Jacob Blaustein: Human Rights - A Challenge to the United Nations and to Our Generation, Dag Hammarskjold Lecture

the it's big this is its second and they says in this academic year in the baton rouge home while watch mrs some months ago

the foundation there were twenty five to twenty seven lecture is just getting this is on five continents upon universally is the universally which is actually is host to a larger number of his lectures than any other university there may be a reason for that i think one of the reasons is that many of the lectures live in this area what other universes they're also says barr princeton university it interested them in cambridge university all for swedish immigrants is that a couple of salon university of leiden university it's just the realistic his home university college london wanted to indian universities and wanted to latin american universities

so those are presented they're wide area because patients and there has been nothing but with this and the light on the protein or as the authorities and acting as sponsors is a back herschel lecture and then all those who have been invited to lecture i responded with people and visitors amir that is that there are many reasons who were close friends of the irish old person's a wide expanse who often included in this is annette says cannot easily become lighter in another time another review united nations and world affairs may be possible once more engaged in the promises of the spike lee mrs in the

days and months ahead following next monday night man who was posted them or lectured some days it all goes on because of the tragic passing of our president issued a statement monday night in this room on the subject are building bridges in support of peace on wednesday night ambassador russell of sweden will speak in this room on sunday financing united nations as economic and political implications on monday night following as janice goes farther far better being on a representative united states united nations will speak in classrooms and the law school on the subject of the united states' national interests and the united nations

those elections ahead for the month of december in the month of january on them a seventh without sign of el nino nation to speak on this fall and then attempt to cite those states the unrest will speak here with awful speak on looking ahead restaurants will speak on the sunday the first twenty five years of united nations from san francisco to the nineteen seventies which is a projection into the future and generate twenty thirteen bauer mr paul hoffman managing director the special fund innovations will speak on functions and farms along the systems my sixteenth like ralph bunche or speak on united nations operation in the congo and a maple suddenly the barber war jackson will complete the series at columbia with his son to the united nations in the decade ago bob saw that misrepresents the

right i am an action of view of united nations and world problems it was together with the lectures to the game in other parts of the world our represent a balanced development theme for the year we get the line that this was not an index and see you do the initial martin analysis of his beard grows it rather protection in the field of a specially of the speaking i'm a mouse with some aspect of innovations in world affairs and which nine am shows interest which represents in fact the manner in which we can continue the work and the interests of the late senator the speaker tonight is

an old and one friend of biracial and myself we're delighted to have him on this trusting and to be a participant and most mammals ate i messed a mustang has had a very distinguished career and indeed my lots of white resident buffalo says those days when i was in yemen a tan as one of the two departments mak departments for all the last president said that president johnson president roosevelt president truman president i suppose the most important work from the land point of view was is about mothers are bailing out on the announced his delegation to the general assembly a nation to these presidential appointments there many other facets of his career in

which i expressed for example in the fact that he was for four years the president of the american jewish committee i'm liking forty nine to nineteen fifty three am and so this day be i'd president of writing it is a servant to the highest level in many activities relating to reduce people and as that much in the development of my judgment why isn't practical policies from the state of his own in relation to the rest of the world is serving money and that is that you know the numbers here's chrystia on at news

above all an overall as a fact that in addition to the role employers is one of the leading industrial might mix of the country you'd does find time in some way to give this attention and right close attention two men aren't aspects of civic life and in just the world of which are car is for them or a member of the dagger mischel foundation board of trustees appointed with the rest of us working in sweden more than a year ago and serves the most officially on the unborn and also as an officer and justly foundation hughes made it crystal pleasure indeed present to you mr decker bus time those become subject to human rights a challenge to the united

nations and to our generation the peak so it really much more generous and one of my many talks about how israel which are whole impressionist mellman except that my invitation to address the fiftieth anniversary of the american jewish committee of which i was him we agreed that a stoppage of a human rights the failed to which we are directing our thoughts the seat in that address so full of with them and understanding him at a basic and fundamental statement he said well we know that the question of peace on the question of human rights are closely related without recognition of human rights which will never

have peace at his only within the framework of the decent human rights and the folly of law with reference to the method from abroad and the payment of human rights reserved the united nations and not lay down the laws for the life within any national community these laws have to be in accordance with the will of the people as expressed in the form's indicated by their chosen cause the region the us as a united nation's capital piece so it can enjoy deliberations to find the world of human rights which should be the laws of the future in each nation unquote human rights or realize either and a platitude are often inadequate and within the confines of a national community among the legacies left file a problem at the president

kevin was a valiant struggle for civil rights it in his last speech from the forum of the united nations on september twenty one nineteen sixty three while the united states of america there's a lot of discrimination and persecution on grounds of race or religion anywhere in the world including our own nation we are working to right the wrongs of our own country our concern is a writer a moment to equal protection under the law since human rights are in the visible this body cannot stand aside when wars writer you are neglected by any number spent those rights are not respected when a buddhist priest was driven from years ago when a synagogue a shutdown when a protestant church cannot be when a cardinal of it a one a crowded church services

wall new efforts of president kennedy are needed if this assemblage declaration of human rights now fifteen years the house meaning uncool dr hammer steel than john f kennedy was to write chapters of the human rights of justice for people and among people our freedom of responsible society they reflected aspirations which have been gaining wider articulation and acceptance during our generation in contrast to the lead government for example which was silent on human rights the united nations charter mentors human rights no less than seven times indeed an article one which defines the officers of the organization the promotion of human rights is placed on the same level as a maintenance of international

peace and security of the development of rhetoric will lead to the one day the impressive place given the human rights and the charter is how a loan or the time and effort which indicted nations the most of these questions and the general assembly and of reprisals and various commissions and committees as well as and diplomatic conference is probably by the united nations human rights are parts of some of these organs where the commission on human rights the commission on the status of women and the sub commission on prevention of discrimination and protection of minority will an undivided attention of the question into an increasing extent the same thing can be said of the third committee of the general assembly which indeed is becoming more and

more human rights committee it is not surprising that in a world where the rights of individuals are in constant jeopardy the united nations should be so concerned with the united nations' response very quickly to events went in africa for example how populations are the night even the most elementary rights it is natural that that should be repercussions and the world organization that would be missed by the fight however that is only in these highly publicized cases that the united nations exhibitors concern for human rights it is no exaggeration to say that there's concern is manifested almost daily at every level that united nations authorization a concern which reflects what is actually happening in the world a lot

of wineries and the muppets movie won for this concern which is reflective of the chopper was a simple level wholesale violation of the most sacred human rights in certain countries and maybe before and during the second world war with a violation of human rights became lot of public policy it serves no useful harper's to reopen the song is bury their foreboding you with any attempt to describe the horrors of the nazi concentration camps the brutal murder of thousands and the millions of men and women for no other reason than that they professed their religion of a different race or held political opinions different from those of the dominant group which had taken possession of the powers of the state you know why

re open again storms caused by other prescriptions and then these hardship than themselves which of ashamed of the twentieth century world whole lot of fellows by so called civilized man in an age that we have been pleased to call him like that why should say that to a plane that coral buffet that most criminals was a principle reason for which the war was wrong and that the establishment of song me for preventing a repetition of these events became one of the goals of the peaceable we know them as we noted that that it is our duty to work for a system under which the rights of every man everywhere will be respected honored an uphill in essence and a spirit in principle

and in practice as of reflected in the bombardment of proposals for the establishment of a general international organization which were published by the great powers in the fall of nineteen forty four the parking lot of proposals with a view to the creation of conditions of stability and well being which are necessary for a peaceful and family and relations among nations the new international organization show it lots of the flying remote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms unquote generality of the line using the bombardment of proposals failed to satisfy the expectations of a rouse public opinion which in this country and other countries was insisting on something far more concrete

and so when i'm mary and june nineteen forty five the representatives of the countries which had been associated in a war against the axis better services go to dr butch otter of the united nations that follow the one of the most interesting phenomenon and the history of it are not really let us recall that the leaders of the principal national non governmental organization comprising a cross section of the population of the united states from its important news event that had been called by the state department to serve as consultants for the us delegation a permit me if you will and this connection to make a partial reference i shall never forget the talk my colleague john doe them all star in eye of the american jewish committee an organisation people are concerned with human rights

i was several years previous have permission professor hersh what a pack of cambridge university to write for the post war era perhaps the first definitive treatise when an international bill of rights of man i shall never forget the top judge prosper and i had with president roosevelt before the year before was nineteen forty four when the fifty one nations were so you know representatives the surfaces fell to forge a united nations charter the president said to us how this emphasis will work to get those human rights provisions into the shot her so not unspeakable crimes like those of a bout seems will never again be cut by world society on pool and it was those purcell along with the equally concerned

representatives of the smaller countries are able by bringing pressure on the great powers got paint a significance of the charter in the matter of human rights and a long pole in the day to day attention given to human rights in the last seventeen years the non governmental organizations which now happen so the groups that was at the united nations i'm sorry to say they have often seem less affected than and that period of intense concentration of the drafting much hotter and it is hope that these non governmental organizations whether american or international well have a future because aleppo medical procedure that former employee bear upon members of the united nations or if you are one of a lot

of medical officer and the charter is finally right provided for the establishment of the human rights commission and play certain duties in the matter of human rights on the general assembly and all the trusteeship an economic social ill on other states too was place an obligation by article thirty five of thirty six the type of joint and support action in cooperation with the organization for the achievement of universal respect for an observance neurons and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction horatio sanz language or religion the task of securing acceptance of these provisions was not even at one point early in the conference the cause seemed

walls let us go back to a scene in a conference room at the fairmont hotel in san francisco the headquarters of the united states delegation there was a morning of may two nineteen forty four rick ross all those of the delegation were meeting with secretary of state so tennis when we were shocked that our recommendations bearing on human rights and fundamental freedoms were not be incorporated into the chart as a last desperate measure because cell has appointed a committee of primal level our way the secretary spent ten years and his advisor on the subject the late dr isaiah bowman president of johns hopkins university the state completed we met again the same day was secretary said today is an adoptable

dr fred nolan director of the commission of the charges of international buyers o'quinn forcefully and with the present tension of ours that we could feel that the war and sort of you know this one wire and the judge prosper are delivered an eloquent appeal that combines logic and deep concern professor james cheese shop where to start and then president of the american association for the united nations drew on his vast knowledge of international players have a solid fart eichelberger executive director of the american association for the united nations most effective to remove a practical objection of the american delegation but it would be impossible their own services fall

to work out with the other delegations and agree upon many provisions on human rights declaration your presence bigger proposed that the charter marriage by the general principle of provide for a commission on human rights they set up the particular this was accepted as possible by the secretary and the double our proposal then taken up the next day by the american delegation as a whole band by the big four namely britain china and russia in addition the united states and finally finally the voice of the people as personified by these non governmental organizations was recognize human rights provisions were written into the charter and the way prepare for setting up the commission on human rights it will be noted that

nowhere does a chart place of beauty or the organization or on numbers based of guaranteed human rights there was some governments represented at the conference which would've gone that all the delegations of chile cuba and panama well put forward proposals that would have the organization not only promote but also protect or guaranteed the observance of human rights these proposals were not adopted because a great majority of the government's represented at the conference including the united states we're not willing to give such a wide powers the world organization it would generally on this though that one of the first tests of the commission on human rights which by article sixty eight of the charter the economic and

social council was required to set up would be to prepare a draft of the national bill of rights the commission on human rights was julius and in february nineteen forty seven began to work on the chairmanship of that great human being politeness as eleanor roosevelt as expected the department of the international bowl rights which you decided would have free pass a declaration the multilateral convention and measures the government it commissioned works so well that was there a little over a year and i completed its draft of the declaration and part of a convention which were sent to the general assembly in the fall of nineteen forty eight after a long and difficult that they the general assembly adopted or the night of the somber ten nineteen

forty eight the four step on an international below writes under the name of the universal declaration of human rights universal declaration of human rights cases for thirty odd which are defined all the traditional civil and political rights as well as the more newly recognize them or controversial economic social and cultural rights declaration which was adopted as a resolution of the general assembly was never meant to be legally binding but there'd be others preamble says quote a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations and quote nevertheless in the fifteen years into the option it has acquired a political and moral of farting which is on a blow by any other

international instrument with the exception of the charter sell it is no exaggeration to say that no international instrument has ever received on all levels of life and the united nations itself it has on the fighting which is expressed only by the china surpassed only by the charter and it is costly of all not only in the general assembly but also in the security council and the trusteeship council another report it has found its way and the various international conventions including the japanese peace treaties of the european convention on human rights many of its provisions are some times actually in the many national

constitutions that have been adopted particularly in the so called new countries since nineteen forty eight and it has inspired and sometimes become part national legislation of america and you have the wi fi who will buy natural or it is as a like oh yawn twenty third said business and senegal one of the very important our international bowl rights was that i've been a multilateral convention which would be legally binding on most states which ratified later it was decided largely on the initiative of the united states that there will be two conventions one our political and civil rights and the other an economic social and

cultural rights reason giving what was the vision is that the two categories of rights requires different modes of implementation governments can be expected to issue a respectful political and civil rights what the implementation of economic and social rights and only be progress particularly in the economically under development there's something to be said for this position by building by the main reason for supporting the suspension and emi didn't i played it and i think was a fear of the administration that the senate might refuse to ratify a convicted on economic social and cultural rights the commission on human rights finished its work on easter convention which had decided to call covenants in nineteen

fifty four percent of the general assembly which has been working on and i know that and yet in life nine or more years may seem quite a terribly long time for the general assembly to have been working on the rise but the work is extremely difficult and often highly controversial some of the articles of these covenants are as intricate as a whole tax of other conventions which have occupied the whole time of international problem says after a couple of about an operation they involve an apparent to achieve a services of the ideals of one hundred eleven summers rates reflecting very different religious satoko political backgrounds and cultural traditions from the western version an african world

job also being a little helpful that the debates on the covenants have provided the context for the ventilation of a number of such questions as eddie coyle colonialism and the self determination of people which are directly related the basic human rights that are highly political fact remains however but a few years after the san francisco conference the united nations has to justify the hopes which in this particular moderate ways men women everywhere of place then it and it is not difficult to understand why there should be some this sounds like what the book for the main differences between the province and the universal declaration of human rights are won the covenants when i got that will have a binding was in international

law not possessed by the decoration and to the covenants on obesity what the white matter of the opponent this is np that she doesn't think the measures of improvement question of implementation is therefore most important and bleak indeed this is a test of the sincerity of government is mat best of the lot of implementation of phones for the convent comment when economic social and political rights ratify states will only be at the recall the united nations on the progress that they made for this treatment of these riots these reports with the review sympathetically by the economic and social also necessary the achievement of the standards

laid down the matter of civil and political rights however the measures of implementation that haven't suggested they've not yet been discussed by the general assembly are more complicated according to the plan there would be yes that was a fact one reconciliation organ known as a human rights and nerdy pati or complained that honestly bodies i'd violated their obligations under the cup human rights committee would attempt to bring about a settlement and flailing mess with publisher apart and dictating whether in its opinion that have been a violation of a couple there would also be writer recalls the international court of justice now the main figures of this is not only space for complaining the human rights committee

i'm very rare live a week for experience have shown that's later on will likely to complain about the conduct of other states toward individuals unless they have a political reason for doing so that they would not complain like dance around congo since when are the simple procedure and the international labor organization comes the region has been a vote only three times in forty three years it has made for this reason that many people think other prominent rights to recognize a writer titian to the individual or police by selected non governmental organization it has been suggested that these petitions might be saved by a kind of an international attorney general i'm responsible for as the

voting proceeded before the human rights committee the little reason for believing that any appreciable number of governments would be ready to vote for such a solution in the general assembly let alone ratify a treaty which was subject them to the possibility of the halal florida tonight a criminal while individual or a non governmental organization i mean the time has come when the united nations should face the immediate problem of transitioned from merely promotion of human rights for the one nation of the right it has been clear for the past ten years of the united states government has not been a pair those soon that is our job the official position of the government of the united states

in a matter of prominence on human rights has been that it does not feminine and will not write about just over ten years ago like secretary of state john foster dulles a prayer before the senate committee on the judiciary and sen that the united states did not intend to come up wanting to any such comments are presented as a fitting for consideration by the senate i do not agree with that position of our government the position it has taken a listener i think a chubby chain indeed from statements why are like president kennedy about president johnson reasons victims one is encouraged to feel the perhaps at least as for the executive branch of our government is concerned it may be a process of

some transition in that position policy of the past ten years has been a complete reversal of previous callers a victory for the position of leadership which is country had a soul in the matter of international protection of human rights ever since a san francisco visit the nile express promise made when this country to the leadership and up paying the creation of the united nations commission on human rights will express purpose of laughter in these covenants and a capitulation in the face of adaptation by emma martin which comprises some of the most reactionary elements in the country in this connection it is encouraging to know that just as author dave goldberg

of the united states supreme court in a recent speech call for the united nations' members to adopt the treaty to implement the declaration of human rights and also thomas mapp an international court and international court of human rights on the essential civil rights of the decoration he said the cotton a treaty would sink the guarantee individual speedy and public trials legal assistance freedom from corporation the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and security from cruel and excessive punishment he reminded that the idea of an international court on human rights is neither know nor a practical pointing out that the council of europe set up a european part of human rights

well it is an ill will and indeed that blows no one in nineteen fifty three the united states government but the position which i have described and recognized at the same time the need of alternative positive approaches by the united nations in the history it's all in the same year the united states delegation animating of the commission on human rights in geneva were polled by the united nations should engage in a so called action program for the promotion of human rights the other nations were somewhat skeptical about this program at first another role compared to accept it as an alternative for the comments on the understanding however but it would be treated not as an alternative and complementary to the covenants

the action program was eventually adopted it consists of three operations force the reporting system or an economic and social council has invited all members like to report periodically on the progress that these boys have achieved in a matter of human rights second the commission on human rights has undertaken a series of global studies are surveying and human rights and their own the general assembly has authorized the foreground of advisory services in the mau forest fits for the program and the reporting system is the most interesting about for one thing it has anticipated one of these systems of implementation of the covenants to which i have already referred broadening and to apply to all states whether they ratified the covenant or

not not maybe object that states are under no legal obligation to report such a matter however there is a strong moral and political sideshow i was a member of the great majority of members dan riffle it was pretty obvious to me however that the success of this particular operation will depend upon whether their eggs as an alert and then fall in public opinion in the mouth governments all governments particularly in a free society and are sensitive to the public opinion it is the most powerful weapon in political life as the public insists governments will ripple of a report accurately what is more public opinion can influence governments the ramadan and the abuses which

reports latest blow the real bamako for years the public opinion as often to an articulate two three four i must confess and i've never read a newspaper how many of the pope has raised on these periodic to waltz and again and again i wonder whether the non governmental organizations which have consultants that are sort of acutely alert the most important mission of a sudden innovation any action program was the initiation of global studies on various human rights the commission on human rights is now undertaking a number of the study and even more have been conducted by a sub commission on prevention of

discrimination protection about our studies have dealt with all aspects of human rights they can have important repercussions plus a study on discrimination in education resulted in the adoption by unesco of an international convention and that's possibly the most important consequences of the studies it doesn't say are carried on in cooperation with governments the ladder are encouraged to review the legislation and practice in the matter under review but again but that apparently exists no organized public opinion no public watch dog as it were in the matter and one recommendation nine elma is that in this

country at least a committee of independent and distinguished citizens be set up i can't act as a kind of a public watchdog and the situation the third operation to operation to boost by the so called action program is the advisory services the human life so and not only inspired by the technical assistance which are united nations offers economically and development in the case of human rights that analogy does not always apply and economically underdeveloped country is not necessarily a bad word in the matter of human rights law or economically advanced countries necessarily the ones and which human rights are most respected if you need any proof of that statement i need only refer to the example of nazi germany with a very well developed economic

that event ms jones secretary general has been offered by the general assembly to extend certain services to governments which requires the services concerts in the provision of exports fellowships an organization of summer the more successful part of this advisory services program since the endless series of human rights seminar which have been held in various countries in recent years is really the garlicky parsons from various countries for short periods of time and giving them an awkward moment the first change their venues and a spring these seminars have been held in all parts of the world in the americas europe and asia in africa where all aspects of

setting the protection of human rights activists these seminars from a considerable impact on public opinion in the areas in which a heaven hell and they have also been helpful for the participants at a double what the advisory services programmers know notional lot of the magnitude of the problem of human rights in the world but while useful as far as it goes they can hardly be presented as anything more than an interesting experiment this says that sends them a while in the program if we are really serious in this business of international armada of human rights should they considerably expand the future of human rights was left on the doorstep of the united nations assembly says no one of them

responsibly united nations about cal as a response inadequate i will say this the united nations have many achievements to its credit universal declaration of human rights and also one of the most important international is there was ever about it and it has already had significant on events the united nations has also about the number of important inventions including the genocide convention which our country should've ratified long ago and to the two prominent on someone medical rights and economic social and cultural rights which we have this year the future is more uncertain what if they include inadequate system of implementation that all the time and never devoted to them over a

period of nearly two decades will be justified provided a significant number of countries putting the united states that if the organization is also and david and a token program of advisory services which i have mentioned and which had developed could be used perhaps the most and most important the united nations have provided an international forum for the revelation of a number of great issue is affecting human rights in many parts of the world and as hell as earlier indicated crystallize the formation of international opinion that's in the final analysis i would emphasize the strongest weapon that can the news what a promotion of human rights well myrlie to establish as a flooring is i think no

i think to answer that question so the challenge has been outed but on the other side of the ledger the origin and tremendous need for action when the balance is struck with moscow clue that much remains to be done and they lead an effort is required significantly greater than any that may up till now though with the above in mind i offer a positive it may well be that the time has arrived especially executive powers of the united nations and the matter of human rights thus the general assembly or the secretary general

might appoint an independent person melody and who would be that kind of international commission are dealing with human rights bearing perhaps the title united nations high commissioner for human rights such a high commissioner could amount of the thing when his good offices governments and be available at their request to investigate situations where there have been alleged violations of human rights nicholas us underdeveloped countries and the organization of various institutions for the promotion of human rights you can advise the economic and social council on the human rights of aspects of a violent one decade they could assess the commission on human rights is your view of the periodic reports from governments and human rights which i have already referred at creating such a position would not require

iran would not require a credit it would be in the same category for example that has been the appointment of a united nations high commissioner for refugees there for richard also have the ready is a lot of cooperation of those member states like the united states and some others which have not been willing to thus far there were signed that way the proposal would cut and the very minimum but should be done if the human rights commitments and the united nations charter is to be really effective more than rhetoric that kind of the development must be in the direction of greater capacity to deal with a nationally at least once lowe's american author john the real whisper separate violation

i say this is a very new ladies and gentleman united nation concerned with human rights is a reflection of a social malaise in our own time on what the united nations about what we own country due to find and apply a cure for the smiling the parents or i have some future of the human rights on the line just as much as on the elimination of war under control of our moments depends whether mankind will continue in my opinion as a

challenge to our generation to our times the challenge for the united nations the peak to peak your interest in earplugs indicate the response to the circumference to listen and forceful and also the current state of human rights as a small footnote to activist last time and said this evening i'm reminded of that message home and cyclical virtue ferdinand your party's reach inside the global pope john when it bounces rights and

duties and points out that the rights and losers of people and that every writer and i learned one of us all those years are purportedly of the way that they do the it right or someone else and dimes because a lot of us the assumptions that and it was allowed to say that unless there's a sense across the rights and duties what one wilson one hand the destroyers of the other young person in the hole and that's assuming was a smell sweeping rights and duties and thus respect that those who engage in a struggle whether wider application of human rights in the water and i went in human rights around the world is a price likewise the

moment of the sensors possibility of respect for those guys with a correction data for coming and my i'm giving us the benefit of your thinking on this ram port and sun as he knew the hall listening to do not have the program's their programs are common to sign which abuse scandal which are referred to the beginnings of them singing and i thank you for coming out singing i am fired up and to make the seeming gross excess i think i fb fb