The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
DECEMBER 6, 1956
[This column has emendations. View original version]
NEW YORK—At last the Hungarian government seems to have deigned to invite the Secretary General of the United Nations and one aide to come to Hungary. It is to be hoped that he will be able to make the necessary observations and arrangements for future observation committees.
A resolution was passed in the U.N. General Assembly calling on Hungary to permit the entry of U.N. observers. Back of Hungary, of course, lies the Soviet Union, and when we talk of Hungary not allowing something, we really are talking of the Soviet Union not allowing it.
All anyone can say is that it is time the Soviet Union was branded as an aggressor. One cannot say in one breath that Hungary is a sovereign state and in the next breath that the Soviet Union's use of its troops in Hungary is a domestic question.
I was surprised to see in the newspapers that Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru takes the attitude that it isn't possible to negotiate for international supervision of the Suez Canal.
I would understand it if he took the position that all narrow waterways, internationally used, should be under international supervision even though owned by the countries through which they flow. But to say there shall be no international supervision seems to me a strange attitude and one that is difficult to justify.
On the other hand, one hears now that recent United States policies have enhanced the prestige of the U.S. with Asian and African countries. And then one hears that, as a matter of fact, these policies have not enhanced the prestige of the U.S. in Asian countries but have simply made Arab states feel that whatever they insist on will be accepted by the U.S.
I have a feeling that our real standing with Asian countries will depend far more on what we do in the Far East than on what we do in the Near East.
For the moment, the Near East question is the one that must be pushed to solutions, however, if we expect to have peace in the world. And our attitude there in proposing plans for peaceful solutions will have an effect on the way Asian nations feel about our position on the Far East.
Actually, we are the only government who can achieve a comprehensive plan of development for the Middle East, and peace can only exist there if such a plan is made and started on its way. It will have to be accomplished through the U.N., but with cooperation and probably through suggestions made by the U.S.
What one hears of the plight of the Jewish people in Egypt is disturbing, even though the Egyptian delegate to the U.N. early this week attempted to be reassuring. The first refugees from Egypt have arrived in Israel and their stories will be awaited with great interest.
E.R.
(Copyright, 1956, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)
About this document
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, December 6, 1956
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