handling. Eight hundred thousand refugees from the Palestine conflict are being cared for by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Pointing out that the Arab countries will need aid in expanding permanent employment possibilities if the refugees are to be absorbed, the Agency recommended establishing a reintegration fund for financing projects submitted by Near Eastern governments for this purpose. The raising of the fund was approved by the General Assembly; meanwhile, direct relief continues. The United States has appropriated more than $27,000,000 as its contribution to the work of the agency. Greece As a result of the victory of the Greek National Army over the guerrilla forces late in 1949, no significant guerrilla military action took place during 1950 on the northern frontier of Greece. The situation was also improved by the resumption of full diplomatic relations between Greece and Yugoslavia. However, the United Nations continued to be concerned with the tension which still existed along the northern frontiers, with the hostile propaganda attacks against Greece made from satellite territory, and the failure of these countries to return thousands of Greek children and military prisoners who had been removed from Greece during the earlier guerrilla fighting. The United Nations Special Committee on the Balkans, which was created in 1947 to attempt settlement of the problem of threats to the territorial integrity and political independence of Greece, continued its observation of conditions along the frontier and pressed its efforts toward the repatriation of children and soldiers to Greece. The questions discussed above are among the most outstanding political and security questions considered by the United Nations during 1950. A number of other problems in these fields, such as the treatment of Indian people in the Union of South Africa, relations of the members of the United Nations to Spain, and the Secre tary-General's 20-year peace program are discussed in part I of the body of the report. ACTION TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL The belief of the United States that economic advancement of each country is of benefit to the world as a whole was demonstrated by its active cooperation in activities of the United Nations in this field. For the first time since the war, these activities were concerned not with unemployment and surpluses but with shortages and inflationary pressures being created by the free world's defense production program. Here the United Nations moved ahead with calmness and considerable hope throughout the year. In these fields results are rarely spectacular: progress is made slowly, and steady, - persistent support is needed. Technical Assistance The United Nations expanded technical-assistance program, based on principles mapped out and approved in 1949, began to move forward in 1950. The enactment of United States legislation providing the necessary contribution to the United Nations special account was significant, as was the convening at Lake Success of a world technical-assistance conference at which countries pledged their financial support. To this more than $20,000,000 program the United States has already contributed one-third of its pledge of slightly more than $12,000,000. By the end of 1950, requests for projects under this program had come in from 55 different countries; and plans had been definitely approved or were under way for projects involving the services of more than 500 experts in public service, health and education, food supply, clothing, and shelter. The United States supports the United Nations program in this field as strongly as it carries on its own bilateral Point Four programs because, as Secretary of State Acheson told the United Nations, "We must carry on with our war against want, even as we arm against aggression." Significant projects in the field of technical assistance for economic development included a comprehensive economic survey mission to Bolivia, a mission on economic and financial matters to Chile, a metallurgical mission to Mexico, and a basic survey of economic conditions and needs in Libya. 941458-51-3 15 Unemployment and Full Employment Discussions in the Economic and Employment Commission of the Economic and Social Council and in the Council itself reflected relief and optimism over the recovery and expansion of the United States economy in 1950. The July session of the Council considered in detail measures for achieving and maintaining full employment, thus serving to relieve the underlying fear of governments and labor groups of an economic depression. The resulting resolution recommends a significant stepannual publication by each government of an economic outlook statement together with the steps which it intends to take to maintai employment. The General Assembly endorsed this resolution. A members respond, data on world employment, trade, and investmen policy will become available on a much more systematic basis tha ever before. Financial Developments Financing the economic development of underdeveloped countrie was one of the principal economic problems faced by the Unite Nations in 1950. This question was handled by the subcommitte on economic development, which made an exhaustive study of pra tical ways to increase the amount of capital, both public and private available for development purposes. The International Bank made loans totaling $300,000,000 to memb countries in 1950 and backed this up with an action program of te nical assistance. The International Monetary Fund continued to a as a permanent forum for consultation on foreign-exchange polici Food and Agriculture In contrast to the Communists' use of food-or the promise food-as a weapon of revolution, the United States is promoting mobilization of food resources as a weapon of peace. One outlet this effort is the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). T rising demand for food, the limited income available for its purch the drives in underdeveloped areas for improvement-all have ter toward political instability in many parts of the world, which wors the original problem of food shortages. In 1950 FAO continued to cooperate in consultations on agricultural nd commodity problems. It also helped launch the expanded United Nations technical-assistance program, aided in research, and published tatistical, economic, and technical studies. Its committee on comnodity problems served to channel the offers of surplus foods at nomnal costs by the United States to countries where the food has been of maximum use. Various regional conferences were held to study problems peculiar to participating countries. Transport and Communications The United States adhered to, or put into effect, several agreements on transport and communications, negotiated through the United Nations, which are of great importance in these fields. Among the outstanding actions are ratification of the charter for the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization, which will play a role in world shipping comparable to that of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in aviation and the International Telecommunication Union in telecommunications; and ratification of the Convention on Road Traffic, which will simplify frontier formalities for passenger cars. ICAO added five annexes on safety and standardization to its basic treaty and began a program for the training of technical and managerial civil-aviation personnel for underdeveloped countries. Labor Questions Labor problems are examined internationally by the International Labor Organization and by international trade-union federations; and as a by-product of broader questions-such as forced labor and migration-arising in the United Nations, the General Assembly, or the Economic and Social Council. 1. Population Trends and Pressures. Studies are now being made by the Economic and Social Council's Population Commission to determine the relation between population growth and economic and social changes. Aid has also been given to member nations in improving census methods, so that a proper world-population survey can be made. 2. Migration Problems. Two United Nations related groups, the International Refugee Organization and the International Labor Organization, dealt with migration problems during the past year. The former continued its program of refugee resettlement, selecting and processing eligible persons, and negotiating with governments for their reception. Through its manpower program, the International Labor Organization aimed at a better international use of manpower and continued its search for a lowering of the barriers to migration. 3. Forced Labor. Since 1947 the question of the existence of slave labor in some United Nations member countries has been before the Economic and Social Council and the governing body of the Interrational Labor Organization. Despite the presentation of ample documentary proof, the Soviet Government has consistently denounced the accusation as propaganda and has refused to admit investigators into its territory. Social and Cultural Advancement 1. The Disabled. A modest program for the rehabilitation of the physically handicapped has been initiated, with a small staff of experts who will draw up an outline for international action in this field of social rehabilitation. 2. World Health. International health cooperation from the be ginning of the century to the outbreak of World War II was confined principally to an interchange of information between countries on the outbreak and spread of communicable diseases. After the war, however, the need for more effective international cooperation in this field crystallized into efforts to develop international health machinery geared not only to tackle the special health problems resulting from World War II, but also to work toward improved health for peoples all over the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) wa created to fulfill these purposes. The World Health Organization, with a membership of 74 nations. utilizes expert consultants, on-the-spot demonstration teams, and local training programs as the principal techniques through which it work with the national health services of member countries. By these means it seeks to assist and strengthen these national health service so that they will be better equipped to take over, operate, and expand programs begun with WHO assistance. WHO operates in many countries, aiding governments to control diseases afflicting large portions of their populations, such as malaria, tuberculosis, venereal disease, and to improve their nutritional level. sanitary conditions, and the health of their women and children | WHO is also working on a series of special projects aimed at an international standardization of drug names and units of biological activ |