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Positive Programs It is not amiss to say thac the United of Mutual Aid Nations Charter embodied two steps for- ward in the concept of how to achieve a peaceful world. First, it recognized that social and economic conditions are the rootstock of conflict and war, and set up an Economic and Social Council which, with its assuciated agen- cies, was given the function of helping to create social and eco- nomic conditions consistent with a world committed to peace. Second, it no longer conceived of the world as a white man’s or a westerner’s world, but recognized the unity of the human race and the “dignity and worth of [every} human person.” Ip is natural that we have not immediatcly achieved suc- cess in this broader vision, Westerners have found it difficule to view Asian and African problems in Asian and African terms. We have tended to believe that western culcural stand- ards and progress hold the answer for other peoples. We have talked bravely but voted narrowly and appropriated yrudg- ingly, demanding that personal advantage should flow from our action, All our countries are so young compared with the his- torical life-span of China and India and the Middle East that we need to listen to the voices from those areas as reported by every sympathetic visitor who returns. And they are saying this cwo-thirds of the human race welcomes che opportunity for unity; they welcome a mutual approach to economic and social problems; they recognize how much industrial countzies like Russia and America have to contribute; but they also regard the West as hardened and grasping on occasion, and they fail co be impressed by an ideological world power struggle which neglects such essentials to them as land reform, increased food production and similar basic necessities. Most of the world looks to both the United States and the Soviet Union and asks, not verbalization of theit high sounding principles and claims, but proof of the contribution that cach can make to the world’s struggle for security and peace, ‘There is no part of the world in which the people do not face the necessity of large-scale and profound changes in their use of resources if they are to maintain or improve their plane of living and preserve to future generations the productivity of the land. Each country and each region requires a separate combination of physical, technical and social measures. From 46 America, to Germany, to Russia, to China, to India, to West Africa the problem of soil erosion and agricultural productivity is a paramoune problem. Its solution depends only in part on modern technology. In parts of the world this requires certain changes in the system of land ownership and education. The issue from country to country is whether inevitable change will be achieved by peaceful or by violent means, The world has made a very minor exploration of the possi- bilities of aid programs: America with its Point 1V program, the Commonwealth with its Colombo Plan, the Soviet and its satellites with mucual aid, and the limited but worthwhile United Nations Technical Assistance Program. Some private agencies have also sponsored small aid plans. But there is 2 growing awareness that efforts thus far can be viewed ac best as “pilot projects,” samples and explorations to determine the best patterns for a large-scale world-wide effort. It has become clear that this can best be undertaken on a truly international scale with support in terms of money somewhere nearly equiva- lene to what the nations are now spending for armaments. The mere stating of the problem in this way emphasizes the inter- relacion of all international effores toward peace. If we do net disacm, where will the money come from with which to carry ‘out the admittedly necessary mutual aid among nations? If we do disarm, the productivity and effort put into the aid pro- gram can take up the economic slack that might otherwise occur from stoppage of armament contracts and thus help to Prevent economic unbalance and depression. ‘The mutual aid program is essential to shift emphasis from violent to peaceful change, to develop an area in which nations with different social and economic philosophies may cooperate, to promote the interchange of personnel and peoples without which we can never truly become “One World,” to raise eco- nomic and social standards—in short, to build and maintain a world community. Settlement of Political Issues At various points during the past seven years the major parties in the United Nations have insisted that political issues must be settled before other actions were taken, This occurred, for example, in discussing administrative procedures in atomic 47