it assume and provisionally carry out the work heretofore performed by the Economic, Financial and Transport Department of the League of Nations, directed the Secretary-General to put into effect the following proposals:

(a) that the European Central Inland Transport Organization continue, for the time being, the study of coordination of inland transport; (b) that the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organization continue, for the time being, the examination of identity papers for air transport flying staffs and of new facilities to be granted for air navigation;

(c) that the Statistical Commission of the Economic and Social Council consider, in collaboration with the Transport and Communications Commission and the specialized agencies, the problem of unification of transport and communications statistics;

(d) that the Transport and Communications Division of the Secretariat publish a monthly summary of important events in the transport field and the publication of multilateral conventions and agreements, et cetera, relating to transport and communications questions.

Finally the Council drew the attention of the interested governments to two substantive problems which require immediate attention: the reestablishment and reorganization of intergovernmental and other international machinery for the coordination of railroad problems in Europe; and second, the need for improvement in the present status of inland waterways in Europe.

Conclusion

Although the Temporary Transport and Communications Commission held only a short series of meetings, and while the Secretariat of the United Nations was not organized at that time to be of any material assistance to the Commission with background studies and information regarding its agenda, the Temporary Commission and the Economic and Social Council succeeded in dealing with a considerable number of important substantive problems. A number of the more controversial items, however, were referred to the permanent Transport and Communications Commission for further study. In view of the complicated problems in these extensive specialized fields, considerable progress has been made and a sound basis has been laid for constructive developments in future sessions of the permanent Commission and the Council.

Background

SOCIAL COMMISSION

The Economic and Social Council set up at its First Session a nuclear Temporary Social Commission, as recommended by the United

(a) to make a general review of international organization in the social field, and of problems not dealt with by existing organizations, with a view to making recommendations to the Council at an early date regarding the structure of commissions and subcommissions and possibly of new specialized agencies which it might appear desirable to maintain or establish;

(b) to report to the Economic and Social Council on the advisability of bringing under the Council the activities in the social field hitherto carried on by the League of Nations, and such other activities as the work on the treatment of offenders now carried on by the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission;

(c) to assume on an interim basis, pending the establishment of permanent machinery, the work of the League of Nations on such social questions as the traffic in women and children and child welfare; (d) to report to the Council on substantive problems in the social field requiring immediate attention.

Report of the Temporary Commission

Review of International Organization. A review of international organization in the social field was undertaken, and a chart attached to the Commission's report indicated the respective functions of the International Labor Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, and other organizations. The Temporary Commission recommended the immediate establishment of a permanent Social Commission, and it stressed the necessity for continuous contact between this proposed commission and the Economic and Employment Commission.

League of Nations Activities. The work of the League of Nations in the social field concerning primarily the traffic in women and children and child welfare was analyzed and explained in an appendix to the Commission's report. The Commission recommended that the League's work be assumed by the proposed permanent Commission and that the work be considerably expanded. The question of specific interim action regarding the assumption of the League of Nations' work on social questions was left for the permanent Social Commission. Consultation between the permanent Commission and the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission on treatment of offenders was also recommended.

Problems Requiring Immediate Attention. The Commission noted as special problems requiring immediate attention questions raised by the prospective termination of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration's activities; the situation of homeless

nection with housing, malnutrition and clothing in undeveloped areas. The Commission recommended that these problems be dealt with by the proposed permanent Commission, and perhaps in the meantime by the United Nations Secretariat.

Establishment of a Permanent Commission

The general conclusions of the Temporary Commission were set forth in a resolution drafted for consideration by the Economic and Social Council. After considerable discussion and amendment this was adopted by the Council. In addition to a general scheme of operation, the resolution as amended provided terms of reference for the permanent Social Commission as follows:

(a) to advise the Council on social questions of a general character, and in particular on all matters in the social field not covered by specialized intergovernmental agencies;

(b) to advise the Council on practical measures that may be needed in the social field;

(c) to advise the Council on measures needed for the coordination of activities in the social field;

(d) to advise the Council on such international agreements and conventions on any of these matters as may be required and on their execution;

(e) to report to the Council on the extent to which the recommendations of the United Nations in the field of social policy are being carried out.

The more important observations and recommendations of the Temporary Commission were referred to the permanent Commission for study, and it has been directed to consider the following matters:

(a) care of special groups such as children, the aged and the handicapped; and social services in areas which are developed and those which have been directly affected by the war;

(b) determination of the best means of continuing the League of Nations' functions regarding traffic in women and children, of carry-. ing out child-welfare work in cooperation with other international organizations, and of dealing with crime prevention and treatment of offenders;

(c) methods of dealing with:

(1) questions which will be raised by the termination of the activities of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration;

(2) the problem of setting up international machinery for housing and town and country planning.

The Social Commission was requested to take steps to create a sub

tional Penal and Penitentiary Commission.

The attention of the Secretary-General was drawn to the importance, first, of setting up an adequate staff for social work as recommended by the Temporary Social Commission and second, of securing such reports as are available from other governments and national and international agencies on traffic in women and children.

Conclusion

The Council's resolution recognized that the "raising of the standard of living and the welfare of the peoples of the countries of the United Nations, which should include not only wages and income, but all kinds of social services, is an important task for the United Nations". It also recognized the principle that social activities should be carried on by the United Nations with the active participation of organizations which unite the groups of people concerned, e. g. trade unions, agricultural societies, et cetera; that cooperation with specialized agencies and other organizations is essential in social matters; and that the Economic and Social Council should coordinate such activities. The resolution further suggests that the United Nations should consider taking over any international social activities which do not come within the scope of a specialized agency.

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Background

The Economic and Social Council at its First Session set up a nuclear Commission on Human Rights which was directed to submit "proposals, recommendations and reports to the Council regarding: "(a) an international bill of rights;

"(b) international declarations or conventions on civil liberties, the status of women, freedom of information and similar matters; "(c) the protection of minorities; and

"(d) the prevention of discrimination on grounds of race, sex, language or religion."

At its Second Session, the Economic and Social Council, aided by the report of the nuclear Commission, of which Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt was Chairman, worked out a plan to meet these responsibilities. It adopted the proposal of the United States Delegation to give full commission standing to the preliminary Subcommission on the Status of Women. It proposed the creation of three permanent subcommissions to operate in the fields of Freedom of Information and the Press, Protection of Minorities, and Prevention of Discrimination. Finally, it has indicated that the principal tasks of the full Commission on Human Rights should be:

2. Education in the field of human rights.

3. Development of principles of implementation or enforcement.

An International Bill of Rights

The nuclear Commission specifically recommended in its report that the full Commission should draft an international bill of rights as soon as possible, and that the draft, as completed by the full Commission, should be circulated among the United Nations governments for their suggestions. This recommendation was neither approved nor disapproved by the Economic and Social Council but it may be hoped that, with the assistance of the Secretariat and of governmental and private organizations, preparatory steps can be taken to speed the program of the full Commission when constituted.

It is reasonable to suppose that civil liberties, freedom of information, and prevention of discrimination will be included in the bill. It seems likely that the Commission of Human Rights will delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women, at least in the first instance, the drawing up of any provisions in regard to women which it might be desirable to insert in an international bill of rights. Whether protection of minorities will become part of the bill is a matter to be worked out with particular care.

What, in addition to these topics, may be expected from an international bill of rights, cannot be predicted with any accuracy. The "human rights and fundamental freedoms", to which the United Nations Charter often refers, might be divided into:

(a) immunities of the type covered by the United States Bill of Rights (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, et cetera) which primarily require inaction on the part of the states; and

(b) the more recently emphasized rights, which require positive measures on the part of governments, such as the right to food, the right to a job, social security and access to education, as may be agreed

upon.

The amount of ground which the bill may cover will depend in large measure upon whether it is intended to be a legally enforceable bill or simply the expression of an ideal which is admittedly unattainable everywhere at this time.

Education for Human Rights

The Commission is given broad responsibilities by the Council for educating the general public in the understanding of human rights. Effective enforcement of human rights will depend upon public support for such a program; and it is unlikely that public support can be counted on unless the public is informed.