USSR's Mule-Headed Methods: Play It My Way
BY SAUL CARSON
(JTA Correspondent at the UN)
(Copyright, 1965, JTA, Inc.)
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y.—A
funny thing happened to the Rus-
sians recently on the way to
Geneva. They came to the forum
there, at the United Nations Euro-
pean Headquarters, lugging into a
human rights issue the same notion
that they have been applying so
vigorously to United Nations finan-
cing.
In the fiscal area; they claim
that they are not obliged to give
money to the UN peace keeping
operations, since they never voted
in favor of those forces. In the
human rights field, they have now
decided, they don't have to have
any truck with any non-governmen-
tal organizations accredited by the
UN, unless such groups have affi-
liates in the Soviet Union. Both
views are cut from the same shoddy
cloth. What the Russians are say-
ing, in effect, is that they have
the right to veto anything and
everything done or even merely
recommended by any body in the
United Nations.
Throughout the world adhering
to what we like to think of as
civilized behavior, it is accepted
that majority rule is taken for
granted. If you don't happen to
agree with the decision of any
group or association—or, in fact,
any government—you have the
right to argue; but once a decision
has been taken, you are bound by
that decision. Not, however, by So-
viet standards. The Kremlin's no-
tion of civilized behavior is: You
play it my way, or I won't play.
This view was transferred into
the human rights field last week
when the Subcommission on Pre-
vention of Discrimination and Pro-
tection of Minorities convened for
its annual, three week session at
Geneva. One of the items on the
opening day of the session con-
cerned a progress report on a
study ordered by the subcommis-
sion two years ago on equality in
the administration of justice. The
rapporteur happened to be Chief
Justice Mohammed Abu Rannat, of
Sudan, a member of the 14-member
Subcommission.
Justice Rannat reported that,
thus far, he has received con-
tributions for his study from a
number of governments. He
omitted reference to one report
he was known to have received,
from a highly prestigious world
organization, t h e International
Commission of Jurists. Why did
he, chief justice of the highest
court in the land of a member-
government, ignore a report by
such a noted body as the Inter-
national Commission? Well, the
reason is dear.
Morris B. Abram, the United
States expert on the subcommis-
sion, president of the American
Jewish Committee, pointed to the
answer. The International Commis-
sion's report had noted that, in the
Soviet Union, justice is not admin-
istered quite equally. There, the
body stated, certain citizens have
been singled' out for persecution—
rather than prosecution—for al-
leged "economic crimes." And
who are those people? Soviet Jews.
The Russian representative on
the group hit the ceiling. Russia,
he said, would refuse to recognize
reports from any body that does
not have an affiliate in the USSR.
What about Jewish organizations,
asked Mr. Abram. Seated in the
very room where the Subcommis-
sion met were responsible spokes-
men for various world Jewish
bodies, repreknting, among others,
the World Jewish Congress, Ameri-
can Jewish Committee, World Agu-
dath Israel, Bnai Brith, the Board
of Deputies of British Jews, Alli-
ance Israelite Universelle, the An-
glo-Jewish Association, the World
Reform movement, and others.
Without naming these bodies, Mr.
Abraam pointed out that the Jewish
groups have no affiliates in the
Soviet Union—by edict of the
Kremlin (which he did not add).
But, for the - RuSsians, it was
-
•
enough when they declared that only the rule of majority
but also
the International Commission's re- the principle of peoplehood.
port on Soviet "justice" was "ten-
One principle they cannot re-
dentious and libelous."
vise—as long as the U.S.A. and
Through that stand, the Rus- other major powers keep their
sians were not only bringing to head—c o n c e r n s dialogue. The
Geneva the rules of the game U.S.A. insists it will not push the
they are playing at UN Head- USSR to the wall—but it will also
quarters in New York on the refuse to accept USSR stubborn-
financial issue. They were also ness when such mule-headedness
trying to negate another highly endangers the very fabric of the
important procedure, built into United Nations.
the United Nations practices.
From the very beginning, the
Hospital Sets Priorities
UN determined that "NGO's"-
MONTREAL (JTA) — Only 37
non-governmental organizations — beds of a total of 247 in the re-
must be given a voice, especially in cently opened *Maimonides Hospi-
certain bodies dealing with econo- tal and Home for the Aged, at Cote
mic, social and other human rights St. Luc, can be used for patients
affairs. The UN thus recognized who are well, all the other beds
that it is an organization not only being reserved for sick aged, the
of governments, but of people. The institution has announced. That
Charter starts with "people"—and limitation of the ratio of well to
not governments. It is only sick to aged, it, was made clear,
through the NGO's that people was laid down in the grant of
have anything to say directly to $1,073,000 by the province of Que-
the world organization. Now the bec for the construction of the new
Soviet Union wants to revise not building.
JOHANNESBURG (JTA)—Sharp is also pm-government, declared
criticisms were voiced here against that the procedure "could only give
two pro-government dailies that groundA of indulgence in racial-
have listed the "racial origin" of ism." A spokesman for the United
candidates in the forthcoming elec- Party attacked the practice as
tions to the provincial council. In "an attempt at isolating Jewish
their listings, these newspapers candidates." Other opposition
have added the identifications members in Parliament also criti-
"Jewish," "Greek-English," "Eng- cized the new practice.
lish" and "Afrikaans" after the
names of the candidates.
Even a fool is counted wise if
Dirk. Richard, editor of the Na- he keeps silent, intelligent if he
tionalist weekly, Dagbreek, which shuts his lips.
—Proverbs
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, March 5, 1965-15
2 South African Papers Criticized for Injecting
Candidates' 'Racial Origin' in Election Campaign
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