under the following head-ings: general discussion on the principles offreedom of information; consideration ofcertain fundamental principles; measures tofacilitate the gathering of information; meas-ures to facilitate international transmission ofinformation; measures to implement the rightof all persons and peoples to receive accurate,objective, comprehensive and representativeinformation, and the obligations of the work-ers of the Press, Radio and Films in this con-nection; consideration of possible continuingmachinery, preferably within the frameworkof the United Nations, to promote the freeflow of true information; consideration of theproblems involved in the establishment of in-formation services by governments, groups orpersons in order to make information availablein countries other than their own; considera-tion of the possible modes of action by whichthe recommendations and agreements of theConference could best be put into effect,whether by resolution of the General Assem-bly, international conventions, bilateral agree-


ments, acceptance by States of model legisla-tion drafted by the Conference, or other means.

The Sub-Commission began an examinationof what rights, obligations and practicesshould be included in the concept of freedomof information, and adjourned discussion onthe question until its next session.

The Sub-Commission requested the Secre-tary-General to ask the International Tele-communications Union to convey to the Sub-Commission any information it believed wouldhelp the work of the Sub-Commission, and toinform the Union that the Sub-Commissionhoped the Union would be represented at theInternational Conference on Freedom of In-formation.

The Sub-Commission recommended that theEconomic and Social Council study as an ur-gent matter the situation in regard to theshortage of newsprint and consider measuresto alleviate it.

DISCRIMINATION AND PROTECTION

The Commission on Human Rights decidedto establish a Sub-Commission on Preventionof Discrimination and Protection of Minori-ties instead of creating separate Sub-Commis-sions on the Protection of Minorities and onthe Prevention of Discrimination, as empow-ered by the Economic and Social Council. Itdecided that the functions of the Sub-Com-mission should be:

(a) In the first instance, to examine whatprovisions should be adopted in the definitionof the principles which are to be applied inthe field of the prevention of discriminationon grounds of race, sex, language or religion,and in the field of the protection of minorities,and to make recommendations to the Commis-sion on urgent problems in these fields.

(b) To perform any other functions whichmay be entrusted to it by the Economic andSocial Council or the Commission on HumanRights.

It decided that the Sub-Commission shouldbe composed of twelve persons selected bythe Commission in consultation with the Sec-retary-General and subject to the consent ofthe governments of which the persons werenationals, that not more than one personshould be selected from any single country,and that the terms of office of members should,in the first instance, be two years.

The Commission recommended that, as ithad not had time to select the members of the

Sub-Commission, they should be chosen bythe Economic and Social Council at its fourthsession (in consultation with the Secretary-General and subject to the consent of thegovernments of the countries of which thepersons were nationals) from among lists ofpersons submitted by such Human RightsCommission members as cared to make nom-inations, each member nominating not morethan twelve persons from Members of theUnited Nations.

The Economic and Social Council appointedthe members of the Sub-Commission, subjectto the consent of their governments.

The U.S.S.R. and Czechoslovakian repre-sentatives expressed the view that the Sub-Commission should not be composed of govern-mental representatives and criticized the geo-graphical distribution of its membership, inparticular that it contained only one represen-tative from the Central European States andfour from Western European countries.

5. COMMUNICATIONS CONCERNINGHUMAN RIGHTS

The Commission on Human Rights decidedto request the Secretary-General to compilea confidential list of communications receivedconcerning human rights before each sessionof the Commission, and furnish this to mem-bers of the Commission on request, enablingthem on request to consult the originals.Writers of communications were to be in-formed that their communications would bebrought to the Commission's attention. TheChairman and Vice-Chairman were to meetshortly before each session of the Commission,with one or two co-opted members, to receivecommunications and to bring to the Commis-sion's attention those which might assist itin its work.

The Economic and Social Council decidedto defer consideration of this question untilits fifth session.

6. STATUS OF WOMENa. Sub-Commission on the Status of Women

At its first session, the Council establisheda Sub-Commission of the nuclear Commis-sion on Human Rights, on the Status of Wo-men. The functions of the Sub-Commissionwere to submit proposals, recommendationsand reports to the Commission on HumanRights regarding the status of women. TheSub-Commission was also to submit proposals

4. SUB-COMMISSION ON PREVENTION OF

OF MINORITIES


to the Council, through the Commission onHuman Rights, regarding its terms of refer-ence.

There was general agreement among themembers that the Sub-Commission shouldstudy the status of women in all its aspectsand make the broadest possible recommenda-tions to the Commission Human Rightson the scope of the work to be undertaken.Improvements in political, civil, educational,social and economic fields were consideredespecially important and therefore, the Sub-Commission recommended that these problemsshould be attacked simultaneously.

The report of the Sub-Commission containedproposals for a program of work which interalia provided for (1) a survey of laws per-taining to the status of women and the prac-tical application of such legislation, (2) pollsto sound public opinion, (3) a forum to hearthe view of consultative agents, (4) the call-ing of a United Nations Women's Conference,(5) the international exchange of all cate-gories of manual and intellectual womenworkers, (6) the collection of records on wo-men's affairs and (7) the creation of a world-wide public opinion through such media asthe press, radio, publications, motion pictures.

The Commission on Human Rights maderecommendations to the Council for the estab-lishment of a Sub-Commission of fifteen mem-bers. It also recommended that a complete anddetailed study of legislation concerning thestatus of women and its practical applicationbe initiated, taking into account all importantalterations that had arisen since the firstgeneral inquiries made by the League of Na-tions.

b. Commission on the Status of WomenThe Council, having considered at its

second session the reports of the nuclearCommission on Human Rights and of thenuclear Sub-Commission on the Status ofWomen, decided to confer upon the Sub-Com-mission the status of a full commission to beknown as the Commission on the Status ofWomen.

The Council agreed that:

The functions of the Commission shallbe to prepare recommendations and reportsto the Economic and Social Council on pro-moting women's rights in political, economic,social and educational fields. The Commissionshall also make recommendations to theCouncil on urgent problems requiring imme-

diate attention in the field of women's rights.The Commission may submit proposals to

the Council regarding its terms of reference.The Council referred Sections I and II of

the report of the nuclear Sub-Commission,concerning policy and program, to the Com-mission on the Status of Women for study.

The Council requested the Secretary-Gener-al to make arrangements for a complete anddetailed study of all legislation concerningthe status of women and the practical applica-tion of such legislation.

The Council also decided at its second ses-sion that the Commission should consist ofone representative from each of fifteen Mem-bers of the United Nations selected by theCouncil. At its third session, the Councilselected the following States to designate theinitial members;

For two yearsAustraliaByelorussian S.S.R.ChinaGuatemalaIndia

For three yearsMexicoSyriaU.S.S.R.United KingdomUnited States

For four yearsCosta RicaDenmarkFranceTurkeyVenezuela

c. First Session of the CommissionThe Commission held its first session from

February 10 to February 24, 1947. It electedthe following as its officers:

Chairman — Mrs. Bodil Begtrup (Denmark)Vice-Chairman — Mrs. J. Street (Australia)Rapporteur — Mrs. E. Uralova (Byelorussian

S.S.R.)

The Commission made recommendationsfor the amendment of its terms of reference.On the basis of these recommendations theCouncil decided that its terms of referenceshould be as follows:

The functions of the Commission shall beto prepare recommendations and reports tothe Economic and Social Council on promot-ing women's rights in political, economic,civil, social and educational fields.The Commission shall also make recommen-dations to the Council on urgent problemsrequiring immediate attention in the fieldof women's rights with the object of imple-menting the principle that men and womenshall have equal rights, and to develop pro-posals to give effect to such recommenda-tions.


The Commission recommended a procedurefor dealing with communications received con-cerning the status of women, but the Councildecided to defer consideration of this ques-tion until its next session.

The Commission requested the Economicand Social Council to arrange for the Commis-sion on the Status of Women to be representedby its officers at the session of the Commissionon Human Rights when the draft Interna-tional Bill of Human Rights was being con-sidered, and for copies of the preliminarydraft to be circulated to members of the Com-mission at the same time as to members ofthe Commission on Human Rights. It alsostressed the importance to the Commission onthe Status of Women of the work of the Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimi-nation and the Protection of Minorities, andsuggested that a representative of the Com-mission should participate in the work of thisSub-Commission. The Council agreed that theCommission on the Status of Women should berepresented at the meetings of the Commis-sion on Human Rights and the Sub-Commis-sion on the Prevention of Discrimination andProtection of Minorities when matters affect-ing the status of women were discussed.

The Commission decided to adopt as a basisfor its future work the sections of the Reportof the nuclear Sub-Commission on the Statusof Women referring to policy and program.It adopted the following guiding principles forits future work:

Freedom and equality are essential to humandevelopment and whereas woman is as mucha human being as man, she is, therefore, en-titled to share them with him;

Well-being and progress of society dependon the extent to which both men and womenare able to develop their personality to thefull and are cognizant of their responsibilitiesto themselves and to each other;

Woman has thus a definite role to play in thebuilding of a free, healthy, prosperous andmoral society and that she can fulfil this ob-ligation only as a free and responsible mem-ber.

Woman must take an active part in the fightfor the total elimination of fascist ideologyand for international co-operation directed tothe establishment of a democratic peace amongthe peoples of the world and for the preven-tion of fresh aggression.

In order to achieve this goal, the purpose ofthe Commission is to raise the status of wo-men, irrespective of their nationality, race,language or religion, to equality with men inall fields of human enterprise, and to elimi-

nate all discriminations against women in pro-visions of statutory law and under maximsor rules, or interpretations of customary law.

The Commission also recommended a seriesof aims under four headings: political, civil,social and economic, and educational.

The Council approved the declaration ofprinciples, but certain members felt that someof the aims as enumerated by the Commissionwere impracticable and other were too broad.The Council therefore resolved:

(b) to reaffirm that it is the fundamentalpurpose of the Commission to develop pro-posals for promoting equal rights for womenand eliminating discrimination on groundsof sex in the legal, political, economic, socialand educational fields,

(c) to recognize that it is desirable forsuch proposals to be developed on the basisof all relevant information with as little delayas possible.

Members of the Council also felt that theCommission had neglected to propose a con-crete future program of work. It thereforerequested the Commission at its next session

to take as its immediate program of workthe examination of existing legal and custom-ary disabilities of women as regards politicaland social rights, and (subject to consultationwith the International Labour Organisation)economic rights and also educational oppor-tunities, with a view to framing proposals foraction.

On the basis of recommendations made bythe Commission, the Economic and SocialCouncil requested the Secretary-General:

1. to consult with the United Nations Educa-tional, Scientific and Cultural Organizationon plans for developing the programme ofbasic education without distinction of sex, race,or creed and to report to the next sessionof the Commission on its progress and anyassistance which the Commission may be ableto render in the development of the program-me;

2. to invite Member States to reply as earlyas possible to the questions in part I, para-graph D (relating to education) of the ques-tionnaire on the legal status and treatmentof women in order to provide the Commissionwith data which will enable it to give earlyconsideration to recommendations for possibleaction to advance the rights of women in theeducational field;

3. to invite each Member Government tocomplete and transmit to him by 1 July 1947,if possible, replies to the following sections ofthe questionnaire on the legal status andtreatment of women: part I. Public Law:


section A, Franchise (and section B. Eligibili-ty to hold public office), to indicate as far aspossible any changes in law or practice con-cerning these matters since the passage ofresolution No. 56 (I) of the General Assemblyof 11 December 1946;

4. to make a preliminary report on the poli-tical rights of women by 1 September 1947based on the replies of Member Governmentsto part I of the questionnaire on the legalstatus and treatment of women and on suchinformation as may be available from otherauthoritative sources;

5. to prepare a preliminary report to theCommission on the Status of Women based onaccounts of pertinent experience from coun-tries where effective programs have alreadybeen undertaken in the field of information onuse of the franchise, for the benefit of womenwho have recently acquired the right to vote,and to report on methods by which the Secre-tariat might act as a centre for the collectionof publications in this field and making themavailable to the Members of the United Na-tions;

6. to issue part II of the questionnaire onthe legal status and treatment of women andto expedite the preparation of such furtherquestionnaires on the economic rights of wo-men as may be considered necessary, after con-sultation with the International Labour Or-ganisation;

7. to make arrangements for the presence ofobservers from regional inter-governmental or-ganizations in the field of women's rights atsessions of the Commission on the Statusof Women to act in an advisory and informa-tive capacity, and to arrange for the exchangeof information between the Commission andthese organizations on subjects relating to thestatus of women;

8. to consider the appointment of a compe-tent woman as Head of the Status of WomenSection of the Division of Human Rights assoon as possible.

The Commission had recommended that theInter-American Women's Commission shouldbe requested to send an observer to the meet-ings of the Commission on the Status ofWomen to act in an advisory and informativecapacity. The Council, however, after con-sidering the question of this and other organ-izations, decided to frame its decision in theform given above.

On the recommendation of the Commission,the Economic and Social Council recom-mended :

where women have no voice in political affairsand to those countries and regions where wo-men have the franchise but have not beengranted full political rights; and further toconsider the steps to be taken to promote aneffective program of basic education for womenin such countries and regions and to send re-ports on the progress of such a program to theEconomic and Social Council for transmissionto the Commission on the Status of Women;

2. that the Trusteeship Council be invitedto take note of the importance attached bythe Council to the inclusion in the question-naire required by Article 88 of the Charterof questions relating to the status of women,to the nature and form of such questions andto the methods whereby the rights of womenin political, economic, social and educationalfields may be promoted in the Trust Terri-tories.

The Commission recommended that ar-rangements should be made for one or moreof its members to visit Member States tostimulate interest in the work of the Com-mission and assist in compiling the informa-tion required by the Secretariat. The Com-mission also recommended a tentative pro-gram of regional conferences, the first ofwhich, it suggested, might be held during1948. The Council decided that further con-sideration should be given to these two recom-mendations.

7. GENOCIDE

The General Assembly on December 11,1946, passed a resolution affirming that geno-cide was a crime under international law and,inter alia, requesting the Economic and SocialCouncil "to undertake the necessary studies,with a view to drawing up a draft conventionon the crime of genocide to be submitted tothe next regular session of the General As-sembly."

The Council felt that the necessary studiesshould be undertaken in consultation with theCommittee for the Codification of Internation-al Law established by the General Assemblyand with the Commission on Human Rights.In view of the urgency of the question and theheavy program of the Commission on HumanRights, the Council decided to instruct theSecretary-General :

1. that UNESCO consider the desirability of (a) to undertake, with the assistance of ex-paying special attention in its educational, perts in the field of international and criminalsocial program to those countries and regions law, the necessary studies with a view to


drawing up a draft convention in accordancewith the resolution of the General Assembly;and

(b) after consultation with the General As-sembly Committee on the Development andCodification of International Law and, if feas-ible, the Commission on Human Rights and,after reference to all Member Governments

for comments, to submit to the next sessionof the Economic and Social Council a draftconvention on the crime of genocide.

The Secretariat accordingly submitted adraft convention to the Committee on theCodification of International Law at its firstsession.1

P. CONTROL OF NARCOTICS

1. COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGSThe Council decided at its first session to

establish a Commission on Narcotic Drugs,with the following terms of reference:

The Commission shall:(a) assist the Council in exercising such

powers of supervision over the application ofinternational conventions and agreementsdealing with narcotic drugs as may be as-sumed by or conferred on the Council;

(b) carry out such functions entrusted tothe League of Nations Advisory Committeeon Traffic in Opium and other DangerousDrugs by the international conventions onnarcotic drugs as the Council may find neces-sary to assume and continue;

(c) advise the Council on all matters per-taining to the control of narcotic drugs, andprepare such draft international conventionsas may be necessary;

(d) consider what changes may be requiredin the existing machinery for the internation-al control of narcotic drugs and submit pro-posals thereon to the Council;

(e) perform such other functions relatingto narcotic drugs as the Council may direct.

The Council requested the following Gov-ernments to designate one representative eachto constitute the Commission (all for threeyears) :

Canada PeruChina PolandEgypt TurkeyFrance U.S.S.R.India United KingdomIran United StatesMexico of AmericaNetherlands Yugoslavia

The Commission was also authorized bythe Council to appoint, in a consultative ca-pacity and without the right to vote, repre-sentatives of the Permanent Central OpiumBoard and the Supervisory Body, which werecreated under the terms of the InternationalConventions on Narcotic Drugs of 1925 and1931 respectively.

a. First Session

The Commission held its first session fromNovember 27 to December 13, 1946. It electedthe following as its officers:Colonel C. H. L. Sharman (Canada)—Chair-

manDr. S. Tubiasz (Poland)—Vice-ChairmanDr. Szeming Sze (China)—Rapporteur

In addition to organizational questions, theCommission discussed the following generalquestions: limitation of production of rawmaterials, abolition of opium-smoking in theFar East, illicit traffic, drug addiction, re-establishment at its pre-war level of the inter-national control of narcotic drugs, and futurenarcotics control in Japan and Korea.

The Commission noted the preparatory workfor a Conference on the Limitation of theProduction of Opium which had been begunin this field by the League of Nations OpiumAdvisory Committee and continued by theUnited States Government, but realized thatchanged circumstances made it necessary tocollect further information to continue thispreparatory work. It therefore proposed, sub-ject to the approval of the Economic and SocialCouncil, to issue a questionnaire on opium,the questionnaire to be prepared by the Sec-retariat in the light of the views expressedduring the session of the Commission andafter the approval of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur. It proposed to askthe Secretariat to draw up a questionnaireon coca leaves for consideration by the Com-mission at its next session.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session approved the issue of the ques-tionnaire on raw opium prepared by the Com-mission, and requested the Secretary-Generalto transmit it to the governments concerned,asking them to communicate the informationcalled for by August 15, 1947. The U.S.S.R.representative made a reservation concern-

1 See p. 261.


ing the questionnaire on the ground that,since the question of narcotics was a spe-cialized one, it was difficult to judge of theaccuracy of a questionnaire which had notbeen discussed by the Narcotics Commissionas a whole. The Council also approved thedecision of the Commission to draw up aquestionnaire on the coca leaf.

In accordance with the decision of theCouncil a "Questionnaire on the Limitationand Control of the Cultivation of the OpiumPoppy and the Production of Raw Opium andthe Control of other Raw Materials used inthe Manufacture of Opium Alkaloids" wascommunicated by the Secretary-General tothe governments of 68 countries on April 14,1947. Copies of the note sent to governmentsand of the questionnaire were also sent tothe Chairman of the Control Council forGermany and to the Political Advisor to theSupreme Commander for Allied Powers inTokyo with a request for information con-cerning Germany and Japan.

The Commission reviewed the situation inthe Far East as regards opium smoking,which had been changed by the recent abo-lition of most of the previously existing opiummonopolies. Various members of the Com-mission reported the measures their govern-ments were taking to prohibit smoking. Onthe recommendation of the Commission, theEconomic and Social Council at its fourthsession requested the Secretary-General: "toinvite, on behalf of the Council, all countrieswhere the use of opium for smoking is stilllegal, to take immediate steps to prohibit themanufacture of, internal traffic in, and theuse of opium for this purpose."

The Commission reviewed in detail theillicit traffic in narcotic drugs throughout theworld during and as a result of the war. TheCommission heard reports from various mem-bers and urged members to bring to its nextsession reports on illicit traffic similar to thosefurnished annually to the Opium AdvisoryCommittee. The Secretariat was asked toprepare in printed form quarterly summarieson reports of siezures, communicated by gov-ernments under the 1931 Convention, and anannual analytical study of the world trends ofillicit traffic. The Secretariat was also re-quested to communicate with all governmentswhich had not yet ratified the 1936 Conventionfor the Suppression of Illicit Traffic, with aview to securing their early ratification of

this Convention.The Commission considered addiction to

drugs derived from opium and the coca leaf,to cannabis, to new synthetic drugs and tobarbiturates. It discussed the social, legal andmedical aspects of drug addiction. It approved,a questionnaire to be sent to governments ondrug addiction. On the recommendation ofthe Commission, the Council at its fourthsession adopted the following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, HAVINGNOTED that under the Convention of February19, 1925 Governments have undertaken tosend the Permanent Central Opium Boardstatistics of drugs, whether synthetic or not,which are brought under control in virtue ofarticle 10 of this Convention,

BEQUESTS the Secretary-General to remindthe Governments concerned of the obligationabove-mentioned, and to ask them to send forthe information of the Permanent CentralOpium Board and the Supervisory Body,estimates of requirements of these drugs,together with the estimates to be furnishedunder articles 2 to 5 inclusive of the Conven-tion of 1931,(1) Re-establishment of Control

The Commission noted that seventeen coun-tries in Europe and five in Asia had not sub-mitted annual reports during all or part ofthe period 1939-1945, the great majority ofthese countries having been directly affectedby the war, and decided that governmentswhich had not submitted annual reports in re-cent years should be urged to do so. Withregard to those countries which had not yetresumed full collaboration with the interna-tional organs of control, it further decided:

(i) to request them to furnish, as soon aspossible, information on conditions during thewar and on the present state and functioningof their national narcotic administrations;

(ii) to ask them to resume, at the earliestdate possible, collaboration with the interna-tional organs of control in accordance withthe narcotic conventions to which they areparties; and

(iii) to offer them such technical assistanceas they may require with a view to re-estab-lishing their national controls at pre-warlevels (e.g. in some countries all statisticalrecords, archives, etc., relating to drug con-trol were destroyed).

It was also suggested that members of theNarcotic Division of the United Nationsshould study on the spot the re-establishmentand, if necessary, the improvement of nationalcontrol in countries directly affected by thewar and give such technical advice as the cir-cumstances required.


The Council approved the decision of theCommission to ask the countries directlyaffected by the war to resume as soon as pos-sible full collaboration with the internationalorgans of control and to offer them any tech-nical advice needed to re-establish nationalcontrol at pre-war levels.

With a view to assisting it in supervisingthe application of the conventions and agree-ments on narcotic drugs the Commission ask-ed the Secretariat to prepare a list of narcoticlaws and regulations now in operation in thevarious countries parties to the Conventions,an annual summary of new laws and regula-tions and a digest "giving an analytical sur-vey of national legislation in all countries witha view to ascertaining that this legislation isin accordance with the Conventions in forceand thus facilitating the more effective appli-cation of these Conventions." The Commis-sion also asked the Secretariat to obtain fromgovernments certain information concerningthe application of the system of control, andto make a study for further consideration atthe next session of the question of addingnew drugs to the international list.

The Council noted the opinion of the Com-mission that the revision of the list of drugsfalling within the scope of the Conventionsshould not be delayed. It approved the Com-mission's decision to initiate the preparationof a digest of laws.

(2). Conditions in Japan, Korea and Germany

The United States representative madestatements in the Commission on NarcoticDrugs regarding conditions found in Japanand Korea by the United States military au-thorities, showing how no organized controlhad been exercised over the distribution ofnarcotic drugs and how illicit traffic had notbeen suppressed. The Commission took note ofthe report of the Permanent Central OpiumBoard that the United States occupying au-thorities had established a strict centralizedsupervision of narcotics in Japan and Korea,requesting reports and other information tobe furnished in accordance with the narcoticsconventions.

A proposal was submitted by the Chinesedelegation on the future control of narcoticdrugs in Japan with a view to preventing

Japan from again becoming a center of illicittraffic. In addition to questions of Japaneseimport, export and distribution of narcoticdrugs, the proposal suggested that a stock-pile of narcotic drugs should be establishedat the proposed Far Eastern Regional Officeof the United Nations, or some suitable centerdesignated by the Economic and Social Coun-cil on the recommendations of the Commissionon Narcotic Drugs and that import of narcoticdrugs into Japan should be permitted onlyfrom this stockpile. Control measures shouldbe supervised by United Nations inspectors.The Chinese delegation also proposed the es-tablishment of an ad hoc committee to studythis proposal and the possibility of similarcontrol in Korea, and to recommend how suchcontrol could be incorporated in the peacetreaties between Japan and the powers con-cerned and in the agreements for establishinga government in Korea. The Committee shouldalso consider the potentialities of establishingother regional systems of control which mightbe united within a single global system.

The ad hoc committee was established andsubmitted two alternative proposals. The oneprovided for a stockpile; the other providedthat all imports of narcotic drugs into Japanshould receive the prior sanction of an in-spectorate appointed by the United Nations.Both proposals were submitted by the Com-mission to the Economic and Social Council,the majority of members of the Commissionbeing in favor of the second alternative.

The Commission, on the basis of the Chi-nese proposal, also recommended that theproduction of raw materials for the purposeof manufacturing narcotic drugs and the man-ufacture or conversion of narcotic drugs shouldbe prohibited in Japan, that the import ofnarcotic drugs into Japan should not exceedthe total of the estimates of the SupervisoryBody for medical and scientific needs and thatthe export of narcotic substances should beforbidden. The distribution of narcotic drugswithin Japan should, the Commission recom-mended, be controlled by the Japanese Gov-ernment, which should submit regular reportsto the United Nations, and government stocks,except a reserve stock for normal consump-tion, should be prohibited. Similar controlmeasures were advocated for Korea.


The Economic and Social Council adoptedthe following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL HAV-ING CONSIDERED the problem of the control ofnarcotic drugs in Japan, and the recommenda-tions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs onthis subject.

APPROVES the decision of the Commissionto approach the competent authorities at PacificSupreme Headquarters through the properchannels, with the request to supply to theSecretary-General, and through him to theparties to the narcotics conventions, reportsand. other information to be furnished inaccordance with the conventions of 1912, 1925,1931 and 1936, and

HAVING NOTED that the most stringentmeasures for the control of narcotic drugsshould be incorporated in the peace treatiesto be concluded with Japan,

RECOMMENDS to the Governments respons-ible for negotiating these treaties that pro-vision should be made in them for themost stringent control in the period after theconclusion of the treaties of all transactionsconcerning narcotic drugs in Japan, and thatto ensure effective operation this control shouldbe under the supervision of such controlauthorities as may be established by the peacetreaties and of the United Nations, whoseexpert bodies will be available to give suchinformation and advice as may be requested.

The representative of the United Statesmade a statement regarding the steps takenin the United States Zone in Germany forthe re-establishment of narcotics control. ANarcotics Control Working Party with repre-sentatives from each of the four zones wasestablished on September 23, 1946, to studythe question of collecting statistics on narcot-ic drugs for submission to competent authori-ties! designated by the United Nations. Therepresentatives of the Permanent Central Op-ium Board drew attention to the necessity ofa centralized or co-ordinated control of nar-cotics in Germany.

On the recommendation of the Commission,the Economic and Social Council requestedthe Secretary-General on its behalf.... to inform the Governments of France, theUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics, the UnitedKingdom, and the United States of the specialimportance which the Council attaches to theestablishment of an effective control of nar-cotic drugs in Germany, and to invite them, onbehalf of the Council, to recommend to theAllied Control Authority to take the necessarymeasures at the earliest possible moment forthe establishment of an effective control ofnarcotic drugs throughout Germany.

Following the decision, notes concerningthe control of narcotics in Germany and Japanwere addressed to the U.S. Secretary ofState on May 7, 1947, with the request thathe bring the matter before the Allied ControlCouncil for Germany, and the Political Advi-sor to the Supreme Commander for the AlliedPowers, in Tokyo. Tables of the specific obli-gations undertaken under the Narcotics Con-ventions by the German and Japaneseauthorities were annexed.

(3). Appointments to Permanent CentralOpium Board

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs at itsfirst session considered the procedure to befollowed in making future appointments tothe Permanent Central Opium Board. It de-cided to recommend that the Economic andSocial Council should follow a procedure sim-ilar to that followed by the League of Nationsunder Article 19 of the Geneva Conventionof February 19, 1925. The Commission sug-gested that after the entry into force of theamendments to this Convention, the Secretary-General should invite the parties to it each tosubmit to him the names of two personssatisfying the conditions, which included atechnical competence, impartiality and disinter-estedness. In making appointments considera-tion was also to be given to the importanceof including on the Central Board, in equitableproportions, persons possessing a knowledgeof the drug situation both in the producingand manufacturing countries on the one hand,and in the consuming countries on the otherhand, and connected with such countries.Members of the Board might not hold anyoffice putting them in a position of direct de-pendence on their governments.

In extending the invitations the Secretary-General should also be guided by the Economicand Social Council and General Assemblyresolutions regarding Franco Spain.

The Secretary-General should inform gov-ernments in full detail of the nature of theappointments and governments should informcandidates of these, and should state the quali-fications of their nominees. The Commissionsuggested that governments should be asked,in nominating candidates, to make a statementthat these candidates would normally be ableto attend three meetings a year. The list of


candidates should be communicated to mem-bers of the Economic and Social Council beforethe session at which elections were to takeplace.

The Commission pointed out that govern-ments were not obliged to nominate theirown nationals. It drew the attention of theCouncil to the fact that a certain number ofparties to the 1925 Convention were not Mem-bers of the United Nations, and that theCouncil might consider appointing one memberof the Board who was a national of a Statenot a Member of the United Nations. TheCommission stated that while geographicalconsiderations should be taken into account,the primary consideration in appointing mem-bers of the Board should be the qualificationsand technical competence of the candidate.The Chinese member of the Commission point-ed out that the number of persons who werenot dependent on their governments and whopossessed sufficient independent means andleisure to become members of the Board wasvery limited.

The Commission authorized the Chairman,Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur to forward tothe Economic and Social Council one or morenominations for the vacancy on the Perma-nent Central Opium Board. Professor J. Bou-gault (France) was nominated.

The Economic and Social Council approvedthe procedure outlined by the Commission andinstructed the Secretary-General to invite thegovernments concerned to send, so as to reachhim by or on August 1, 1947, their nomina-tions in accordance with these provisions. TheCouncil also invited the Secretary-General tostudy the question of amending or deletingthe requirement that members of the Perma-nent Central Opium Board should not hold anyoffice putting them in a position of directdependence on their governments. The U.S.S.R.representative expressed the opinion that thecomposition of the Board should be determinedon the same principles as that of the com-missions of the Council.

The Council appointed Professor Bougaultto the vacant post on the Board.

On April 25, 1947, the Secretary-Generalwrote to the governments of 65 states request-ing them to submit to him by August 1, 1947,the names of two candidates for the Perma-nent Central Opium Board.

The Council recommended that, in view ofthe numerous functions which had to beperformed, the urgency of the full-establish-ment of narcotic control and the need forresuming the preparatory work for the limi-tation of the production of raw materials, theGeneral Assembly should make adequate pro-visions so that the Commission on NarcoticDrugs and the Secretary-General should beable to discharge efficiently the functions andduties of the United Nations in the field ofnarcotic drugs.

ACTIVITIES OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN THEFIELD OF NARCOTIC DRUGS

By resolution of February 12, 1946 theGeneral Assembly decided that:

... .the (Economic and Social) Councilshould, on or before the dissolution of theLeague (of Nations), assume and continueprovisionally the work hitherto done by...the Opium Section (of the League of Nations)1

and the secretaries of the Permanent CentralOpium Board and the Supervisory Body2..

The General Assembly considers that itwould also be desirable for the Secretary-Gen-eral to engage for the work referred to in para-graph 1 above, on appropriate terms, suchmembers of the experienced personnel bywhom it is at present being performed as theSecretary-General may select.

The Council accordingly, by its resolutionof February 16, 1946, empowered the Secre-tary-General, acting in accordance with theabove-mentioned resolution of the General As-sembly, to take the steps necessary for theprovisional assumption and continuance of

1 The Opium Section of the League of Nations

acted principally as secretariat to the AdvisoryCommittee on the Traffic in Opium and OtherDangerous Drugs; it was responsible for thepreparation of international conferences on nar-cotic drugs and for documents relating to nar-cotic problems for the Assembly and Council ofthe League.

2 These two international control bodies, set upunder the 1925 and 1931 Conventions on NarcoticDrugs, met regularly throughout the war andcarried on their work of control with the assistanceof their respective secretariats. To ensure the con-tinuation of international drug control during thewar, centres outside Switzerland had to he createdfrom which the work could be carried on to thefullest extent possible. Thanks to the courtesyand interest of the Government of the UnitedStates of America, it was possible to establish, inFebruary, 1941, branch offices of the secretariatsof the Permanent Central Board and the Super-visory Body at Washington, D.C., where theyfunctioned until 1946.

2. TRANSFER TO THE UNITED NATIONS OF THE


the work of the Opium Section of the Leagueand the secretariats of the Permanent CentralOpium Board and the Supervisory Body.

In pursuance of the decisions of the GeneralAssembly and the Council, the Secretary-General informed the Secretary-General ofthe League of Nations that the Commissionon Narcotic Drugs of the United Nations hadbeen established and that under its terms ofreference it had, inter alia, to carry out thefunctions entrusted to the Advisory Commit-tee on the Traffic in Opium and Other Danger-ous Drugs of the League; that a NarcoticsDivision had been established within the De-partment of Social Affairs of the UnitedNations Secretariat, its task, inter alia, beingto continue the work hitherto done by theOpium Section of the League, and that con-sequently the Secretary-General had decidedto assume, as from August 1, 1946, responsi-bility for the work of the Opium Section ofthe League.

The Secretary-General further asked theSecretary-General of the League to give theNarcotics Division of the United Nations suchinformation concerning current work andsuch other assistance as it might need incarrying out the functions entrusted to it andto request all Governments that were partiesto Agreements and Conventions on NarcoticDrugs concluded in 1912, 1925, 1931 and 1936to address to the Secretary-General of theUnited Nations all reports and communica-tions which they undertook to furnish underthose Agreements and Conventions, exceptstatistics and estimates which, under the 1925and 1931 Conventions, should continue to besent to the President of the Permanent CentralOpium Board.

The Secretary-General also informed theSecretary-General of the League of Nationsof his intention to simplify, within the pro-visions of the existing Conventions, the ad-ministrative machinery of the internationaldrug control by fusing the secretariats of thePermanent Central Opium Board and theSupervisory Body and requesting the secretaryof the Board to assume also the secretaryshipof the Supervisory Body.

In reply, the Secretary-General of theLeague informed the Secretary-General thata circular letter had been sent to all govern-

ments which were parties to Narcotics Con-ventions requesting them to address hence-forth to the Secretary-General of the UnitedNations all reports and communications re-ferred to above, and to the President of thePermanent Central Opium Board the statis-tics and estimates under the 1925 and 1931Conventions. He further stated that the com-petent services of the League Secretariat hadbeen instructed to give the Narcotics Divisionof the United Nations all assistance it mightneed in the performance of its duties.

The Secretary-General advised the Presi-dent of the Permanent Central Opium Boardand the Chairman of the Supervisory Body ofprovisional administrative and financial ar-rangements which he proposed to make inorder to ensure the continuance, under theauspices of the United Nations, of the workof these two bodies and their respective secre-tariats. He also suggested the abovementionedfusion of the two secretariats and, as thismeasure, if adopted, would affect the staffof the Permanent Central Opium Board, theSecretary-General, following the provisionsof Article 20 of the 1925 Convention, request-ed the President of the Board to inform himwhether this arrangement would meet withthe approval of the Board, If so, the Secre-tary-General would request the secretary ofthe Board to assume also the secretaryship ofthe Supervisory Body.

In reply, the President of the PermanentCentral Opium Board informed the Secretary-General that the measures he proposed inrespect of the appointment of the Board'ssecretary and staff and the fusion of theBoard's secretariat with that of the Super-visory Body met with the Board's full ap-proval. In accordance with Article 20 of the1925 Convention, the President of the Boardnominated for appointment by the Secretary-General the secretary and staff of the Board,whereupon the Secretary-General informedthe President of the Board of the terms andconditions of appointment to be offered tothem. These terms and conditions were ac-cepted by the Board and its staff.

In reply to the Secretary-General's letterconcerning the provisional administrative andfinancial arrangements required to ensurecontinuance of the Supervisory Body's work,the Chairman of the Supervisory Body stated


that he agreed with the measures proposedby the Secretary-General and with the prin-ciple of the fusion of the secretariats of ThePermanent Central Opium Board and theSupervisory Body, but he added that thischange would need to be carefully worked outin consultation with the two bodies concerned.He also suggested that the fusion should be-come effective as from January 1, 1947. Inthe exchange of letters which followed, theSecretary-General assured the Chairman ofthe Supervisory Body that the two bodieswould have an opportunity of working outin consultation the arrangements concerningthe fusion of their secretariats; he also statedthe reasons which, from an administrativepoint of view, made it necessary to fuse thesesecretariats as from September 1, 1946.

Agreements having been reached with thePermanent Central Opium Board and theSupervisory Body on the provisional admin-istrative and financial measures referred toabove, the Secretary-General was in a positionto report that as from September 1, 1946, all"the steps necessary to the provisional as-sumption and continuance of the work hithertodone by.. . the secretariats of the PermanentCentral Opium Board and the SupervisoryBody" had been taken in accordance with theresolution of the Economic and Social Councilof February 16, 1946.

3. TRANSFER TO THE UNITED NATIONS OFPOWERS AND FUNCTIONS EXERCISED BY THELEAGUE OF NATIONS UNDER THE CONVENTIONSON NARCOTIC DRUGS

On February 12, 1946, the General Assem-bly decided, with certain reservations, to takethe necessary measures to ensure the contin-ued exercise of the functions and powers ofa technical and non-political character vestedin the League by virtue of international agree-ments, including those relating to the inter-national control of narcotic drugs,1 and refer-red the matter to the Economic and SocialCouncil.

When the Council considered the matter atits third session, it had before it a memoran-dum prepared by the Secretary-General towhich were appended two draft resolutions(one for the Council and one for the GeneralAssembly) as well as the Draft Protocol in-tended to give effect to the decision taken bythe General -Assembly on February 12, 1946.

Some members took the view that it would beinappropriate for the United Nations to in-vite the present Spanish Government tobecome a party to the new Protocol. Othermembers thought that the right course wasnot to exclude any country from the systemof international control of drugs.

It was generally agreed, however, that ifthe Council decided to exclude Spain, effectcould be given to this intention by adding tothe draft resolution to be submitted to theGeneral Assembly a paragraph the effect ofwhich, if passed by the General Assembly,would be to relieve the Council and theSecretary-General from sending any commu-nication on the subject of narcotic drugs tothe Franco Government, whether Spain wasreferred to in the Conventions and Protocolsas a contracting party or under any otherdesignation.

On October 3, 1946, the Council adopted itsReport to the General Assembly containingits own resolution as well as a draft resolu-tion and a Draft Protocol with Annex forsubmission to the General Assembly, as fol-lows:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTo ensure continuity in the international

control of narcotic drugs,

RECOMMENDS that the General Assembly ap-prove the assumption by the United Nationsof the functions and powers exercised by theLeague of Nations in respect of narcotic drugs,as provided in the attached draft Resolutionand draft Protocol;

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to informthe Members of the United Nations of thisrecommendation in order that their repre-sentatives at the next Session of the GeneralAssembly may be given authority to sign theProtocol;

1 The following four international Conventionsand two Agreements relating to narcotic drugsare at present in force:

General Drug Conventions:(1) The Hague Convention of January 23, 1912.(2) The Geneva Convention of February 19,

1925.(3) The Limitation Convention of July 13, 1931.Special Drug Convention:(4) The Convention for the Suppression of the

Illicit Traffic of June 26, 1936.Opium-Smoking Agreements :

(5) The Geneva Agreement of February 11,1925.

(6) The Bangkok Agreement of November 26,1931.


CONSIDERS that, in view of the Resolutionof the General Assembly on the relations of theMembers of the United Nations with Spain,adopted on 9 February 1946, the Franco Gov-ernment should not be invited to become aparty to the Protocol;

INVITES the present members of the Per-manent Central Board and of the SupervisoryBody to continue for the time being in office,to ensure the continuance of the control ofnarcotic drugs;

REQUESTS that the necessary financial pro-visions may be made by the General Assemblyto enable the Permanent Central Board andthe Supervisory Body to carry on their func-tions under the Conventions; and

INVITES the Commission on Narcotic Drugsto advise the Council as to the procedure to befollowed in making future appointments tothe Permanent Central Board.

The General Assembly on November 19,1946, duly approved the Protocol amendingthe Conventions and Agreements on NarcoticDrugs. Under the Protocol the amendmentswere to come into force in respect of eachinternational instrument when the majorityof the parties to it became parties to the Pro-tocol. The Commission on Narcotic Drugspassed a resolution expressing the hope thatMembers of the United Nations which hadsigned the Protocol, subject to approval fol-lowed by acceptance, would approve or approveand accept it as soon as possible, and thatother Members would become parties to it atan early date. The Commission requested theEconomic and Social Council to consider themeasures to ensure the participation in theProtocol of parties to the Agreements and

Conventions on Narcotic Drugs which werenot Members of the United Nations.

On December 11, 1946, representatives of36 countries signed the Protocol, and it waslater signed by representatives of furthercountries.

The Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session adopted the following resolu-tion:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKES NOTE of the first report of the Com-

mission on Narcotic Drugs and decides asfollows :

HAVING NOTED that forty-nine Members ofthe United Nations have now signed the Pro-tocol transferring to the United Nations thefunctions previously exercised by the Leagueof Nations under international conventions,agreements and other instruments relatingto the narcotic drugs, and

HAVING NOTED that a certain number ofparties to such conventions, agreements andother instruments are not Members of theUnited Nations,

REQUESTS the Secretary-General to inviteall those parties to the conventions, agree-ments and other instruments above-mentionedwhich are not Members of the United Nations,with the exception of Spain so long as theFranco Government remains in power in thatcountry, to become parties to the said Proto-col at an early date.

Invitations to become parties to the Proto-col on Narcotic Drugs were sent by theSecretary-General on May 9, 1947, to the gov-ernments of thirteen countries.

Q. AUTHORIZATION TO THE COUNCIL TO REQUEST ADVISORY OPINIONSOF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

Article 96, paragraph 2, of the Charter em-powers the General Assembly to authorize"other organs of the United Nations andspecialized agencies to request advisory opin-ions of the Court on legal questions arisingwithin the scope of their activities." TheEconomic and Social Council, as one of theprincipal organs of the United Nations, andby virtue of the functions and powers con-ferred upon it under Chapter X of the Charterof the United Nations, has wide responsibili-ties in diverse fields of economic and socialco-operation in the fulfilment of which it mayhave necessarily to request advisory opinions

of the International Court of Justice. Inaddition, by virtue of the terms of Article 63of the Charter, the function of co-ordinatingthe activities of specialized agencies broughtinto relationship with the United Nations hasbeen conferred upon the Council. To enablethe Council to discharge its co-ordinatingresponsibility adequately, it was felt that itshould be authorized to request advisory opin-ions on all legal questions within its scope,including legal questions concerning mutualrelationships of the United Nations and thespecialized agencies.


Accordingly, the Council passed the follow-ing resolution on September 21, 1946:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL RECOM-MENDS that in accordance with Article 96 (2)the General Assembly authorize the Council to

request the International Court of Justice togive an advisory opinion on any legal ques-tions arising within the scope of the activities.

This authorization was granted by the Gen-eral Assembly on December 11, 1946.

R. EXPERT ASSISTANCE TO MEMBER GOVERNMENTSIn order to give effect to the resolution

passed by the General Assembly on December14, 1946, regarding the provision of expertadvice to Member Governments1 the delega-tions of Chile, Cuba, India, Lebanon, Peruand Venezuela submitted jointly to the fourthsession of the Economic and Social Councila draft resolution instructing the Secretary-General to establish within the Secretariata section on expert assistance to Member Gov-ernments.

The attention of the Council was drawn tothe fact that the provision of expert assist-ance might involve the work of one or moreof the commissions of the Council and thespecialized agencies, and it was suggested thatthe Co-ordination Committee2 might be askedto report to the Council on the question.

The Council decided to instruct theSecretary-General to establish machinerywithin the Secretariat designed to performthe following services:

1. Assistance to Member Governments in ob-taining information on expert personnel, re-search facilities and other resources that theUnited Nations and specialized agencies can

make available to Member Governments onrequest, and especially to the less-developedcountries for aiding them in their develop-ment;

2. Elaboration of plans and programmes forthe most efficient utilization of such person-nel, facilities and resources;

3. Assistance to Member Governments whichseek expert advice in securing, on terms mut-ually agreed upon, such advice, particularlyin the form of teams of experts who wouldstudy specific problems and recommend ap-propriate practical solutions for the consid-eration of the Member Governments con-cerned.

It further instructed the Secretary-Generalto work in close co-operation with the special-ized agencies in implementing these instruc-tions and to obtain a report on the subjectfrom the Co-ordination Committee for sub-mission to the Council at its fifth session. TheSecretary-General was also to study, in co-operation with the Co-ordination Committee,the general procedures and terms, includingfinancial arrangements, which might be fol-lowed by the United Nations and specializedagencies in providing technical assistanceto Member Governments.

S. NATIONAL RED CROSS SOCIETIES

On the proposal of the Belgian representa-tive, the Council passed the following resolu-tion on September 21, 1946:

WHEREAS the Economic and Social Coun-cil is empowered by Article 62 of the Charterto make recommendations to the General As-sembly with respect to international economic,social, cultural, educational, health, and re-lated matters,

AND WHEREAS the work of international soli-darity achieved by the National Red Crosssocieties effectively assists the idea of under-standing and peace between nations,

THEREFORE THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIALCOUNCIL RECOMMENDS to the General As-sembly that it should draw the attention ofMembers of United Nations to the fact thatthe following purposes are of special concern,namely :

1. That the said Members should encourage

and promote the establishment and co-opera-tion of duly authorized voluntary nationalRed Cross and Red Crescent organizations;2. That at all times the independent and vol-untary nature of national Red Cross andRed Crescent societies be respected in all cir-cumstances provided they are recognized bytheir governments and carry on their workaccording to the principles of the Genevaand Hague Conventions, and in the humani-tarian spirit of the Red Cross;3. That the necessary steps be taken to en-sure that in all circumstances contact maybe maintained between the national RedCross and Red Crescent societies of allcountries so as to enable them to carry outtheir humanitarian task.These recommendations were approved by

the General Assembly on November 19, 1946.1 See p. 183.2 See p. 546.


T. UNITED NATIONS RESEARCH LABORATORIES

At the third session the French delegationbrought forward a proposal regarding theestablishment of United Nations researchlaboratories. Many representatives stressedthe fact that in several fields of science inter-national laboratories would greatly add to theeffectiveness of scientific research; such inter-national co-operation also would make forequality of means between large and smallcountries. Several members while in favor ofinternational co-operation in scientific re-search thought that the establishment ofresearch laboratories should be deferred atpresent.

The text of the resolution adopted by theCouncil on October 3, 1946, was as follows:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, CON-SIDERING

1. That a certain number of research activi-ties can only be conducted in a rational manneron an international scale, and

2. That many branches of scientific researchconnected with the promotion of human knowl-edge, and especially with public health, wouldyield considerably more effective results if theywere conducted on an international plane,

INVITES the Secretary-General to consultUNESCO and the other specialized agenciesconcerned and to submit to the Economic andSocial Council, if possible during the nextsession, a general report on the problem ofestablishing United Nations Research Labora-tories.

U. TRANSLATION OF THE CLASSICS

The General Assembly on December 14,1946, referred to the Economic and SocialCouncil for reference to the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organi-zation the question of the translation of theworld's classics into the languages of Mem-bers of the United Nations. The Assemblyoutlined certain principles which it recom-mended should be taken into considerationby the Economic and Social Council andUNESCO in their study of the question1.

To give effect to this resolution, the Eco-nomic and Social Council at its fourth sessionpassed the following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTAKING NOTE of the resolution No. 60 (1) of

the General Assembly of 14 December 1946whereby the question of the translation of theworld's classics into the languages of the Mem-bers of the United Nations was referred to theEconomic and Social Council for reference tothe United Nations Educational, Cultural, andScientific Organization, and of the principles

recommended therein for consideration in thestudy of this question; and

CONSIDERING(a) That the translation of the classics is a

project of international concern and of greatsignificance for the promotion of internationalcultural co-operation;

(b) That the successful implementation ofthis project is linked closely with all the activ-ities of UNESCO which tend to raise thegeneral level of culture among the people ofthe world;

(c) That certain nations do not have suffi-cient facilities and resources for the authentictranslation of numerous classics into theirlanguages;

(d) That such translation is greatly con-ducive to their cultural development;and

DECIDE TO REQUEST UNESCO to submit by1 June 1948, to the Economic and Social Coun-cil a report giving recommendations for neededaction, and including particularly data on ob-jective methods of selection of great books,the needs of various cultural regions, and sug-gestions for general assistance in translation,publication and distribution.

V. TRANSFER OF CERTAIN NON-POLITICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

The General Assembly adopted, on Febru-ary 12, 1946, a resolution on the "transfer ofcertain functions, activities and assets of theLeague of Nations."2 Section II of that resolu-tion requested the Economic and Social Coun-cil to survey the non-political functions and

activities of the League other than those be-longing to it under international agreementsin order to determine which of them should,with such modifications as might be desirable,

1 For text of resolution see p. 184.2 See p. 110 ff.


be assumed. At the same time it was indicatedthat pending this examination the Councilshould assume and continue the work of cer-tain League services. The services mentionedwere the Economic, Financial and TransitDepartment, the Health Section, the OpiumSection and the Secretariats of the PermanentCentral Opium Board and Supervisory Body.

Acting upon these recommendations, theEconomic and Social Council on February 16,1946, requested the Secretary-General to un-dertake the survey called for by the GeneralAssembly and to take the necessary steps forthe provision of assumption and continuanceof the work of the League departments men-tioned above.

The Economic and Social Council was ap-prized of the action taken in compliance withthese resolutions by a memorandum from theSecretary-General dated September 26, 1936,of which it took note of on October 20, 1946.

This document contained a brief surveyof the League committees, commissions, de-partments and publications relating to eco-nomic and social questions. It referred to theaction taken by the Secretary-General to as-sume and to continue, provisionally and withsuch modifications as were necessary, the workof the League of Nations in those fields. Italso mentioned the action taken as regardsLeague activities by various commissions ofthe United Nations. It stated that "once the

Commissions and Secretariat of the UnitedNations and the specialized agencies are fullyorganized, it is probable that the Economicand Social activities of the League will havebeen absorbed..." In conclusion, it suggest-ed that "in such cases where this has not yetbeen done, the Commissions and specializedagencies should study and, if required, reporton conditions under which the functions ofthe League of Nations formerly exercisedwithin their field of competence, might beassumed, insofar as it is desirable and doesnot involve any overlapping of activities."

The Report of the Economic and SocialCouncil and the Report of the Secretary-General on the Transfer of Certain Functionsand Activities of the League of Nations weresubmitted to the second part of the first ses-sion of the General Assembly. On December14 the Assembly passed a resolution recog-nizing that it was desirable for the UnitedNations to assume and continue the non-political functions and activities of the Leaguedescribed in the Secretary-General's reportand authorizing him to assume and continuesuch activities except those exercised underinternational agreements or those entrustedto specialized agencies. It authorized the Eco-nomic and Social Council to assume and con-tinue, with the same exceptions, the functionsof the League committees and commissions.

W. TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY RIGHTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL

INSTITUTE OF INTELLECTUAL CO-OPERATION

The Council passed the following resolutionon October 3, 1946:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, inview of the future transfer to UNESCO ofthe functions and activities of the Interna-tional Institute of Intellectual Co-operation,

RECOMMENDS that:1. The Preparatory Commission of UNESCOand the Institute be requested to under-take negotiations for the purpose forthwith.2. The Secretary-General be authorized tostudy and to report to the next meeting ofthe General Assembly concerning the con-

ditions under which it will be appropriateto utilize the assets of the League of Na-tions in the International Institute ofIntellectual Co-operation, bearing in mindthe respective requirements of the UnitedNations and of UNESCO.

The General Assembly on November 19 in-vited the Secretary-General to authorizeUNESCO to utilize the assets of the Insti-tute transferred by the League of Nationsto the United Nations1.

1 For text of the resolution, see pp. 268, 269.


X. SPECIALIZED AGENCIES

1. COMMITTEE ON NEGOTIATIONS WITHSPECIALIZED AGENCIES

The Council appointed a Committee onNegotiations with Specialized Agencies dur-ing the first session and directed it:

(a) to enter into negotiations as early aspossible with the Food and Agriculture Or-ganization of the United Nations, the Inter-national Labour Organisation, the Interna-tional Monetary Fund, the International Bankfor Reconstruction and Development, and theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization;

(b) to submit a report of the negotiationsto the second session of the Council, includingtherein a draft preliminary agreement basedupon the negotiations with the above-mention-ed agencies;

(c) to arrange for the inclusion in thepreliminary draft agreements with each ofthese agencies of appropriate provisions on thesubjects, based on the relevant paragraphsof Chapter III, Section 5, of the Report of thePreparatory Commission.

The Committee was composed of represent-atives of Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Co-lombia, Czechoslovakia, France, Norway, theU.S.S.R., the United Kingdom and the UnitedStates, under the chairmanship of the Presi-dent of the Council.

2. NEGOTIATIONS WITH ILO, UNESCO, FAOAND PICAO

During the second session of the Council,negotiations took place with the InternationalLabour Organisation, the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organi-zation and the Food and Agriculture Organi-zation of the United Nations. As a result theCouncil passed the following resolution onJune 21 :

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL,HAVING CONSIDERED the draft agreements

entered into between its Committee onNegotiations with Specialized Agencies andthe International Labour Organisation, theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization and the Food and Agri-culture Organization of the United Nations,

RECOMMENDS to the General Assembly thatthese agreements be approved by it.

At the third session, negotiations took placewith the Provisional International Civil Avi-ation Organization, in accordance with a de-cision taken by the Council at its secondsession.

Some members of the Council maintainedthat the negotiations with the ProvisionalInternational Civil Aviation Organizationshould be postponed so long as Spain remaineda member of this Organization. They referredto the resolution of the General Assembly ofFebruary 9, 1946. The majority of the Councilfelt, however, that the question of relationsbetween the United Nations and Spain was notinvolved in the establishment of relationshipswith the International Civil Aviation Organiza-tion and that an agreement should be enteredinto with that Organization in accordancewith Articles 57 and 63 of the Charter.

The Council adopted on October 3, 1946, theresolution quoted in section 5 of this chapter,recommending the approval of the draft agree-ment negotiated with PICAO by the Assembly.

3. MAIN PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENTSProvisions were included in the draft agree-

ments in the light of the principles set out inthe Report of the Preparatory Commission.The most important of them were as follows:

Reciprocal Representation. The United Na-tions might send a representative to themeetings of the conferences and executivebodies of specialized agencies, and these inturn might be represented in an official char-acter at the meetings of the organs in whichthey have an interest.

Admission of States not Members of theUnited Nations. In the agreement withUNESCO the admission of States not Mem-bers of the United Nations to the membershipof the Organization was subject to certainprocedures which enabled the Economic andSocial Council to recommend the rejection ofthe applications for admission. A similar pro-vision was included in the agreement withPICAO; with the difference that the GeneralAssembly, and not the Economic and SocialCouncil, would review the applications formembership of the Organization.

Proposal of Agenda Items. The Economicand Social Council and the Trusteeship Councilundertook to insert in their agenda items pro-posed by the specialized agencies, and in turnthe specialized agencies undertook to insertin the agenda of their respective bodies theitems proposed by the United Nations.

Recommendations of the United Nations.Under the agreements, the specialized agen-cies agreed to submit to their policy-makingor executive bodies all formal recommenda-tions which the United Nations might make tothem. They agreed to enter into consultationwith the United Nations, upon request, withrespect to such recommendations, and to re-port to the United Nations on the action taken


to give effect to such recommendations. Thisclause provided a principal means by whichthe United Nations could perform its functionsof co-ordination in accordance with Articles58 and 63 of the Charter.

Exchange of Information and Documents.The fullest and promptest exchange of infor-mation and documents was to be made betweenthe United Nations and each agency. Theagencies undertook to supply reports to theUnited Nations including both regular andspecial reports.

Assistance to the Security Council. Theagencies agreed to render assistance to theSecurity Council in carrying out its decisions.

Assistance to the Trusteeship Council andCo-operation with Regard to Non-Self-Govern-ing Territories. The agencies agreed to co-operate with the Trusteeship Council incarrying out its functions and to co-operatewith the United Nations in the discharge ofits" obligations with respect to the develop-ment of the peoples of non-self-governingterritories.

Relations with the International Court ofJustice. Under the agreements, the specializedagencies were authorized to request advisoryopinions of the International Court of Justiceon legal questions arising within the scopeof their activities other than questions ofmutual relations of the organizations and theUnited Nations or other specialized agencies.The draft agreement with the InternationalLabour Organisation contained a generalauthorization to request advisory opinionsfrom the International Court of Justice, with-in the above mentioned limitations, whereasthe draft agreement with UNESCO contain-ed a clause providing for the possibility thatthe Council might withhold the request untilthe General Assembly has made a final de-cision.

At the third session the Council decided toinclude in the draft agreements with theFood and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations and the Provisional Interna-tional Civil Aviation Organization the sameclause for obtaining advisory opinions fromthe International Court of Justice as wascontained in the draft agreement with theInternational Labour Organisation, and rec-ommended that the General Assembly au-thorize the Secretary-General to offer to theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization the same clause.

Headquarters and Regional Offices. Sincethe headquarters of the United Nations Edu-cational, Scientific and Cultural Organizationhad already been established in Paris, no pro-vision was included in the Agreement with thisOrganization. With respect to the other threeorganizations, centralization was recognizedas the guiding principle in the eventual de-termination of their headquarters.

Personnel Arrangements. The agreementsstressed the desirability of securing as much

uniformity and co-ordination as practicablein matters relating to personnel and adminis-trative services. The draft agreements pro-vided for the development of common personnelstandards and methods designed to avoid un-just differences in terms and conditions ofemployment as well as to avoid competitionin the recruitment of personnel and to facili-tate interchange of personnel.

Statistical Services. A provision to co-ordinate the statistical services of the UnitedNations and those of the specialized agencieswas included in the agreements on the basisof the recommendations made by the "nuclear"Statistical Commission to the Council.

Budgetary and Financial Arrangements.This article contemplated the establishment ofa general budget of the United Nations withinwhich the budget of the specialized agencieswould be included. In order to establish thissystem of "consolidated budgets" as envisagedin the Report of the Preparatory Commission,supplementary agreements would have to benegotiated at a later date. In the meantime,specialized agencies were to enter into con-sultation with the United Nations in the prep-aration of their budgets, and were to trans-mit their proposed budgets annually to theGeneral Assembly for examination and recom-mendations and to conform as far aspracticable to the standards recommended bythe United Nations in accordance with Article17, paragraph 2 of the Charter.

Public Information. In order to co-ordinatethe activities of the United Nations Educa-tional, Scientific and Cultural Organization inadvancing the mutual knowledge and under-standing of people, through all means of masscommunication, with the operations of infor-mation services of the United Nations, asubsidiary agreement was to be concluded withthis Organization.

4. RELATIONS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL MONE-TARY FUND AND THE INTERNATIONAL BANKFOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

At the request of the International Bank forReconstruction and Development and the In-ternational Monetary Fund, the Council de-cided, at its second session, to postpone negoti-ations with these organizations, and instructedthe Secretary-General to continue exploratorydiscussions so as to prepare for negotiationsduring the third session of the Council. Con-versations were entered into with both organi-zations accordingly on problems involved inthe relationships between the United Nationsand the International Bank for Reconstructionand Development and the International Mone-tary Fund. Practical co-operation was estab-lished, consisting mainly of mutual attendanceat meetings as well as the joint planning of


economic research and statistical work. TheInternational Monetary Fund and the Inter-national Bank for Reconstruction and Develop-ment informed the Secretary-General of theirdesire to continue and intensify practical co-operation with the United Nations. Theyconsidered, however, that pending further de-velopment of their organization and activities,it would be premature to negotiate formalagreements under Article 57 of the Charter;they preferred to wait until experience hadmore clearly indicated the appropriate charac-ter and scope of their future relations withUnited Nations.

The Committee on Negotiations withSpecialized Agencies after a full discussionreached the conclusion that every possibleeffort should be made to negotiate with theInternational Monetary Fund and the Inter-national Bank for Reconstruction and Develop-ment at an early session of the Council draftagreements which should take into accountthe special characteristics of these institutionsand to submit these draft agreements to thesecond session of the General Assembly in1947.

5. RESOLUTIONS OF THE COUNCIL

The Council passed the following resolutionsat its third session:

1. THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILINSTRUCTS the Secretary-General to insert

the draft agreement with the FAO, which theCouncil at its second session recommendedfor the approval of the General Assembly, anadditional article granting the same procedurefor obtaining advisory opinions from the In-ternational Court of Justice as is specifiedin Article IX of the draft agreement with theILO and recommends to the General Assemblythat it approve the draft agreement with theFood and Agriculture Organization as amend-ed by the addition of this article.

2. THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILHAVING CONSIDERED the draft agreement en-

tered into between its Committee on Negoti-ations with Specialized Agencies and theProvisional International Civil Aviation Orga-nization, instructs the Secretary-General toinsert in the draft agreement with the ICAOan additional article granting to the ICAO thesame procedure for obtaining advisory opin-ions from the International Court of Justiceas is specified in article IX of the draft agree-ment with the ILO and, recommends to the

General Assembly that it approve the draftagreement with the addition of this article.

3. THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILRECOMMENDS to the General Assembly that it

authorize the Secretary-General to offer toUNESCO to replace article XI of the draftagreement with that organization, which dealswith the question of access to the InternationalCourt of Justice, by an article which will ex-tend to UNESCO the same procedure in thisrespect as is specified in the agreement withthe ILO (article IX).

4. THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILDIRECTS the Secretary-General to strengthen

and extend working relationships between theUnited Nations and the International MonetaryFund and the International Bank for Recon-struction and Development and to continueconsultations with the representatives of theseorganizations with a view to initiating formalnegotiations as soon as practicable.

5. THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILDIRECTS the Secretary-General to initiate as

soon as possible conversations with the InterimCommission of the World Health Organizationfor the purpose of preparing an agreement tobe negotiated at an early session of the Eco-nomic and Social Council.

The General Assembly approved the agree-ments bringing the International Labour Or-ganisation, the Food and Agriculture Organi-zation, the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization and theInternational Civil Aviation Organization intorelationship with the United Nations.1

It recommended, however, that the FrancoGovernment of Spain be debarred from mem-bership in the international agencies establish-ed by or brought into relationship with theUnited Nations, and made its approval of theagreement with ICAO contingent on that Or-ganization's compliance with this decision.2

The Council at its fourth session authorizedthe Committee on Negotiations with Special-ized Agencies to enter into negotiations withthe Universal Postal Union and the Inter-national Telecommunications Union with aview to bringing these organizations into rela-tionship with the United Nations as special-ized agencies.3

1 For texts of agreements see Part Two, TheSpecialized Agencies.

2 The first Assembly of ICAO voted in May

1947 to expel Franco Spain. Its decision has stillto be ratified by its members.

2 See p. 499.


6. CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEEAt its third session the Council passed the

following resolution:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILBeing desirous of discharging effectively

its responsibility under the Charter of theUnited Nations to co-ordinate the activitiesof the specialized agencies,

1. Undertakes, after reference, if necessary,to an appropriate commission or to an ad hoccommittee,

(a) To consider and to make recommenda-tions or decisions, as may be suitable, re-garding matters referred to it by theSecretary-General from the Committee es-tablished under paragraph 2, below, andmatters arising outside the area of theagreements between the United Nationsand the specialized agencies which are ormay become the subject of difference ofview between the specialized agencies andthe United Nations, or between the special-ized agencies, or between the specializedagencies and commissions or other subsidi-ary organs of the Council, and(b) To make recommendations concerningways and means of improving relations be-tween these bodies; and

2. Requests the Secretary-General of theUnited Nations to establish a standing com-mittee of administrative officers consisting ofhimself, as chairman, and the correspond-ing officers of the specialized agencies broughtinto relationship with the United Nations,for the purpose of taking all appropriate steps,under the leadership of the Secretary-General,to ensure the fullest and most effective imple-mentation of the agreements entered intobetween the United Nations and the special-ized agencies.

This Co-ordination Committee held its firstmeeting on February 4, 1947, at Lake Suc-cess. It was attended by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Assist-ant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs,and by the Directors-General of ILO, FAOand UNESCO.

The Committee discussed questions regard-ing the implementation of the agreements en-tered into with the specialized agencies—inparticular budgetary and financial arrange-ments, technical advice to member nations,headquarters and regional offices and co-ordination of conferences.

To follow up agreements reached in the Co-ordination Committee, a Working Committee

composed of senior members of the secretar-iats of the United Nations and of the special-ized agencies was established. It first met onFebruary 5. It will report to the Co-ordinationCommittee.

The Secretary-General reported to the Eco-nomic and Social Council on the meeting ofthe Co-ordination Committee. In his reporthe stated that inter-agency consultative com-mittees at the secretariat level had been orwould be set up on public information, per-sonnel matters, budgetary and financial mat-ters and statistical services. These committeeswould report to the Co-ordination Committeeconcerning the agreements which they reached.The Co-ordination Committee agreed that adhoc working groups composed of officials ofthe United Nations and specialized agenciesshould be established as occasion arose toconsider problems of common concern.

The Secretary-General's report was notedby the Economic and Social Council at itsfourth session.

THE UNITED NATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP INUNESCO

Under the agreement between the UnitedNations and UNESCO applications submittedby States not Members of the United Nationsfor membership in UNESCO are transmittedto the Economic and Social Council, whichmay recommend their rejection. Any such rec-ommendation must be accepted by UNESCO.

Accordingly the Director-General of UNESCOsent to the Secretary-General of the UnitedNations for submission to the fourth sessionof the Economic and Social Council applica-tions received from Italy, Austria and Switz-erland. The Council voted to approve the ad-mission of these three countries to UNESCO.

The Council decided to defer until its nextsession consideration of the application ofHungary, which was submitted later.

8. PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL REFUGEEORGANIZATION

The General Assembly adopted on Febru-ary 12, 1946, a resolution recommendingthat the Economic and Social Council examinethe problem of refugees and displaced persons

7. APPLICATIONS BY STATES NOT MEMBERS OF


and report on it to the second part of thefirst session of the General Assembly, andthat the Council establish a special committeefor the purpose of carrying out promptly theexamination and preparation of the report.1

Pursuant to these recommendations, theCouncil, by a resolution adopted on February16, 1946, established a Special Committee onRefugees and Displaced Persons, to carry outpromptly a thorough examination of the prob-lem and to make a report thereon to the Coun-cil at its second session.

The Special Committee met in London fromApril 8, to June 1, 1946. The Committee firstdecided on the necessity of establishing aninternational body to deal with the problemof refugees and displaced persons, such inter-national body to be a specialized agency ofnon-permanent character. Working throughfour sub-committees, the Special Committeeconsidered and reported on the following as-pects of the problem:

(a) definition of the categories of personsentitled to international protection and assist-ance;

(b) numbers and location of refugees anddisplaced persons as well as the conditionspreventing speedy repatriation, general prob-lems raised by refugees and displaced personsin the Far East, and ascertainment by enquiryfrom countries of reception of the possibili-ties of resettling non-repatriables;

(c) form of the new international body andits relationship to the United Nations, and itsconstitution and internal administration;

(d) the examination of the various state-ments and memoranda submitted by privateorganizations.

The report of the Special Committee onRefugees and Displaced Persons was present-ed to the Economic and Social Council at itssecond session in June. The Council concen-trated its discussions on the suggestions ofthe Special Committee for a draft constitutionfor a new international body to be called theInternational Refugee Organization, and onthe definition of persons coming within themandate of the new organization, which itwas agreed must be an integral part of theconstitution.

By resolution of June 21, 1946, the Council

recommended to the General Assembly theestablishment of a non-permanent organiza-tion to be called the International RefugeeOrganization, a specialized agency to be re-lated to the United Nations. Having in mindthe urgency of bringing the InternationalRefugee Organization into being at the earli-est possible date, the Council also recommend-ed that the Constitution of IRO as finallyadopted by the General Assembly be openedimmediately for signature. It urged Membersof the United Nations to accord their repre-sentatives full power to sign the Constitution.

Having revised the suggestions of the Spe-cial Committee for a draft Constitution, theCouncil requested the Secretary-General toforward the draft Constitution to governmentsfor their comments after drafting such tech-nical clauses as were necessary to complete itfrom a legal point of view.

The Council further established a Commit-tee on the Finances of the Internationa!Refugee Organization to prepare, in the lightof the draft Constitution, provisional admin-istrative and operational budgets for the firstfinancial year of the Organization and scales ofcontributions from Members, having due re-gard to the exceptionally difficult financial situ-ation of countries formerly under enemy occu-pation. It decided to review at its third sessionthe comments of Members on the draft Con-stitution and on the Report of the Committeeon the Finances of IRO.

The Council, in view of the urgent impor-tance of making adequate preparation for theadvent of the new organization, also recom-mended by a resolution of June 21, 1946, thatthe Secretary-General of the United Nationstake such steps as might be appropriate toplan in consultation with UNRRA and theInter-Governmental Committee on Refugeesthe initiation of the work of IRO.

The Committee on the Finances of IRO metin London from July 6 to 20, 1946. On thebasis of an estimated total number of 844,525European refugees and displaced persons atJanuary 1, 1947, and estimates of the numberand location of those likely to be repatriated orresettled during 1947, the Committee prepareda provisional administrative and operationalbudget for IRO, and recommended provisionalscales of contribution to the Administra-tive budget and parts I and II of the

1 For text of resolution see pp. 74, 75.


operational budget (large scale resettlementand other than large scale resettlement). Owingto lack of information, it was left to the Coun-cil to include in the budget an item for thecost of repatriation of Overseas Chinese. Thisreport was circulated to governments for theircomments.

The Council, at its third session, had beforeit the comments of governments on the draftConstitution, the report of the Committeeon the Finances of IRO and a report of theSecretary-General concerning the resolutionof the Economic and Social Council relatingto the initiation of the work of IRO. Takinginto account the recommendations of a Sub-Committee on Refugees, the Council amendedthe draft Constitution in the light of commentsfrom governments, and agreed to set up asmall committee to review the Report of theCommittee on the Finances of IRO in thelight of observations made by governments andany new information which might be receivedin the near future. The Council also recom-mended that Section 3 of the Report of theCommittee on the Finances of IRO concerningscales of contributions to the budget of IROshould be referred to the General Assembly inorder that the provisional scales of contribu-tions set forth in that document might bereviewed in the light of the report of theStanding Committee on Contributions to beadopted by the General Assembly at the secondpart of its first session.

The Council appointed an ad hoc Committeeon Finances. This Committee reviewed theadministrative budget proposed by the Com-mittee on the Finances of IRO and recom-mended its adoption in the same amount($4,8000,000), but reduced Part I of the pro-visional operational budget (other than large-scale resettlement) from $193,954,000 to$151,051,000 and Part II of the provisionaloperational budget (large-scale resettlement)from $60,000,000 to $5,000,000. The reductionswere made on the basis of certain factorswhich modified some of the assumptions under-lying the original calculations, i.e. the numbersof persons likely to be resettled and repatria-ated during the first part of operations ofIRO; the necessity of bridging the gap be-tween the cost of planned operations and re-sources likely to be available; and finally the

fact that UNRRA was to continue displacedpersons operations until June 30, 1947. Fur-thermore, it included an item in the budgetfor the cost of repatriation of displaced Over-seas Chinese. The report of the ad hoc Com-mittee, including the revised budget estimates,which it was agreed should be circulated togovernments by the Secretary-General, wasapproved by the Council on the understandingthat all decisions were subject to reference togovernments. It was agreed to transmit thereport of the Committee on the Finances ofthe IRO, together with the report of the ad hocCommittee, to the General Assembly for finaldecision.

Differences of emphasis and opinion in theCouncil characterized the discussions on refu-gees and displaced persons from the outset.There was no difference of view concerningthe necessity of aiding internationally thevictims of nazi, fascist and similar regimes.But the extension of such international pro-tection and maintenance to other large groupsof persons who for one reason or anotherwere unwilling to return to their countries ofnationality or former habitual residence(notably the so-called "political dissidents")was opposed throughout by some Members.This opposition was directed particularlyagainst those who actively participated inhostile activities against a Member of theUnited Nations.

The debate centered around the prospectsand degree of repatriation. The majoritytended to take the view that, taking full ac-count of possibilities of repatriation, therewould still remain a large remnant of dis-placed persons who would become for validreasons the responsibility of IRO and con-stitute a "hard core" of non-repatriables. Theminority, on the other hand, argued that inthe absence of hostile propaganda against thecountries of origin, with full information giv-en directly by representatives of the countriesof origin to their nationals in the camps, andwith segregation of those who actively impededrepatriation, especially war criminals, quis-lings and traitors, the number of non-repatriables would be greatly reduced. Theminority also urged that full lists of displacedpersons should be furnished to the govern-ments of the countries of origin, arguing that


this would facilitate the screening of undesir-ables as well as direct communication withrelatives in countries of origin.

During the third session of the Council anumber of compromise positions were general-ly accepted. But among the questions uponwhich no general agreement yet existed wasthat of the financing of IRO. The FinanceArticle (Article X) of the draft Constitutioncontained the principle of the obligatory con-tribution of members of IRO, not only to theadministrative budget (about which no seriousdifference of opinion existed) but also to theoperational budget, including large-scale re-settlement. A certain number of governmentsexpressed their strong opposition to the oblig-atory principle so far as large-scale resettle-ment projects were concerned, a smaller numberextending that opposition to the whole or partof the operational budget as well.

The Council approved the draft Constitu-tion as amended at its third session and trans-mitted it to the General Assembly.1 The Coun-cil also transmitted to the General Assemblythe following resolutions:

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILTRANSMITS to the General Assembly the

report of the ad hoc Committee of Financesof the International Refugee Organization.

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILHAVING reviewed the constitution of the

International Refugee Organization in thelight of the comments thereon by Members ofthe United Nations; and

HAVING considered the report of the Com-mittee on the Finances of the InternationalRefugee Organization established under reso-lution of the Council of 21 June 1946 and thecomments thereon of Members of the UnitedNations; and

HAVING taken into account the draft re-port of the Secretary-General on the initiationof the work of the IRO; and

CONSIDERING that all possible measuresshould be taken to expedite the establishmentof the International Refugee Organization,to provide for an orderly transfer of functionsto it from existing organizations, and toensure, in the period previous to the cominginto effective operation of the Organization, themaximum of effort for the accomplishmentof these purposes;

REQUESTS the Secretary-General, pendingthe establishment of the Preparatory Commis-sion referred to in the annexed interimarrangement, to take such further steps as

may be appropriate to plan, in consultationwith UNRRA and the IGC, the initiation ofthe work of the IRO; and

TRANSMITS the following draft resolutionto the General Assembly:

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,NOTING that action has been taken pursu-

ant to the resolution concerning refugees anddisplaced persons adopted by the GeneralAssembly on 12 February 1946, as follows:

(a) The establishment by the Economic andSocial Council of a Special Committee onRefugees and Displaced Persons under aresolution of the Council of 16 February1946;

(b) The making of a report by the specialCommittee to the second session of theCouncil;

(c) The adoption of a draft Constitutionfor an International Refugee Organizationand the creation of a Committee on theFinances of the International Refugee Or-ganization by the Council under a resolutionof the Council of 21 June 1946;(d) The circulation to Members of theUnited Nations for their comments of thedraft Constitution and the report of theCommittee on Finances;

(e) The final approval by the Council ofthe constitution and of a provisional budgetfor the first financial year, the adoption bythe Council of an arrangement for a pre-paratory commission, and the transmittalof both these instruments to the GeneralAssembly, under a resolution of the Councilof 3 October 1946;

Having considered the constitution of theInternational Refugee Organization and thearrangement for a preparatory commission asapproved by the Economic and Social Council;

Considering that every effort should bemade to provide for the early establishment ofthe International Refugee Organization andthe provision of measures during the interimperiod designed to facilitate such establish-ment,

(a) Approves the Constitution of the In-ternational Refugee Organization and theArrangement for a preparatory commis-sion as annexed hereto;

(b) Requests the Secretary-General to openthese two instruments for signature and,in the case of the constitution, to open itfor signature either with or without reser-vation as to subsequent acceptance;

1 See p. 164 ff.


(c) Urges Members of the United Na-tions to sign these two instruments and,where constitutional procedures permit, tosign the constitution without reservation asto subsequent acceptance;(d) Authorizes the Secretary-General tomake such staff available to the Prepara-tory Commission as may be deemed neces-sary and desirable.The General Assembly approved, in an

amended form, the Constitution of the Inter-national Refugee Organization, includingprovisional budgets for administrative andoperational expenses.1

9. INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CONFERENCEIn accordance with a resolution of the Coun-

cil of February 15, 1946, a PreparatoryTechnical Committee consisting of expertsappointed in their personal capacities met inParis in March 1946 to prepare the docu-mentation for an International Health Con-ference. This resolution envisaged the estab-lishment of a single International HealthOrganization, and the Technical PreparatoryCommittee reached agreement on a draft forthe constitution of such an organization.2

The International Health Conference calledby the Council, in accordance with resolutionsadopted on February 15 and June 11, 1946,met in New York from June 19 to July 22.

The Conference established the followinginstruments :

(a) Final Act of the International HealthConference, incorporating a resolution re-garding the activities of the League of NationsHealth Organization;

(b) Constitution of the World Health Or-ganization;

(c) Arrangement concluded by the Govern-ments represented at the International HealthConference establishing an Interim Commis-sion of the World Health Organization;

(d) Protocol concerning the Office inter-national d'hygiène publique.

At its third session, the Council adoptedthe following resolutions on September 17,1946:

In accordance with the resolutions of theCouncil of 15 February and 11 June 1946,the International Health Conference met inNew York to establish a single InternationalHealth Organization, and adopted the follow-ing instruments:

Final act of the International Health Con-ference.

Constitution of the World Health Organ-ization.Arrangement concluded by the Governmentsrepresented at the International HealthConference establishing an Interim Com-mission of the World Health Organization.Protocol Concerning the Office internationald'hygiène publique.

The Economic and Social Council noteswith satisfaction the completion and signatureof the Constitution of the World HealthOrganization, and recognizes the importanceof bringing it into effective operation as soonas possible.

The Economic and Social Council also noteswith satisfaction the establishment of theInterim Commission of the World Health Or-ganization, and recognizes the desirability oftransferring to the Organization or to itsInterim Commission as soon as possible thefunctions and activities of the League ofNations Health Organization and the Officeinternational d'hygiène publique, and thehealth functions performed by UNRRA inrespect to the International Sanitary Conven-tions.

THEREFORE,The Economic and Social Council requests

the General Assembly:1. To recommend to all Members of the

United Nations the acceptance by them ofthe constitution of the World Health Organi-zation at the earliest possible date;

2. To instruct the Secretary-General to takethe necessary steps, as contemplated by theFinal Act of the International Health Con-ference, to effect the transfer of the functionsand activities of the League of Nations HealthOrganization which have been assumed bythe United Nations to the Interim Commis-sion of the World Health Organization;

3. To recommend to Members of the UnitedNations, and in particular those Membersparties to the Rome Agreement of 1907 con-stituting the Office international d'hygiènepublique, the acceptance by them at the earli-est possible date of the Protocol of theInternational Health Conference concerningthe Office international d'hygiène publique;

4. In response to the application of theInterim Commission, to approve a grant orloan of $300,000 by the United Nations forthe purpose of financing the activities of the

1 For the text of the Constitution see Part Two,the Specialized Agencies.

2 For an account of the structure and functionsof the World Health Organization and the textsof the Constitution, the Interim Arrangement andthe Protocol, see Part Two, the SpecializedAgencies.


Interim Commission from the commencementof its work to the end of the financial year1946, and to approve the inclusion of $1,000,000in the budget of the United Nations for thefinancial year 1947 for the purpose of financ-ing through a further grant or loan the activ-ities of the Interim Commission or the WorldHealth Organization during that year;

5. To authorize the Secretary-General totransmit any Assembly recommendations inpursuance under paragraphs 1 and 3 above toall States who, whether Members of the UnitedNations or not, sent representatives or observ-ers to the International Health Conference.

These recommendations were adopted bythe General Assembly on December 14, 1946.

Y. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

1. COMMITTEE ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR CON-SULTATION WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL OR-

GANIZATIONS

The General Assembly on February 16,1946, recommended:

(a) that the Economic and Social Councilshould, as soon as possible, adopt suitable ar-rangements enabling the World Federationof Trade Unions and the International Co-operative Alliance as well as other internation-al non-governmental organizations whose ex-perience the Economic and Social Councilwill find necessary to use, to collaborate forpurposes of consultation with the Economicand Social Council.

(b) that the Economic and Social Councilshould likewise adopt as soon as possiblesuitable arrangements enabling the AmericanFederation of Labor as well as other nationaland regional non-governmental organizationswhose experience the Economic and SocialCouncil will find necessary to use, to collabo-rate for purposes of consultation with theEconomic and Social Council.

The Council took note of this recommenda-tion, and at the first session appointed aCommittee consisting of members of the Coun-cil for China, Cuba, France, Greece, Lebanon,Peru, the Ukrainian S.S.R., the U.S.S.R., theUnited Kingdom, the United States, and Yugo-slavia, in addition to the President of the Com-mittee.

This Committee was instructed to submit:(a) detailed proposals to the next session of

the Council to implement the recommendationof the General Assembly regarding interna-tional, national and regional non-governmentalorganizations; and

(b) in particular, proposals to implementthe recommendation of the General Assemblyregarding the organizations specifically men-tioned in the resolution.

2. FIRST REPORT OF THE COMMITTEEThe report of the Committee on Arrange-

ments for Consultation with Non-Government-al Organizations, was adopted by the Council

at the second session on June 21, 1946. Itstated that arrangements for consultationwould be made with a non-governmentalorganization provided that the organizationfulfilled certain requirements. It should beconcerned with matters falling within thecompetence of the Economic and Social Coun-cil, its aims and purposes should be inconformity with the Charter of the UnitedNations, it should represent a substantialproportion of the organized persons withinthe particular field of interest in which itoperated and it should have authority tospeak for its members through its authorizedrepresentatives.

With regard to national organizations, thereport recommended that they should normal-ly present their views through their respectivegovernments or through international non-governmental organizations to which they be-longed. However, they might be eligible forconsultation if they covered a field not coveredby any international organization, or hadspecial experience. In determining the ar-rangements for consultation, considerationwould be given to the degree of assistancewhich might be expected from an organizationin carrying out the tasks set out in ChapterIX of the Charter.

The report provided that the arrangementsfor consultation would not be such as togrant to non-governmental organizations thesame rights of participation accorded toStates not members of the Council or to spe-cialized agencies. Consultation would takeplace, on the one hand, to secure expert in-formation or advice and, on the other hand,to enable organizations which represented im-portant elements of public opinion to expresstheir views. In order to avoid duplication ofconsultation, particularly with reference tospecialized agencies, the Council would takeinto account the relations between these agen-cies and non-governmental organizations.


Organizations would be divided into threecategories, which were as follows :

(a) Organizations which had a basic in-terest in most of the activities of the Council,and were closely linked with the economic orsocial life of the areas which they represented,

(b) Organizations which had a specialcompetence but were concerned specifically withonly a few of the fields of activity covered bythe Council;

(c) Organizations which were primarily con-cerned with the development of public opinionand with the dissemination of information.

Organizations in category (a), the reportset forth, might send observers to all publicmeetings of the Council and circulate to mem-bers of the Council written communications,and they might be invited by the Council toconsult with a standing committee if theCouncil so desired or the organization re-quested such consultation. It was also pro-vided that upon recommendation of the stand-ing committee, the Council as a whole mightreceive representatives of organizations incategory (a) for the purpose of hearing theirviews.

Organizations in category (b) and (c)might also send observers to public meetings ofthe Council. Their communications, however,would be placed on a list and would be dis-tributed only on the request of a member ofthe Council. They might be invited by theCouncil to consult with a committee appointedfor that purpose if the Council so desired orthe organization specifically requested suchconsultation.

In pursuance of the General Assembly reso-lution, the Council decided to place the WorldFederation of Trade Unions, the InternationalCo-operative Alliance and the American Fed-eration of Labor in category (a).

Organizations in category (a) would nor-mally consult directly with the various com-missions themselves. Those in categories (b)and (c) would normally be linked for consulta-tion purposes with a particular commissionor commissions and would be free to consultwith these organizations either directly orthrough a committee established for that pur-pose.

This report, adopted by the Council onJune 21, 1946, also set up a new Committeeunder the same name as the old one but with

a smaller membership, being composed of thePresident and five members of the Council.The five members elected were China, France,the U.S.S.R., the United Kingdom and theUnited States. The Committee was to be as-sisted by the Assistant Secretaries-Generalfor Economic and Social Affairs respectively.Its terms of reference, under this decision,were to "review applications for consultativestatus submitted by non-governmental organ-izations, and make recommendations to theCouncil."

3. SECOND REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE

The second report of the Committee onArrangements for Consultation with Non-Governmental Organizations to the Economicand Social Council was approved by the Coun-cil on October 1, 1946. In this Report theCommittee recommended that the Councilshould give consultative status to the Interna-tional Chamber of Commerce under category(a). Certain representatives objected to thisproposal on the ground that there was a Span-ish branch of the International Chamber ofCommerce and that the list of vice-presidentsincluded a Spanish vice-president. The major-ity, however, assented to the view that thesearrangements were only nominal, and theCouncil approved this recommendation of theCommittee.

In view of the numerous applications whichhad been received, the likelihood that manyadditional applications would be made, andthe need to consider applications as a whole,the Committee came to the conclusion that itshould not proceed to make recommendationson the various other applications during thethird session of the Council. It recommendedthat the decision on other applications be post-poned until the next session. The Committeeproposed that it should meet as a workingparty between the third and fourth sessions.

The Committee also stated certain generalprinciples (based on the Council's decision ofJune 21, 1946) which it would follow in itsfurther consideration of the applications re-ceived from non-governmental organizations,particularly in regard to organizations havingthe same views on particular subjects, theperiodic review of the grants of consultativestatus, and the acceptance of national or-ganizations.


After the Committee had completed itswork under its original terms of reference theCouncil decided on September 28 that the Com-mittee, in addition to its function of examin-ing and making recommendations on appli-cations for consultative status submitted bynon-governmental organizations, should alsobe the standing committee to carry on consul-tations with organizations given consultativestatus. In accordance with this new functionthe Committee, on October 2, 1946, consultedwith the World Federation of Trade Unionson the arrangements for consultation. Aftera full exchange of views the President of theWorld Federation of Trade Unions statedthat he would recommend to his ExecutiveCommittee that the working arrangements asoutlined in the meeting should be put intooperation in the hope that they would provefully satisfactory.

On December 15, 1946, the General Assem-bly passed a resolution recommending to theEconomic and Social Council that it give theWorld Federation of Trade Unions the rightto submit to the Council questions for inser-tion in the provisional agenda, in accordancewith the procedure applicable to specializedagencies. It also expressed agreement withthe general principle that all non-government-al organizations in Category (a) should re-ceive equal treatment in respect of consulta-tive arrangements with the Council.1

At its fourth session the Economic andSocial Council amended its rules of procedureto provide for the submission of questionsfor insertion in the provisional agenda by non-governmental organizations placed in Cate-gory (a).

The amended rules of procedure adopted bythe Council provided for an Agenda Commit-tee, composed of the President, the two Vice-Présidents and two other members of theCouncil, elected at each session, to consider theprovisional agenda and make recommenda-tions on it to the Council at the first meetingof each session. Non-governmental organiza-tions in Category (a), as well as Membersof the United Nations and specialized agencieswhich had requested the inclusion of an itemin the provisional agenda, were to be entitledto present their views at any meeting of theAgenda Committee at which the inclusion ofthe item was discussed. The Council elected

Norway and Canada as members of the AgendaCommittee.

The World Federation of Trade Unions re-quested that the question of guarantees forthe exercise and development of trade unionrights should be placed on the agenda of thefourth session of the Economic and SocialCouncil, and submitted a draft resolution onthe subject. The American Federation of La-bor also submitted a memorandum on thesubject, and a resolution amending that ofthe WFTU.

The Council decided to suspend the applica-tion of its newly adopted rule of procedureproviding for the reference of such items tothe Agenda Committee, and to admit thisitem to its agenda.

After considerable discussion, the Counciladopted a United Kingdom proposal to trans-mit these documents to the International La-bour Organisation with the request that thematter should be considered at the Organisa-tions forthcoming session and a report sentto the Council, for consideration at its nextsession. The U.S.S.R. representative objectedto referring the WFTU, which representedmany millions of people, to a specializedagency; it should, he thought, have the rightto communicate directly with the Council. Heproposed that the item should simply be de-ferred to the Council's next session. The Coun-cil, however, decided as above.

The Council also decided to transmit thedocuments to the Commission on HumanBights in order that the Commission mightconsider the aspects of the subject whichmight appropriately form part of the BMI orDeclaration on Human Rights.

The Committee on Arrangements for Con-sultation with Non-Governmental Organiza-tions met on February 25, 26, and 27, 1947,and considered the applications received up toFebruary 4, 1947, from non-governmental or-ganizations for consultative status with theEconomic and Social Council.

In addition to its recommendations on in-dividual applications, the Committee made cer-tain general recommendations of principle.

1 See p. 150.


The Committee's recommendations wereadopted, with some amendments by the Coun-cil, on March 28, 1947.

The Council resolved:1. That the international non-governmental

organizations should be excluded from relation-ship under Article 71, if they have legallyconstituted branches in Spain whose policiesare determined and controlled by the FrancoGovernment.

2. That international non-governmental or-ganizations should be eligible for consultativerelationship :

(a) If they have only individual membersin Spain who are not organized into a legal-ly constituted branch;(b) If the branches in Spain, though prop-erly constituted, have a purely humanitariancharacter and their policies are not deter-mined and controlled by the Franco Gov-ernment;(c) If such branches are not active at thepresent time.The U.S.S.R. representative had proposed

that all non-governmental organizations, in-cluding organizations or branches located inSpain, should be excluded from consultativestatus, but after discussion and considerationof various texts the Council adopted the reso-lution quoted above.

On the recommendation of the Council NGOCommittee the Council decided that in thecase of certain organizations, consultativearrangements should not be made, since theirwork appeared to fall entirely within the fieldof activity of one of the specialized agenciesor other inter-governmental organizations. Italso decided that decisions should be madefirst on international non-governmental organ-izations and that consultative status should,therefore, not be granted to national organ-izations at the time of its fourth session.

The Council took note of the principle statedin the previous report of the Council NGOCommittee that, where possible, organizationshaving in general the same views on particu-lar subjects should consider the possibilityof forming liaison committees to representthem as a whole, and decided that the LiaisonCommittee of Women's International Organiza-tions should be the recognized consultativebody for its eight affiliated organizations onsubjects on which there was an identity of

view. The Council would, however, makeseparate arrangements for consultation withthe eight organizations because of their spe-cial interests and experience in fields otherthan those covered by the Liaison Committee.

The U.S.S.R. representative objected to cer-tain of the recommendations made by theCommittee and proposed that the Councildirect the Secretariat to screen applicationson the basis of the criteria already adoptedby the Council in its resolution of June 21,1946. The U.S.S.R. representative also pro-posed that the Secretariat should be directedto send to the Members of the United Nationsfor information a list of the non-governmentalorganizations selected by the Council NGOCommittee after consultation with the non-governmental organizations, and that theCommittee's Report and the comments re-ceived from Members should be considered atthe Council's next session. Other members ofthe Council felt that such a procedure wasunnecessary as the applications had receivedcareful consideration by the Council NGOCommittee, whose function it was to examinethem, and information concerning the organ-izations had been circulated. The U.S.S.R. pro-posal was not adopted.

4. ORGANIZATIONS ADMITTED TO CONSULTATIVESTATUS

The Council admitted the following organ-izations to consultative status:Category (a)

American Federation of LaborInternational Chamber of CommerceInternational Co-operative AllianceInternational Federation of Agricultural

ProducersInternational Federation of Christian Trade

UnionsInter-Parliamentary Union.World Federation of Trade Unions

Category (b)Associated Country Women of the WorldConsultative Council of Jewish Organiza-

tionsEconometric SocietyInter-American Council of Commerce and

ProductionInternational Abolitionist Federation (on

condition that this organization and theInternational Bureau for the Suppressionof Traffic in Women and Children bejointly represented)

International African InstituteInternational Alliance of Women for Equal

Rights and Equal Responsibilities


International Bureau for the Suppression ofTraffic in Women and Children (on con-dition that this organization and the In-ternational Abolitionist Federation bejointly represented)

International Committee of the Red CrossInternational Committee of Schools for So-

cial workInternational Council of WomenInternational Federation of Business and

Professional WomenInternational Federation of Friends of

Young WomenInternational Federation of University

WomenInternational Law AssociationInternational League for the Eights of ManInternational Missionary CouncilInternational Organization of Industrial

EmployersInternational Organization of JournalistsInternational Social ServiceInternational Student ServiceInternational Transport Workers Federa-

tionInternational Union For Child WelfareLiaison Committee of Women's Internation-

al OrganizationsSalvation ArmyWomen's International Democratic Federa-

tionWorld's Alliance of Young Men's Christian

AssociationsWorld Federation of Democratic YouthWorld Jewish Congress

World Power ConferenceWorld Women's Christian Temperance

UnionWorld Young Women's Christian Associa-

tion

Category (c)International Association of Lions ClubsRotary InternationalWorld Alliance for International Friendship

through the Churches

The Council decided that the applicationsfrom the Catholic International Union forSocial Service and the International Union ofCatholic Women's Leagues, which had beenrecommended for consultative status in Cate-gory (b) by the Council NGO Committee,should be reconsidered at the next session ofthe Council so that further information couldbe obtained to show if the two organizationsfulfilled the requirements regarding mem-bers in Spain. It decided that the applicationof the Jewish Agency, which had been similar-ly recommended, should also be reconsideredat the next session so that further informa-tion could be obtained to show if it was anational or an international organization. TheCouncil NGO Committee decided to reconsiderat a later date a number of applications onwhich it felt unable to make recommendationsbecause the organizations had been recentlyorganized or because further information con-cerning them was desired.

ANNEX I

DELEGATIONS TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

A. FIRST SESSION(January 23 to February 18, 1946)

BelgiumRepresentative

AlternateCanada

RepresentativeAlternate

ChileRepresentative

AlternateChina

RepresentativeColombia

RepresentativeCuba


Fernand DehousseRoland Lebeau

Paul MartinLouis Rasminsky

G. VergaraManuel Bianchi

P. C. Chang

Lieras Restrepo

Ramiro Guerra y SanchezFelipe Pazos

CzechoslovakiaRepresentative

AlternateFrance


GreeceRepresentative

IndiaRepresentative Sir A.

AlternateLebanon


NorwayRepresentative

AlternatePeru

Representative

Jan MasarykI. Kerno

Joseph Paul-BoncourHervé Alphand

Kyriakos Varvaressos

Ramaswami MudaliarM. Ikramullah

Yussef Bey SalemNadim Dimechkie

Finn MoeJohan Melander

Alberto Area Parró


Ukrainian S.S.R.Representative

U.S.S.R.Representative

AlternateUnited Kingdom


United StatesRepresentative

AlternateYugoslavia


Vasily A. Tarasenko

Vasily A. SergeevAmazasp A. Arutiunian

Philip J. Noel-BakerHector McNeil

John G. WinantLeroy D. Stinebower

Andrija StamparHinko Franic

YugoslaviaRepresentative

AlternateAndrija Stampar

Stane Krasovec

B. SECOND SESSION

(May 25 to June 21, 1946)


Alternates

CanadaRepresentative

Alternates


Joseph Nisot

Carlos Dávila

P. C. Chang

Emilio Toro

Ramiro Guerra y Sanchez

Josef HancLadislav Radimsky

Alexandre ParodiHervé Alphand

Alexandre ArgyropoulosVassili Dendramis

Brooke ClaxtonW. A. Mackintosh

W. G. TurgeonChile

RepresentativeChina

RepresentativeColombia

RepresentativeCuba

RepresentativeCzechoslovakia


FranceRepresentative

AlternateGreece


IndiaRepresentative Sir A. Ramaswami Mudaliar

Alternate S. K. KirpalaniLebanon

Representative Charles MalikAlternate Georges Hakim

NorwayRepresentative Ole Colbjornsen

PeruRepresentative Alberto Area Parró

Ukrainian S.S.R.Representative Anatoli Baranovsky

U.S.S.R.Representative Nikolai I. Feonov

Alternate Alexander P. MorozovUnited Kingdom

Representatives Philip J. Noel-BakerHector McNeil

Alternate H. M. PhillipsUnited States

Representative John G. WinantAlternate Leroy D. Stinebower

C. THIRD SESSION(September 11 to October 3, 1946)

BelgiumRepresentative Fernand Dehousse

Alternates Roland LebeauJoseph Nisot

Robert VandeputteCanada

Representative Paul MartinAlternate W. A. Mackintosh

ChileRepresentative Carlos Davila

Alternate Fausto SotoChina

Representative P. C. ChangColombia

Representative Eduardo Zuleta AngelCuba

Representative Guillermo BeltAlternates Guy Pérez-Cisneros

Carlos BlancoEnrique Pérez-Cisneros

CzechoslovakiaRepresentative Jan Papanek

Alternates Zdenek AugenthalerLadislav Radimsky

FranceRepresentative Alexandre Parodi

Alternates René HoffherrPierre Chatenet

GreeceRepresentative Alexandre Argyropoulos

Alternate Alexandre LoverdosIndia

Representative Sir A. Ramaswami MudaliarAlternates Sir Girja Shankar Bajpai

S. K. KirpalaniLebanon

Representative Charles MalikAlternate Georges Hakim

NorwayRepresentative Ole Colbjornsen

Alternate Wilhelm ThagaardPeru

Representative Alberto Arca ParróAlternate Washington Patino

Ukrainian S.S.R.Representative Lev T. Medved

Alternates D. StadnikN. Golovko

U.S.S.R.Representative Nikolai I. Feonov

Alternate Alexander P. MorozovUnited Kingdom

Representative Philip J. Noel-BakerAlternates Hector McNeil

H. M. PhillipsJ. H. Penson

Sir George RendelGeorge North

Sir G. Myrddin-EvansSir Sidney Harris

J. M. Fleming



AlternateYugoslavia

RepresentativeAlternates

John G. WinantLeroy D. Stinebower

Andrija StamparStane Krasovec

Pavle LukinLeo Mates

Beno HabijanicD. FOURTH SESSION

(February 28 to March 29, 1947)Byelorussian S.S.R.

RepresentativeCanada


ChileRepresentative

AlternateChina

RepresentativeCuba

RepresentativeRepresentative


AlternateFrance


IndiaRepresentative Sir

Alternates

LebanonRepresentative

AlternateNetherlands


New ZealandRepresentative

AlternateNorway


PeruRepresentative

TurkeyRepresentative

AlternateU.S.S.R.

RepresentativeUnited Kingdom

Representatives

L. Kaminsky

George F. DavidsonR. G. Riddell

Hernan Santa CruzFausto Soto

P. C. Chang

Guillermo BeltEnrique Pérez-Cisneros

Jan PapanekLadislav Radimsky

Pierre Mendes-FranceW. Baumgartner

A. Ramaswami MudaliarS. K. Kirpalani

Mrs. Hansa Mehta

Charles MalikGeorges Hakim

E. N. van KleffensJ. H. van Roijen

Walter NashJohn S. Reid

Finn MoeOle Colbjornsen

Alberto Arca Parró

A. R. TurhanBulent Yazici

Alexander P. Morozov

Hector McNeilC. P. MayhewH. M. PhillipsAlternate

United StatesActing Representative Leroy D. Stinebower

VenezuelaRepresentative Carlos Eduardo Stolk

Alternate Pedro Zuloaga

SPECIALIZED AGENCIES AND INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

International Labour Organisation (ILO)Representative C. Wilfred Jenks

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Representatives F. L. McDougall

Karl OlsenUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization (UNESCO)Representatives Jean Thomas

V. DarchambeauSolomon V. Arnaldo

United Nations Relief and RehabilitationAdministration (UNRRA)

Observers

International Monetary FundObservers

Frank WeislFred Chait

Camille GuttB. D. Madan

Gordon WilliamsVander ValkGyan-Chand

International Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment

Observers Leonard B. RistJohn H. Ferguson

Walter HillGeorges de Fleurieu

W. GlastraWorld Health Organization (WHO)

Observer Frank CalderoneEuropean Central Inland Transport

Organization (ECITO)Observer H. H. Kelly

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)Consultants Louis Saillant

John J. AbtP. Waldbert

Lena SpiegelInternational Co-operative Alliance

Consultants Murray D. LincolnWallace J. Campbell

Helen FuhrmanAmerican Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.)

Consultant Tony SenderInternational Chamber of Commerce

Consultant John R. MinterCertain Members of the United Nations ap-

pointed observers to the Fourth Session of theCouncil as follows:Belgium

Observers Roland LebeauJules Wouldbroun

BrazilObserver

GreeceObserver Christopher Christides

Constantin CaranikasStephen Pesmazoglu

Roberto de Oliveira Campos

PolandObserver Stefan Arski


ANNEX II.

MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

A. NUCLEAR COMMISSIONSECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION

BelgiumRepresentative Fernand van Langenhove


William Mackintosh (Chairman)China

RepresentativeTa-Yeh Wu (Vice-Chairman)

ColombiaRepresentative Luis Angel Arango

CzechoslovakiaRepresentative Alexander Kunosi

GreeceRepresentative Miss Rena Zafiriou

U.S.S.R.Representative A. P. Morozov

United KingdomRepresentative Alexander Loveday

United StatesRepresentative Isador Lubin

TEMPORARY SUB-COMMISSION ON THE ECONOMIC

Member GovernmentsAustralia New Zealand

Belgium NorwayCanada PeruChina (Vice- Philippines

Chairman) PolandCzechoslovakia Ukrainian S.S.R.Ethiopia U.S.S.R.France (Chairman) United Kingdom

W. Baumgartner United StatesGreece (Rapporteur)India Isador LubinNetherlands YugoslaviaTEMPORARY TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSIONChile

Representative Alfonso GrezChina

Representative Frank KefungCzechoslovakia

RepresentativeJiri Velkoborsky (Vice-Chairman)

FranceRepresentative Jean Filippi

IndiaRepresentative Sir Gurunath Bewoor

NorwayRepresentative Leif Hoegh

U. S. S. R.Representative Nikolac Molyakov

United KingdomRepresentative

Sir H. Osborne Mance (Chairman)

Germane Jardim

United StatesRepresentative George Baker

STATISTICAL COMMISSION

BrazilRepresentative

ChinaRepresentative D. K. Lieu

FranceRepresentative A. Sauvy

IndiaRepresentative P. C. Mahalanobis

NorwayRepresentative M. G. Jahn

U.S.S.R.Representative Pavel I. Fedosimov

United KingdomRepresentative H. Campion

United StatesRepresentative S. A. Rice (Chairman)

TEMPORARY SOCIAL COMMISSION

CubaRepresentative Ramiro Guerra y Sanchez

ColombiaRepresentative Gerardo Molina


Frantisek Kraus (Rapporteur)France

Representative Henry Hauck (Chairman)Greece

Representative A. J. ArgyropoulosPeru

Representative Manuel SecaneUnited Kingdom

RepresentativeS. W. Harris (Vice-Chairman)

YugoslaviaRepresentative Mrs. Kristi Djordjevic

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Fernand Dehousse

C. L. Hsia


ChinaRepresentative


René Cassin (Vice-Chairman)India

RepresentativeK. C. Neogy (Rapporteur)

NorwayRepresentative Paal Berg

PeruRepresentative Victor Raul Haya de la Torre

U.S.S.R.Representative Alexander Borisov

RECONSTRUCTION OF DEVASTATED AREAS



Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt (Chairman)Yugoslavia

Representative Dusan Brkish

SUB-COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN

ChinaRepresentative Mrs. Way-sung New

DenmarkRepresentative Mrs. B. Begtrup (Chairman)

Dominican RepublicRepresentative

Miss M. Bernardine (Vice-Chairman)France

Representative Mrs. M.-H. LeFaucheuxIndia

Representative Mrs. Hansa MehtaLebanon

RepresentativeMrs. A. Jurdak (Rapporteur)

PolandRepresentative Miss F. Kalinowska

B. COMMISSIONS AND SUB-COMMISSIONSECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION

(15 Members)Australia

RepresentativeRoland Wilson (Vice-Chairman)

BelgiumRepresentative Fernand van Langenhove

BrazilRepresentative José Nunez Guimaraes

Byelorussian S.S.R.Representative S. N. Malinine

CanadaRepresentative John Deutsch

ChinaRepresentative Franklin L. Ho

CubaRepresentative Enrique Pérez-Cisneros

CzechoslovakiaRepresentative Zdenek Augenthaler

FranceRepresentative Jacques Rueff

IndiaRepresentative R. K. Nehru

NorwayRepresentative Ragnar Frisch (Chairman)

PolandRepresentative Jacek Rudzinski

United KingdomRepresentative Robert Lowe Hall


A. P. Morozov (Vice-Chairman)United States

Representative Isador Lubin (Rapporteur)

SUB-COMMISSION ON EMPLOYMENT ANDECONOMIC STABILITY

AustraliaRepresentative Leslie G. Melville

FranceRepresentative M. Belin

NorwayRepresentative Ragnar Frisch

PolandRepresentative Oscar Lange

United KingdomRepresentative R. F. Harrod

United StatesRepresentative Winfield Riefler

U.S.S.R.Representative Alexander Danilov

SUB-COMMISSION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BrazilRepresentative José Nunez Guimaraes

ChinaRepresentative D. K. Lieu

CzechoslovakiaRepresentative Emanuel Slechta

IndiaRepresentative V. K. R. V. Rao

MexicoRepresentative Victor Urquidi

United StatesRepresentative Beardsley Ruml

U.S.S.R.Representative Alexander P. Morozov

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

(15 Members)Brazil

Representative Renato Azeredo FeioChile

Representative Alfonso GrezChina

Representative Hsiao Chin-YuenCzechoslovakia

Representative Pavel Baracek-JacquierEgypt

Representative Shoukry Bey AbazaFrance

Representative Jean Marie GoursatIndia

Representative Noor Mohamed ChinoyNetherlands

Representative3. J. Oyevaar (Chairman)

NorwayRepresentative Fredrik Odfjell

PolandRepresentative Stanislaw Kuczborski

Union of South AfricaRepresentative E. C. Smith

United KingdomRepresentative General Sir Osborne Mance

United StatesRepresentative George P. Baker


N. Y. Bezroukov (Vice-Chairman)Yugoslavia

Representative Slavko Pezelj


FISCAL COMMISSION

(15 Members)Belgium

Representative R. Putman (Chairman)China

Representative Dr. S. K. FongColombia

Representative Dr. Valeric BoteroAlternate

Jorge Ortiz Rodriguez (Vice-Chairman)Cuba

Representative Dr. José M. Ferez CubillasCzechoslovakia

Representative Dr. Karel CzesanyFrance

Representative Raoul CerteuxIndia

Representative N. SunderasanLebanon

Representative Georges HakimNew Zealand

RepresentativeA. R. T. Mackay (Rapporteur)

PolandRepresentative S. Trampczynski

United KingdomRepresentative R. G. Hawtrey

Union of South AfricaRepresentative Seymour Jacklin

Ukrainian S.S.R.Representative I. Tolkunoff

United StatesRepresentative Edward F. Bartelt


P. M. Chernyshev (Vice-Chairman)

STATISTICAL COMMISSION(12 Members)


Herbert Marshall (Chairman)China

Representative D. K. LieuFrance

Representative G. DarmoisIndia

RepresentativeProf. P. C. Mahalanobis (Vice-Chairman)

MexicoRepresentative Dr. Josue Saenz

NetherlandsRepresentative Dr. P. J. Idenburg

NorwayRepresentative Gunnar Jahn

TurkeyRepresentative Professor Sefik Inan

United KingdomRepresentative R. G. D. Alien

Ukrainian S.S.R.Representative V. A. Rabichko

U.S.S.R.Representative T. S. Malyshev


Stuart A. Rice (Rapporteur)

SUB-COMMISSION ON STATISTICAL SAMPLING


IndiaRepresentative




G. Darmois

P. C. Mahalanobis

F. Yates

W. E. Deming

(To be designated)

POPULATION COMMISSION(12 Members)

AustraliaRepresentative William Douglas Forsyth

BrazilRepresentative Dr. Germano Jardim

CanadaRepresentative J. T. Marshall

ChinaRepresentative Dr. Franklin L. Ho

FranceRepresentative Alfred Sauvy

NetherlandsRepresentative

Jonkheer N. L. J. van Buttingha WichersPeru

RepresentativeDr. Alberto Arca Parró (Chairman)


V. A. Rabichko (Vice-Chairman)United Kingdom

RepresentativeDr. David V. Glass (Rapporteur)

United StatesRepresentative Dr. Philip M. Hauser

U.S.S.R.Representative I. S. Malyshev

YugoslaviaRepresentative Dr. Dolfe Vogelnik

SOCIAL COMMISSION(18 Members)

CanadaRepresentative Dr. George F. Davidson

ChinaRepresentative Dr. Y. C. Yang

ColombiaRepresentative Dr. Diego Mejia


Dr. Frantisek Kraus (Chairman)Denmark

Representative Miss Alice BruunEcuador

Representative Nicolas Augusto CañizaresFrance

Representative Henry Hauck (Rapporteur)Greece

RepresentativeDr. Christopher John Christides

IraqRepresentative Sayid Hashim Jawad


NetherlandsRepresentative Dr. F. M. G. van Walsem

New ZealandRepresentative

Hon. David Wilson (Vice-Chairman)Peru

Representative Manuel SeoanePoland

Representative Professor Henryk AltmanUnion of South Africa

RepresentativeMajor Dr. Louis M. A. N. van Schalkwyk


Oswald Coleman Alien, C.B., C.B.E.United States

Representative Arthur J. AltmeyerU.S.S.R.

Representative Alexander P. MorozovYugoslavia

Representative Mrs. Krista Djordjevie

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS(18 Members)

AustraliaRepresentative Lt.-Col. William Roy Hodgson


AlternateByelorussian S.S.R.

RepresentativeChile

RepresentativeChina

RepresentativeDr. P. C. Chang (Vice-Chairman)

EgyptRepresentative


IndiaRepresentative

IranRepresentative

YugoslaviaRepresentative Vladislav Ribnikar


T. Kaminsky

Félix Nieto del Rio

Osmar Ebeid

Professor René Cassin

Mrs. Hansa Mehta

Ghasseme GhaniLebanon

RepresentativeDr. Charles Malik (Rapporteur)

PanamaRicardo J. Alfaro

Dr. German Gil GuardiaRepresentative

AlternatePhilippine Republic





Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt (Chairman)U.S.S.R.

Representative V. F. TepliakovUruguay

Representative Dr. José A. Mora

Gen. Carlos P. RomuloCol. Amado Bautista

G. L. Stadnik (absent)

Lord Dukeston

SUB-COMMISSION ON FREEDOM OFINFORMATION AND OK THE PRESS


George V. Ferguson (Rapporteur)China

Representative P. C. ChangCzechoslovakia

RepresentativeLev Sychrava (Vice-Chairman)

FranceRepresentative André Géraud

Alternate Jean de MontoussetNetherlands

RepresentativeDr. G. J. van Heuven Goedhart (Chairman)

NorwayRepresentative Christen A. R. Christensen

PanamaRepresentative José Isaac Fabrega (absent)

Philippine RepublicRepresentative


AlternateUnited States

RepresentativeU.S.S.R.

RepresentativeUruguay

Representative

Salvador López

R. J. CruikshankA. R. K. Mackenzie

Zechariah Chafee

J. M. Lomakin

Roberto Fontaina

SUB-COMMISSION ON PREVENTION OFDISCRIMINATION AND PROTECTION

OF MINORITIES

AustraliaRepresentative

WilliamBelgium

RepresentativeChina

RepresentativeEcuador

RepresentativeFrance

RepresentativeHaiti

RepresentativeIndia

RepresentativeIran

RepresentativeSweden


RepresentativeUnited States


Representative

Morris Jutson McNamara

Joseph Nisot

Dr. G. F. Chang

Arturo Meneses Pallares

Samuel Spanien

Herard Roy

M. R. Masani

Rezazada Shafaq

Erik Enar Ekstrand

Miss Elizabeth Monroe

Jonathan Daniels

A. P. Borisov


COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN(15 Members)


Mrs. Jessie Mary Grey Street (Vice-Chairman)Byelorussian S.S.R.

RepresentativeMrs. E. I. Uralova (Rapporteur)

ChinaRepresentative Mrs. W. S. New

Costa RicaRepresentative

Mrs. Graciela Morales F. de EcheverriaDenmark

RepresentativeMrs. Bodil Begtrup (Chairman)


Mrs. Marie-Hélène LefaucheuxGuatemala

RepresentativeMiss Sara Basterrechea Ramirez

IndiaRepresentative Begum Hamid Ali

MexicoRepresentative

Mrs. Amalia C. de Castillo LedonSyria

Representative Mrs. Alice Kandalft KuzmaTurkey

Representative Miss Mihri PektasUnited Kingdom

Representative Miss Mary SutherlandUnited States

Representative Miss Dorothy KenyonU.S.S.R.

Representative Mrs. E. A. PopovaVenezuela

Representative Mrs. Isabel de Urdaneta

COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGSCanada

RepresentativeColonel C. H. L. Sharman (Chairman)

ChinaRepresentative Szeming Sze (Rapporteur)

EgyptRepresentative Dr. Mahmoud Labib

FranceRepresentative Gaston Bourgois

IndiaRepresentative A. Sattanathan

Alternate H. A. TandonIran

Representatives A. G. ArdalanA. G. Panahy

MexicoRepresentative Secundino Ramos y Ramos

NetherlandsRepresentative J. H. Delgorge

Alternate A. KruyssePeru

Representative Dr. Jorge A. LazartePoland

RepresentativeDr. Stanislaw Tubiasz (Vice-Chairman)

TurkeyRepresentative

AlternateUnited Kingdom

RepresentativeUnited States


RepresentativeYugoslavia

Representative

Dr. Cemal KiperFuat Eren

Major W. H. Coles

H. J. Anslinger

V. V. Zakusov

Stane Krasovec

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE(First Session)


Vicomte A. Obert de ThieusiesByelorussian S.S.R.

Representative A. ChizovCzechoslovakia

Representative Jan MasarykDenmark

Representative E. Waerum (Chairman)France

Representative André PhilipGreece

Representative A. VerdelisLuxembourg

Representative Lambert SchausNetherlands

Representative Dr. A. B. SpeekenbrinkNorway

Representative R. I. B. SkylstadPoland

RepresentativeJacek Rudzinski (Vice-Chairman)

SwedenRepresentative Dr. Karin Kock

TurkeyRepresentative Y. K. Karaosmanoglu

United KingdomRepresentative Hector McNeil

Ukrainian S.S.R.Representative Vasily Garbusov

United StatesRepresentative W. L. Clayton

U.S.S.R.Representative Valerian Zorin

YugoslaviaRepresentative Leo Mattes

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR ASIAAND THE FAR EAST

Australia1

Representative D. B. CoplandAlternate A. N. Wootton

China2

Representative T. F. Tsiang (Chairman)Alternate Kan Lee

1 Professor D. B. Copland attended the sessionfrom June 23 to June 25.

2 Following the election of Dr. T. F. Tsiang asChairman of the Commission, Dr. Kan Lee servedas representative of China.


FranceRepresentative Michel Mornand

Alternates Jean GrosclaudeGabriel Van Laethem

IndiaRepresentative R. K. Nehru

Alternate S. I. HasanNetherlands

Representative L. StarkAlternate S. A. Gompels

Philippine RepublicRepresentative

Miguel Cuaderno (Vice-Chairman)Alternate Andres Castillo

SiamRepresentative Visutr Arthayukti

U.S.S.R.Delegate Alexander G. Stetsenko

Alternate Dimitri J. ScherbinaUnited Kingdom

Representative Andrew ClowAlternate P. J. H. Stent

United StatesRepresentative Monnett B. Davis

Alternate Donald S. Gilpatric

C. INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S EMERGENCYFUND

Member Governments

THE COMMITTEE ON REFUGEES ANDDISPLACED PERSONS

ArgentinaAustraliaBrazilByelorussian S.S.R.CanadaChinaColombiaCzechoslovakiaDenmarkEcuadorFranceGreeceIraq

NetherlandsNew ZealandNorwayPeruPolandSwedenSwitzerlandUkrainian S.S.R.Union of South AfricaU.S.S.R.United KingdomUnited StatesYugoslavia

D. COMMITTEESTHE COMMITTEE ON NEGOTIATIONS WITH

INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES

The Economic and Social Council designatedthe members of the Council for Belgium, Can-ada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czechoslovakia,France, Norway, the U.S.S.R., the UnitedKingdom, the United States and the Presidentof the Council, to constitute the NegotiatingCommittee.

THE COMMITTEE ON ARRANGEMENTS FORCONSULTATION WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL

ORGANIZATIONS

The Economic and Social Council designatedthe members of the Council for China, Cuba,France, Greece, Lebanon, Peru, the UkrainianS.S.R., the U.S.S.R., the United Kingdom, theUnited States, Yugoslavia and the President ofthe Council to constitute this committee.

J. D. L, HoodA. H. Body

J. Schneider

Argeu Guimaraes

Vassily Smoliar

J. G. TurgeonR. G. Riddell

T. D. Tsien


AlternateBelgium

RepresentativeBrazil

RepresentativeByelorussian S.S.R.

RepresentativeCanada


ChinaRepresentative

ColombiaRepresentative Indalecio Lievano Aguirre

Alternate Arturo Martinez HerreraCzechoslovakia

Representative Karel LisickyDominican Republic

Representative Porfirio Herrera-BaezFrance

Representative Raymond BousquetAlternate Pierre Bideberry

LebanonRepresentative Victor Khouri

NetherlandsRepresentative Mrs. H. Verwey-Jonker

Alternate B. W. HavemanNew Zealand

Representative W. S. JordanAlternate Miss Lorna McPhee

PeruRepresentative

Carlos Antonio Ramon MackenheniePoland

Representative Jozef WiniewiczAlternate Edwars Szturm de Sztrem

Ukrainian S.S.R.Representative V. G. Bragin

U.S.S.R.Representative P. F. Ratov

Alternate P. YerzinUnited Kingdom

Representative Hector McNeilAlternate Sir George Rendel

United StatesRepresentative George L. Warren

YugoslaviaRepresentative Ales Bebler

Alternate Veljko KoraeSir Herbert Emerson, Director of the Inter-

governmental Committee on Refugees andLieut.-General Sir Humfrey Gale, PersonalRepresentative of the Director-General of theUnited Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Ad-ministration, were invited to sit with the Com-mittee in a consultative capacity.

THE TECHNICAL PREPARATORY COMMITTEE OFTHE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CONFERENCE

ArgentineRepresentative Dr. Gregorio Bermann


Dr. René SandBelgium

RepresentativeBrazil

RepresentativeDr. Geraldo H. de Paula Souza


Major-General G. B. ChisholmChina

Representative Dr. P. Z. KingAlternate Dr. Szeming Sze

CzechoslovakiaRepresentative Dr. Josef Cancik

EgyptRepresentative

Dr. Aly Tewfik Shousha PashaFrance


GreeceRepresentative

IndiaRepresentative

AlternateMexico

RepresentativeNorway

RepresentativePoland


Dr. André CavaillonDr. Xavier Leclainche

Dr. Phokion Kopanaris

Major C. ManiDr. Chuni Lal Katial

Dr. Manuel Martinez Baez

Dr. Karl Evang

Dr. Martin Kacprzak

Sir Wilson JamesonDr. Melville Mackenzie

lique, the League of Nations Health Organi-zation, and UNRRA served in a consultativecapacity.

THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE OF THEINTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON

TRADE AND EMPLOYMENT



Surgeon-General Thomas ParranAlternate Dr. James A. Doull

YugoslaviaRepresentative Dr. Andrija Stampar

Representatives of the Pan-American SanitaryBureau, L'Office international d'hygiène pub-

Member GovernmentsIndiaLebanonNetherlandsNew ZealandNorwaySouth AfricaU.S.S.R.United StatesUnited Kingdom

AustraliaBelgiumLuxembourgBrazilCanadaChileChinaCubaCzechoslovakiaFranceSPECIAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON POST-UNRRA

RELIEF NEEDS

ArgentinaRepresentative

BrazilRepresentative


ChinaRepresentative

DenmarkRepresentative


PolandRepresentative




José Eduardo Picerno

Enrico Penteado

Robert B. Bryce

Cheng Pao-nan

Henrik Kauffmann

René Hoffherr

Edward Iwaszkiewicz

J. Hubert Penson

Nikolai I. Feonov

Dallas W. Dort

ANNEX III.

RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

I. SESSIONS

Rule 1The Economic and Social Council shall hold

at least three sessions a year. One of thesesessions shall be held shortly before the open-ing of the regular session of the GeneralAssembly.

Rule 2Sessions shall be held at a date fixed by the

Council at a previous meeting.Rule 3

A session of the Council shall also be heldwithin thirty days of the request thereof:

(a) by a majority of its members;(b) by the General Assembly; or(c) by the Security Council, acting in

pursuance of Article 41 of the Charter.

Rule 4A session of the Council shall also be held

if the Security Council, the Trusteeship Coun-cil, or any Member of the United Nations, ora specialized agency1 requests a session and thePresident of the Council agrees to the request.If the President does not agree, he shall, withinfour days of the receipt of the request, informthe other members of the Council of the re-quest and of his refusal and shall at the sametime enquire whether or not they support therequest for a session. If, within eight days ofthis enquiry, a majority of the members of the

1 When the term "specialized agency" is used inthese rules, it refers to specialized agencies broughtinto relationship with the United Nations.


Council explicitly concurs in the request, thePresident shall summon the Council to meetwithin the next fifteen days.

Rule 5The President of the Council, with the con-

currence of the Vice-Presidents, may also calla session of the Council and fix the date thereof.

Rule 6Each session shall be held at the seat of the

United Nations unless in pursuance of a pre-vious decision of the Council or at the requestof a majority of its members another place isdesignated.

Rule 7The President of the Council shall notify the

members, through the Secretary-General, ofthe date of the first meeting of each session.Such notification shall be sent:

(a) at least eight days in advance, whena session is called upon the request of theSecurity Council acting in pursuance ofArticle 41 of the Charter;

(b) at least twelve days in advance incases referred to under Rule 4; and

(c) at least twenty-one days in advancein all other cases.

Rule 8The Council may decide at any session to

adjourn temporarily and resume its meetingsat a later date.

II. AGENDA

Rule 9The provisional agenda for each session shall

be drawn up by the Secretary-General in con-sultation with the President, and shall becommunicated to the members of the Council,all other Members of the United Nations, tothe specialized agencies and to the non-govern-mental organizations in Category A1, togetherwith the notice convening the Council.

Rule 10The provisional agenda shall include:

(a) all items proposed by the Council ata previous meeting;

(b) all items proposed by any Member ofthe United Nations;

(c) all items proposed by the GeneralAssembly, the Security Council, the Trustee-ship Council, a specialized agency or a non-governmental organization in Category A.

Rule 11Before the Secretary-General places an item

proposed by a specialized agency or a non-governmental organization of the type referredto in Rule 10 upon the provisional agenda, heshall carry out with the agency or organiza-tion concerned such preliminary consultationas may be necessary.

Rule 12The first item on the provisional agenda

of any session of the Council shall be theadoption of the agenda.

Rule 13The Council shall set up an Agenda Com-

mittee composed of the President, the two Vice-Présidents and two other members who shallbe elected at each session of the Council tohold office until replaced at the next session.The President shall be the chairman of theAgenda Committee.

Rule 14The Agenda Committee shall prior to each

session consider the provisional agenda andmake recommendations thereon to the Councilat the first meeting of the session, includingsuggestions as to the inclusion or deferment ofitems and the order in which they shall beconsidered. A Member of the United Nations,a specialized agency or a non-governmentalorganization in Category A, which has re-quested the inclusion of an item in the provi-sional agenda, shall be entitled to present itsviews through its representative at any meet-ing of the Agenda Committee at which thequestion of the inclusion of the item is dis-cussed.

Rule 15The Council may revise the agenda. If the

session has been, summoned in accordance withRules 3, 4 and 5, priority shall be given tothose items which have occasioned the session.

III. REPRESENTATIVES, ADVISERS ANDCREDENTIALS

Rule 16Each representative on the Council may be

accompanied by such alternate representativesand technical advisers as he may require.

Rule 17The credentials of representatives, and the

names of alternate representatives, shall besubmitted to the Secretary-General, and thePresident and the Vice-Présidents shall exam-ine them and submit their report to the Council.

IV. PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS

Rule 18The Council shall elect a President, a first

Vice-President, and a second Vice-President,from among the representatives of its mem-bers.

1 That is, a non-governmental organization rec-ognized in accordance with paragraph 1 (a) ofPart IV of the Report of the Committee on Ar-rangements for Consultation with Non-Govern-mental Organizations adopted by the Council onJune 21, 1946.


Rule 19The President and Vice-Présidents shall hold

office until their successors are elected at thefirst meeting of the Council on or after thefirst of January in each year and shall beeligible for re-election.

Rule 20If the President is absent from a meeting

or any part thereof, the first Vice-President,or in the latter's absence, the second Vice-President shall preside.

Rule 21If the President ceases to be a representa-

tive of a member of the Council or is incapaci-tated, the first Vice-President shall serve forthe unexpired term. If the first Vice-Presidentceases to be a representative of a member ofthe Council or is incapacitated, the second Vice-President shall take his place.

Rule 22A Vice-President acting as President shall

have the same powers and duties as the Presi-dent.

Rule 23In the case of a Member of the Council which

is for the time being represented by the Presi-dent, an alternate delegate shall at the discre-tion of the President be permitted to partici-pate in the proceedings and to vote in theCouncil. In such a case the President shouldnot exercise his right to vote.

Rule 24At each session, the Council may set up such

committees as it deems necessary and refer tothem any questions on the agenda for studyand report. Such committees, composed of mem-bers of the Council, may be authorized to sitwhile the Council is not in session.

VI. SECRETARIAT

Rule 25The Secretary-General shall act in that ca-

pacity in all meetings of the Council. He mayauthorize a deputy to act in his place at meet-ings of the Council.

Rule 26The Secretary-General shall provide and di-

rect the staff required by the Council, its com-mittees and such subsidiary bodies as may beestablished by it.

Rule 27The Secretary-General shall be responsible

for keeping the members of the Council in-

formed of any questions which may be broughtbefore it for consideration.

Rule 28The Secretary-General or his deputy may at

any time, upon the invitation of the Presidentof the Council or of the Chairman of commit-tees of the Council and subsidiary bodies, makeeither oral or written statements concerningany question under consideration.

Rule 29The Secretary-General shall be responsible

for all the necessary arrangements for meet-ings of the Council.

Rule 30Before any proposal which involves expendi-

ture from United Nations funds is approvedby the Council the Secretary-General shall pre-pare and circulate to members (a) a summaryreport of the financial implications of the pro-posals; and (b) estimates of costs involved ineach proposal.

VII. LANGUAGES

Rule 31Chinese, English, French, Russian and Span-

ish shall be the official languages, and Englishand French the working languages of theCouncil.

Rule 32Speeches made in either of the working

languages shall be interpreted into the otherworking language.

Rule 33Speeches made in any other of the three

official languages shall be interpreted into bothworking languages.

Rule 34Any representative may make a speech in a

language other than the official languages. Inthis case he shall himself provide for interpre-tation into one of the working languages. In-terpretation into the other working languageby an interpreter of the Secretariat may bebased on the interpretation given in the firstworking language.

Rule 35Verbatim records shall be drawn up in the

working languages. A translation of the wholeor part of any verbatim record into any of theother official languages shall be furnished ifrequested by any delegation.

Rule 36Summary records shall be drawn up in the

working languages. A translation of the wholeor part of any summary record into any of theother official languages shall be furnished ifrequested by any delegation.

V. COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL


Rule 37The Journal of the Council shall be issued in

the working languages.Rule 88

All resolutions, recommendations and otherformal decisions of the Council shall be madeavailable in the official languages.

VIII. VOTING

Rule 39Each member of the Council shall have one

vote.Rule 40

Decisions of the Council shall be made by amajority of the members present and voting.

Rule 41The Council shall normally vote by show of

hands except that any representative may re-quest a roll call which shall then be taken inthe English alphabetical order of the names ofthe members.

Rule 42The vote of each member participating in

any roll call shall be inserted in the record.Rule 43

On decisions relating to individuals, a secretballot shall be taken.

Rule 44If, when one person or member only is to be

elected, no candidate obtains in the first ballotthe majority required, a second ballot shall betaken, confined to the two candidates obtainingthe largest number of votes. If in the secondballot the votes are equally divided, the Presi-dent shall decide between the candidates bydrawing lots.

Rule 45When two or more elective places are to be

filled at one time under the same conditions,those candidates obtaining in the first ballotthe majority required shall be elected. If thenumber of candidates obtaining such a major-ity is less than the number of persons or mem-bers to be elected, there shall be additionalballots to fill the remaining places, the votingbeing restricted to the candidates obtaining

the number of candidates being not more thantwice as many as the places remaining to befilled.

Rule 46If a vote is equally divided on matters other

than elections, a second vote shall be taken atthe next meeting. If this vote also results inequality, the proposal shall be regarded as re-jected.

Rule 47The meetings of the Council shall be held in

public unless the Council decides otherwise.

Rule 48At the close of each private meeting, the

Council may issue a communiqué through theSecretary-General.

X. RECORDS

Rule 49Summary records of the meetings of the

Council, its committees and subsidiary bodiesshall be kept by the Secretariat. They shall besent as soon as possible to all members par-ticipating in the meeting who shall inform theSecretariat not later than twenty-four hoursafter the circulation of the summary record,of any changes they wish to have made. Sum-mary records of public meetings shall be sentas soon as possible after the close of the ses-sion to all Members of the United Nations andto the specialized agencies.

Rule 50Verbatim records of the meetings of the

Council shall be kept by the Secretariat. Theverbatim records of public meetings shall beavailable to the public. The verbatim recordsof private meetings shall be available, whenthe Council so decides, to representatives ofthe Members of the United Nations only.

Rule 51As soon as possible the text of all resolu-

tions, recommendations and other formal deci-sions adopted by the Council, its committeesand subsidiary bodies, shall be communicatedby the Secretary-General to the members ofthe Council, and as soon as possible after theend of the session, to all Members of theUnited Nations and to the specialized agencies.

Rule 52The summary records and relevant docu-

ments of private meetings of the Council, itscommittees and subsidiary bodies, shall be dis-tributed to the Members of the United Nationsif the Council so decides.

XI. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Rule 53A majority of the members of the Council

shall constitute a quorum.

Rule 54In addition to exercising the powers con-

ferred upon him elsewhere by these rules, thePresident shall declare the opening and clos-ing of each meeting of the Council, shall directthe discussion, ensure the observance of theserules, and shall accord the right to speak, putquestions, and announce decisions.

Rule 55During the discussion of any matter, a rep-

resentative may rise to a point of order, andthe point of order shall be immediately decided

the greatest number of votes in the first place,

IX. PUBLICITY OF MEETING


by the President in accordance with the Rulesof Procedure.

Rule 56During the discussion of any matter, a rep-

resentative may move the adjournment of thedebate. Any such motion shall have priority inthe debate. In addition to the proposer of themotion, one representative may speak in fa-vour of and one against the motion.

Rule 57The Council may limit the time allowed to

each speaker.Rule 58

A representative may at any time move theclosure of the debate whether or not any otherrepresentative has signified his wish to speak.If application is made for permission to speakagainst the closure it may be accorded to notmore than two speakers.

Rule 59The President shall take the sense of the

Council on a motion for closure. If the Councilis in favour of the closure the President shalldeclare the closure of the debate.

Rule 60Resolutions, amendments and substantive

motions shall be introduced in writing andhanded to the Secretary-General, who shall cir-culate copies to the representatives twenty-four hours in advance, unless the Council de-cides otherwise.

Rule 61Parts of a proposal may be voted on sepa-

rately if a representative requests that theproposal be divided.

Rule 62If two or more amendments are moved to a

proposal the Council shall first vote on theamendment furthest removed in substancefrom the original proposal and then on theamendment next furthest removed and so onuntil all the amendments have been put to thevote.

Rule 63When an amendment revises, adds to or

deletes from, a proposal, the amendment shall

be voted on first, and if it is adopted, theamended proposal shall then be voted on.

XII. COMMISSIONS

Rule 64The Council shall set up such commissions

as may be required for the performance of itsfunctions, and shall define the powers and com-position of each of them. The Council mayauthorize commissions to set up subsidiarybodies.

Rule 65Unless otherwise decided by the Council,

each commission shall elect its own officers andadopt its own rules of procedure.

Rule 66The Rules of Procedure of the Council shall

apply to the proceedings of commissions andsubsidiary bodies until they adopt their ownrules of procedure.

Rule 67When the report of a commission is under

consideration, the Council shall invite thechairman of the commission, or a person desig-nated by him, to participate without vote inthe discussion on the report.

XIII. AMENDMENTS AND SUSPENSIONS

Rule 68Any of these rules may be amended or sus-

pended by the Council, provided the proposedamendments or suspensions are consistent withthe Charter.

Rule 69These rules may not be amended until the

Council has received a report on the proposedamendment from a committee of the Council.

Rule 70A rule of procedure may be suspended by

the Council provided that twenty-four hours'notice of the proposal for the suspension hasbeen given. The notice may be waived if nomember objects.