UNESCO Meets

Between flashing lines of saluting soldiers, the philosophers, scholars, and educators of UNESCO slowly walked to take their places in the great hall of Mexico City's Bellas Artes. Somber and unsmiling, Mexico's President Alenian greeted them. The second world conference of UNESCO had begun.

What had UNESCO accomplished in its first year of existence? Lean, leathery Director-General Julian Huxley did his dutiful best to put a good face on it. UNESCO had distributed $72 million worth of books and educational equipment. It had helped restore some 2,000 libraries throughout the world, and it had laid plans, but done nothing yet, to combat illiteracy in Haiti (TIME, May 12), British East Africa and China. It had sponsored seminars and conferences, and spent a lot of time talking about what its job should be.

Reported TIME Correspondent John Stanton: "As Huxley stood there dryly reciting his report, he seemed a perfect example of what two exhausting wars had done to the brains of Europe. He was tired, cold, unenthusiastic, apparently robbed of all illusion." The U.S. delegates were full of admen's fervor and preoccupation with big, bold campaigns. They wanted to set up a worldwide radio network right now, and figure how & what to say over it later. They had charts to show that the world's press, and its film industry, could be used by UNESCO.

Their proposals were greeted somewhat skeptically. Said one listener: "How can the United Nations preach freedom, democracy and the road to peace, when the nations themselves cannot agree on the text?"

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