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University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, Nov. 12, 1963
UN Budget Mounts; Members Complain
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y.—(UPI)Like housewives everywhere the United Nations is worried about the budget and the rising cost of living.
The United States and most other members think expenses of the 111-nation world organization are getting out of control and need some belt tightening.
THIS PROBLEM IS separate from, though obviously closely connected to, the financial crisis caused by high peace-keeping costs and the refusal of some members to share them.
Speakers in the regular budget de-3 bate completed last week have complained about too many conferences, too much paper work, too high staff expenses, too much guesswork in cost estimates, and too little coordination of the myriad economic, social, political and legal projects.
Alluding the rapid increase in size and complexity of the organization over the past few years, Rep. William S. Maillard, R-Calif., and U.S. spokesman at U.N. on money matters, pointed out that "the U.N. today is big business" and needs periodic re-evaluation.
THE BUDGET DEBATE skirted the real reason for the $140 million U.N. deficit - the refusal of the Communist countries, France, South Africa, Portugal and some others to pay assessments for the expensive peace operations in the Congo and the Middle East. This is a political problem that has been put on ice until next year.
But nobody denies that the peace-keeping debt caused the alarm that has led to the first concerted movement for a closer look at the U.N. books in all fields. Peace-keeping accounts are kept separate from the regular administrative budget used for staff salaries, travel, building upkeep, printing, special missions and the like.
While there has been no trouble collecting assessments for the regular budget, widespread concern has developed over the fact that states have just so much money for U.N. contributions — peace-keeping or otherwise.
SO AN ECOMONY drive is on.
Secretary General Thant, who technically is responsible for the budget figures, is caught in a dilemma. He is under pressure from the new countries of Africa and Asia for more aid for development, but faces demands for economies because of the deficit.
The projected administrative budget for next year is approximately $100 million. This compares with $19.4 million in 1946 when there were 51 members, $60.8 million in 1959 when there were 82 members, and $93.9 million in 1963.
THE EXPENSES will be offset by a $15 million income from various sources. While the total is still far below the national budgets of most member states, delegates are concerned because the trend has been going steadily upward. They pointed out that peace-keeping assessments and contributions for specialized agencies such as UNICEF and UNESCO add another $400 million to the total annually.
In calling for an examination of the U.N. fiscal system, Maillard cited four basic factors which contribute to the financial difficulties, irrespective of the political peace-keeping problem:
- Inherent complexity of the organization. The U.N. is without historical precedent, and is engaged in experimentation and pioneering in a diverse range of complicated activities, some of which have no clear guidelines.
- Rapid growth. U.N. membership has doubled, and the institutional structure has expanded into 23 contient and affiliated agencies employing about 35,000 persons and conducting operational activities in 125 countries and territories.
- Shortage of trained, available personnel to carry out complex and technical programs involving international staffs.
- Shortage of office space and facilities to meet the increasing demands for information, surveys, technical assistance.
Virtually every speaker in the debate suggested that economies could be achieved through better budget procedures, a rationalization of the conference schedule and a priority system for allocation of material and manpower resources.
At present, budget estimates for the coming year involve much guesswork. Decisions are taken before preparatory work is completed, resulting in supplementary expenses being added to original estimates on which the assessments are based. The suggestion is for long range planning, up to five years ahead.
SOME DELEGATES have questioned the vogue for international conferences and the habit of annual or semi-annual meetings of councils, executive boards and committees of U.N. agencies. They have complained that the scope and function of some of these conferences are not defined clearly at the start, and frequently "get out of hand" by the time actual meetings are held.
A panel discussion on the professional biologist will be the first presentation in the SUA Philosophical Basis of Absolutely Everything (PBOAE) series. It will be held at 7:30 p.m. today in the Big Eight Room of the Kansas Union.
A case in point is the U.N. conference for trade and development scheduled for Geneva next spring. The cost has doubled to nearly $3 million, and so many people now want the conference to cover so much ground that veteran economic diplomats fear it will be bogged down in detail and accomplish nothing.
Biologist Is Topic Of Panel Series
As for available resources of manpower, money, and time, it is obvious there is not enough to satisfy the demands coming from all directions. To make the most efficient use of the resources, a system of priorities must be instituted, coordinating the programs of all the agencies.
The panel will be composed of Robert Beer, chairman of the department of entomology; David Paretsky, chairman of the department of microbiology; Prof. John Weir of the zoology department, Phillip Wells and Eugene Fox, assistant professors of botany.
Don Iglesrud, Minneapolis, Minn. senior and PBOA committee chairman, said that the series was started because sociological and psychological studies show that most people in one particular field have a stereotyped view of other professions. The series will give students an opportunity to get an opinion of a profession that they might otherwise never get.
KU Symposium To Be April 26
An internationally recognized expert in electronic music, Vladimir Ussachevsky, of Columbia University, and Guy Fraser Harrison, conductor of the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra, will be special guests at the sixth University of Kansas Symposium on Contemporary American Music.
The symposium will be held here April 26-28.
Members of the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra will perform in the symposium orchestra.
The University of Kansas was recently named second in the nation among state universities and land grant colleges by the National Federation of Music Clubs, for its performance and support of American music.
DUNEDIN, Fla. — (UPI) — Sam Sneed, a pro golf star since 1934, still is one of the most popular players with the tournament galleries.
and they may be yours if you are helping to put yourself through school. You know the value of money.
The best protection for those hard-earned dollars is in an Economy Checking Account where they can't be lost, stolen or misplaced. In any amount, your account is welcome.
8th and MASSACHUSETTS STREETS
Read and Use Kansan Clæsifieds
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The Classical Film Series presents
"The Louisiana Story"
one of the finest documentaries of all times directed by Robert Flaherty
plus
"Night and Fog"
a documentary on the Concentration Camps directed by Alain Resnais
★★★
Wednesday, November 13 Fraser Theater - 7:00 p.m.- Admission 60c
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Tickets on sale at Kansas Union ticket desk
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