College Essayists Review The Aims Of The U.N.O.

Chronicle (Levin), 9 October 1948, Page 4

College Essayists Review The Aims Of The U.N.O.

RECENTLY the Levin branch of the United Nations Association of New Zealand conductpd an essay competition for pupils oi the Horowhenua College, the. subject being the Uniteid Nations Organisation. Reprinted below are the abridged reviews by Adrian Lee, winner of the sepior division, and Warren Travers, winner of the junior divjsion.

Wrote Adrian Lee: "Throughout the ages men have fought and die'd for their ideals, for th.e right to live as free people — free from the scourge of war. But, throughouit the ages also, man has fought for territories and privileges which they have unjustly desired, or to regain lands and privileges of wliich they have been unjustly de-r prived. Gradually, however, pivilised and educated men have reaii'sed that the only way towards world peace is to have between the powerful nations, an'd in fact between all the nations of the world, a Charter of' Peace and an International Court of Justicp,' where countries who violated the terms of the Charter would be •tried and justly dealt with by representatives from the other Ppwers. "In April and June, 1945, the leaders of 50 Allied States met at San Francisco to diseu'Ss the proposals for a general international agreement. After outlining thp various sectipns which go to imake up the United Nations Organisation, and stressing the real ppint in the structure — the ppwer pf veto — Adrian Lee concludes: "And so the great organissition which men throughout history have been'endeavouring to form has taken tfhape. The aims of the United Nations Organisation afe~ numerous. The main idea, pf'pourse, is to promote and maintain peace throughout the world, to ensure the right to live as frien'ds. and brothers in free democratic countr'ies, to assure advances vin science, arts and education withr out the interference of war, and finally to build a friendship throughout the world that will bind us all as one Great Nation, working together so that those who come after us may enjpy life as it should be — free from want and free from way." On the same "theme, Warren Travers writes: "At the end of the First World War it becaipe • apparent that if t'he pegcp which had just been won wa,s to " remain,

some form of international body would have to be fprmed to decide •on the many diffieult and varying problems which had just arisen, ■and which affected the whole world. With this object in view, the League of Nations was forrhed. Unfbrtunately the United States of America did not "become a member and, largely for this rea r son, the League failed! in its main object, which was to secure a permanent peace. It did, however, do great deal of useful work. Now at the end of the Second World War the nations are faced with a similar problem; to secure a just and fair peace which will noit in a few years be broken. It is essential that this object s'hould be achieved, for, with the' weapons of death and destruction now available, a further major conflict may well resuit in -the end1 of our civilisation. With this great and essential aim in view, the representatives of practically all the nations except those that were on the side of Germany met at San Francisco and formed the organisation which is now known as the United Nations." After outlining the aims of the Organisation and stressing the need for the adherence' of all\ nations to them in their own interests, Warren Travers continues: "Whether the United Nations will succeed in this grand ohjective remains tp- be seen.' There is, however, no doubt that the least the peoples of the .world, through their leaders, can do is to make every effort to adhieve the objective. It' is fpr - this reason that jit ds absplutly essential that we have a United Nations Organisation. To enahle individuals to record their approvai and support qf the United Nations, associations haye been fprmed in many countries. It is the duty of everyone to support these associations, fpr only by uniyersal backing and support can our * leaders *' exercise their full effort towards international agreement and a fair and la'sting peace/'""