Reference Dominions Office telegram D1965 [2] and our 447 to
Hasluck. [3]
1. Concerning relationship of proposed Educational and Cultural
body to United Nations, we have broadly three alternatives:-
(a) To establish it as a specialised agency under either Article
57 or 59 of the Charter.
(b) To create a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly under
Article 22.
(c) To establish a Commission of the Economic and Social Council
under Article 68.
In paragraph 5 of D1965 no clear distinction is made between (a)
and (b). If it is intended to set up a specialised agency then it
must be established in conformity with the provisions of the
Charter.
2. After consideration of D1965 and experience of our
representatives on Executive Committee of the United Nations, we
think you should work for the establishing of the proposed
organisation by resolution of the General Assembly, thereby
creating it as a subsidiary organ of the United Nations.
This involves pressing for a closer integration with the United
Nations than that proposed in our Department memorandum of 23rd
October, 1945 [4], forwarded by air, which suggested Educational
and Cultural body should be a specialised agency very closely
associated with the United Nations. If above proposal is adopted
it would remove organisational disadvantages of French plan
referred to in our telegram 439 of 25th October [5], and have
advantages mentioned in paragraph 2 of Hasluck's telegram 11237.
Council may come up and you should consult with Hasluck and Tange
on this. On balance we favour a subsidiary organ created by
Assembly, which would better provide for:-
(a) The self contained and comprehensive character of the proposed
Educational and Cultural Organisation's purposes and activities.
(b) The desirability of a measure of working autonomy and a
recognised status for the Organisation within this specialised
field.
(c) A more practicable compromise alternative to the French plan
and Draft proposals. [7]
[AA : A1066, H45/703/1/2]
1 Evatt was formally appointed Australia's delegate. In Evatt's
absence at the Far Eastern Advisory Commission meetings in
Washington, E. R. Walker and H. S. Wyndham, of the N.S.W. Dept of
Education and the Dept of Post-War Reconstruction, were nominated
alternative delegates with J. A. Seitz, Director of Education in
Victoria, as adviser. As it happened Walker was engaged in the
International Labour Organisation Conference in Paris, and
Australia's representation was therefore left mainly to Wyndham.
It became necessary for W. C. Radford and C. Deane, both listed as
Secretaries, to serve on some of the five Commissions dealing with
aspects of the constitution. (See Seitz's report, dated 3 January
1946, on file AA : A1066, H45/703/1/2.)
2 Document 328.
3 See Document 351, note 1.
4 An undated draft of the memorandum is on the file cited in note
1.
5 On the file cited in note 1.
6 Document 351.
7 This proposal received no support at the Conference. (See
Wyndham's report of 29 November to Burton, on the file cited in
note 1.) Wyndham continued as Australia's delegate on the
Preparatory Commission which convened immediately after the
Education Conference. The Instrument establishing a Preparatory
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Commission was signed on 11
February 1946 and the Commonwealth Govt gave its formal acceptance
of the constitution on 1 May.
