at Moturiki, Fiji Islands, the establishment of an epidemiological information service for the territories, the collection of existing data on diet and nutrition of communities and individuals, research in the preparation of suitable infant foods, surveys of facilities for professional and technical training in the South Pacific with a view to future development, and the use of visual aids in education among island peoples. In addition, studies have been made in the fields of social anthropology and linguistics and recommendations made as to future needs in research. Economic plants from within and outside the area have been introduced in special gardens established for improving the economic resources of the territories. In addition, area-wide problems dealing with copra production and marketing and the assistance that atoll dwellers need in order to diversify the meager production of their soil-deficient islands are being studied by the Commission. The Commission also adopted a 5-year work program based upon the recommendations of the South Pacific Research Council which calls for the continuation or inauguration of some 30 projects in the fields of health, and economic and social development. Included among these projects are preparations for two technical conferences, on filariasis and on plant and animal quarantine. The Commission has also established an information service for the territories. An important event for the three million inhabitants of 15 South Pacific territories was the convening of the first South Pacific Conference at Suva, Fiji. From April 25 to May 5, representatives of the local inhabitants met together for the first time to discuss matters pertaining to their own welfare and advancement. Territorial delegates discussed and formulated recommendations on such basic topics as mosquito control, the healthy village, cooperative societies, vocational training, fisheries methods, the village school, and improvement and diversification of food and export crops. It is believed that these conferences may prove to be the beginning of a program of combined endeavor among the island territories of wide significance for the local inhabitants. The agreement establishing the South Pacific Commission provides that, while the Commission and its auxiliary bodies have no organic connection with the United Nations, it shall cooperate as fully as possible with the United Nations and appropriate specialized agencies on matters of mutual concern. The Commission has accordingly directed that informal relationships be maintained on a secretariat level with the United Nations and the specialized agencies to promote its work program. Observers from the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and several scientific, missionary, and educa tional institutions attended the first South Pacific Conference, while the World Health Organization, the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council, and scientific bodies sent representatives to the second meeting of the Research Council. The International Labor Organization has demonstrated its interest in the Commission by preparing certain basic documents for use by the governments concerned. Another example of collaboration between the Commission and a specialized agency is a collection of source material for a study of vernacular teaching in the South Pacific area to be carried out at the request of UNESCO. Furtherance of the Rule of Law INTERNATION NTERNATIONAL law has been growing. The Charter of the United Nations and the functioning of the organization have been contributing significantly to this process of growth. The series of Hague conventions, the Covenant of the League of Nations, the multilateral treaties of the 1920's concluded under League auspices, and finally the United Nations have served to widen the areas of agreement in international law and to reflect and emphasize unity in the society of nations. These forces have operated in the direction of creating a world law common to all nations. The Charter and the functioning of the United Nations organization have laid down and are elaborating rules of conduct for states in their international relations. The work of such United Nations organs as the Security Council, General Assembly, and Trusteeship Council is part of the process of building world law. In the early years emphasis is bound to be given to the political aspects of this process, because the field of activity is one being newly worked. Decisions and procedures of the political organs of the United Nations today are part and parcel of the evolution of the constitutional law we may recognize in international relations of the future. Within the United Nations the role of legal argument from past U.N. decision and procedure is already an important one. The emergence in the Security Council of doctrines contributing to responsible restraint in use of the veto as opposed to irresponsible abuse of that power, and the emergence in the General Assembly of a concept of residual powers to meet the United Nations basic responsibilities for peace, are fundamental developments of this character. At the same time the development of world law through the functioning of U.N. political bodies is in progress, the more familiar instruments and forms of international law are at work. The International Court of Justice in 1950 had its busiest year since the Court's inception. The International Law Commission established by the General Assembly advanced with the projects of codification and progressive development of law assigned to the Commission by the Assembly. And the Assembly itself, particularly through its Legal Committee, dealt with a number of legal problems at the Assembly's fifth regular session in 1950. The present chapter of this report is concerned with these activities of the United Nations in the more familiar fields of international law. A. UTILIZATION OF THE IN TERNATIONAL JUSTICE COURT OF Both the jurisdiction and the judicial functions of the International Court of Justice were expanded during 1950. Two additional states became parties to the Statute, one by admission to membership in the United Nations and one by declaration. Two more governments deposited declarations accepting compulsory jurisdiction of the Court. There are consequently 62 parties to the Statute, 36 of which are reciprocally liable to suit by one another. The Court handed down two judgments under contentious procedure and ended the year with three contentious cases pending. It rendered four advisory opinions, of which two were phases of the same question, and closed the year with another pending. 1. Jurisdiction Indonesia was admitted to membership in the United Nations on September 28, 1950, becoming a party to the Statute with an assessment of 0.60 percent of the 1951 budget. The Principality of Liechtenstein, which in 1949 was informed of conditions under which it could become a party to the Statute, formally accepted the conditions on March 29, 1950. It was assessed 0.04 percent of the expenses of the Court for 1950. Simultaneously with its acceptance of the Statute, Liechtenstein executed a declaration accepting the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court without time limit but subject to denunciation after one year's notice. Israel accepted compulsory jurisdiction by a declaration of September 4, 1950. The declarants are now as follows: Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Israel, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the Union of South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay. The litigation respecting asylum between Colombia and Peru was brought before the Court under the "Act of Lima" in which the two parties agreed that unilateral proceedings might be instituted by either of them. In both cases Colombia and Peru appointed ad hoc judges, so that the Court consisted of 16 judges. Judge Fabela did not participate. The litigation between France and the United States is the first instance of major states, accepting compulsory jurisdiction, appearing before an international court without having previously defined the issue by special agreement. 2. Contentious Cases The Asylum Case between Colombia and Peru was the subject of a judgment on November 20, 1950, of a judgment on a request for interpretation on November 27, and of a fresh proceeding as the Haya de la Torre Case by application of Colombia on December 13. On January 3, 1949, the Colombian Ambassador at Lima, Peru, granted asylum to Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, head of a Peruvian political group which had been involved in a military rebellion. The Colombian Ambassador was refused by Peruvian authorities guaranties necessary for Haya de la Torre's departure. The parties, having failed to draft a special agreement defining the issue, agreed in the Act of Lima, August 31, 1949, that either could apply unilaterally to the Court. Colombia requested the Court to decide that Colombia |