PROMOTION OF NEW ORDER

Chronicle (Levin), 22 August 1947, Page 4

PROMOTION OF NEW ORDER

U.N.Q, CLAIMED ANSWER TO ATOM BOMR MENAGE When the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a mush-room-like formation had billowed up from the debris. In that biltowing mass could also have been formed a question mark, for from that moment the human race had oeen confronted ,with the Lbiggest question ever put to it — that of its very survival. For the first time in its history it was faced with the problem of not only keeping the peace, but of simple self preservation. Emphasising this fact in, the Century Hall, Levin, last night, Mr, Anton Vogt, till recently Dominion organiser of the United Nations Organisation, said that for every weapon of war, there had always been a counter weapon or form of "protection. The atom bomb, however, was no ordinary weapon. There was 110 physical counter for it; therefore, we must apply political and ethical methods. For that reason he saw in the United Nations Organisation the only answer to the atom bomb. History had proved that peoples of dift'erent religions and creeds could live together amicably under one law and respect that law. Many people were apt to criticise and minimise the work of the League of Nations. The League had failed and.we were very conscious of that faiiure, but it had to be remembered, he added, that it was not a league of nations, but a league of some nations. What could have been two of the principal "corner stones," the United States of Anierica and U.S.S.R., had not been members and a large percentage of the members had not been actively working for the League of Nations, but were bent on advancing their individual countries, supporting the League with lip service only. On the other hand many far too readily overlooked the good things which the L°eague had done, such as the suppression of slavery in many parts of the Near East and Africa, its efforts in curblng the drug traffic and its successes in many other fields. These were very positive steps worth remembering. There were 55 nations member states of the United Nations, pledged by their signatures to support it and its Charter. These nations included all of the Big Five, and in fact all the major nations with the exception of the three defeated -ones and minor satellites. Nine tenths of the world's population werd all pledged on paper to the new world order. Another advantage was that the Security Council was continually in office. Educating the people was an important part of the work of U.N. It had been found that 60 per cent. could not read nor write. UNESCO had recently held two conferences at which the New Zealand representative, Dr. C. E. Beeby, had distinguished himself. The Food and Agricultural Organisation had received little publicity, yet it had achieved more than the Security Council. "The F.A.O. is something to keep an eye on and believe in if you don't believe in anything else." The U.N.O. would get nowhere without the backing of the people, continued Mr. Vogt. Every person counted. The elections in New Zealand had proved how important each individual and group was in the final issue. In 1920 the midwest states of the United States had helped to w'reck the League of Nations. The U.N.O. was not a vacuum, nor could it work in a vacuum. It depended entirely on its component parts. For that reason he urged all present to back the United Nations 5 Association, and thus ensure that this country would be more than just a signa--tory to the Charter, but to have a say as to who would represent the Dominion at the various conferences and the extent to which they pledged us. The success or faiiure of the U.N.O. depended on "we, the peoples." It was • necessary, therefore, for a full understanding of the organisation and the charter, which could be achieved by individual study, argument and finally example.