United Nations Screen Magazine No 9 (1950)

the united nations film board presents screen magazine number nine this is the united nations international bank funds at work the forests of europe are often worked in the old ways the timber is there for houses factories paper fuel but new methods are sometimes needed to speed cutting shipping and processing the united nations economic commission for europe proposed plans for modernizing the work without hard currency vital machinery could not be bought the international bank agreed to help with loans in finland and yugoslavia [Music] deep in the mountains of yugoslavia stand her vast timberlands felling is backbreaking work [Music] [Applause] output is small moving the logs is laborious the bank loan was used to buy new equipment to make cutting easier and quicker tractors each able to haul eight times the load of a team of horses at the mills more efficient equipment will increase the output of lumber providing more wood to be used for construction in yugoslavia and enough to export for the urgent needs of other european countries world bank loans have also helped many other countries reconstruct war damage and raise standards of living through economic development [Music] to maintain itself in the world markets belgium must expand its production the world bank financed the import of equipment for a steam electric plant dynamos that will generate power to turn the wheels of the mills drive the machines of the factories power to transform steel into sheets rolling off machines for appliances and transport ships and railroad cars world bank funds have helped modernize belgian industry [Music] famine is a plague in india in central india a vicious weed called khans infests millions of acres of wheatland roots thick as fingers push through the earth strangle crops drive people from farms the government has started a seven year program to clear three million acres of the infested land cutters to slash the roots were bought from england powerful tractors were needed to pull these giant cutters again it was a world bank loan that helped to buy them [Music] the blades of the cutters dig deep into the earth chopping out the roots and exposed to the tropic sun the roots wither and die [Music] once cleared this way the land is ready for the plow the beginning of this program climax is a 20-year search for a workable method of opening up the land for wheat and then there will be a little more for the hungry millions [Music] the grain india grows and the food she imports must reach her marketplaces her railroads were worn out from heavy military use during the war and normal wear and tear they could no longer do the job some new engines were brought in from britain and france but more were needed to help india solve a transport problem the world bank lent her money for the purchase of additional locomotives from canada and the united states more food grown at home and faster transportation are beginning to help india feed her increasing population of 350 million people [Music] assignment to the field gunfire shattered the countryside the fight was over the future of the state of jammu and kashmir whether to be part of pakistan or india while the fighting raged each of the new states presented its case before the united nations security council in 1948 as talk continued around the table the council sent a commission to the trouble spot in the field the commission negotiated a ceasefire and it was agreed that the people of kashmir would vote to decide their own future the united nations striving for the peaceful settlement of differences sends many missions into the field to observe mediate supervise investigate [Music] the security council or the general assembly establishes a political mission and selects the countries whose representatives will be the members of the mission [Music] getting a mission into the field is the responsibility of the secretary general heads of departments in the secretariat form a coordinating committee to supply the needs of the mission a budget must be worked out equipment assembled a staff chosen the mission needs specialists in many fields radio coding and decoding security transportation a general assembly resolution created a uniformed field service of 300 volunteers from many nations who are trained intensively to do all these special jobs they learn the structure and aims of the united nations the purpose of each mission now in action and how they will serve from desks in the united nations office building a staff is selected to work with the members of the mission a secretary an administrator a political affairs expert an information officer an interpreter any member of the secretariat can be taken from a job at headquarters interviewed and assigned to a mission in the field is the equipment assembled from pencils to shortwave radio to typewriters nothing must be overlooked dozens of classes to be taken hundreds of items to be packed the training is over equipment ready within the secretariat each department has made its contribution all the elements are gathered together the staff of the mission begins to function as a group under its principal secretary final physical checkups transportation arranged papers and passports in order and the staff is on its way to assist the members of the mission in korea the commissions are concerned with giving immediate relief as well as with the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the country a commission worked out plans to help the former italian colony of libya toward independence and economic stability [Music] high in the mountains of greece a special committee on the balkans watches for frontier violations and is striving to bring about good relations between greece and its neighbors a commission helped to bring an end to violence and disruption in indonesia now the new republic is the 60th member of the united nations during the fighting in palestine a united nations commission conferred with both sides of the conflict and established a ceasefire the commission had put an end to the war but the cost was high count fulca beradot mediator between israel and the arab states was killed on duty he gave his life to promote peace as his successor dr ralph bunch said in the annals of peacemaking he is immortal the peaceful methods of mediation and conciliation of disputes requires the sacrifice and unfaltering devotion of everyone for the united nations to bring lasting peace to the whole world screen magazine number nine was produced by the united nations department of public information this is the united nations