What-Not at WHO

"There has never been any argument here," said one official of the U.N.'s World Health Organization last week, "never any East-West what-not." Said another, complaining that WHO never made the front pages: "Our delegates are too damned cooperative." Last week, as it must to all international organizations, the rude East-West "whatnot" finally came to WHO.

One of WHO's most cooperative delegates had been Russia's able, stocky Physician Nikolai Arkadievich Vinogradov. Russia, which had refused to join any other U.N.-established specialized agency, became a member of WHO even before the U.S. It was Vinogradov who had urged global distribution of the anti-tuberculosis vaccine BCG. It was Vinogradov who had fought for worldwide maternal and infant health services.

Yet in Geneva one day last week, Canada-born Director General Brock Chisholm received an unexpected cable from Delegate Vinogradov.

"I have the honor to inform you," it read, "that the . . . U.S.S.R. no longer considers itself a member of this organization." Vinogradov went on to explain that WHO was spending too much money, demanding more than Russia could afford and accomplishing too little with it.

These charges were patently phony. Russia's share of WHO's $5,000,000 first-year budget was less than 7% (which she hasn't paid). WHO's accomplishments to date were pretty impressive. It has sent disease-fighting field teams to more than 20 nations. It had helped standardize quarantine specifications and vaccines, had printed and distributed tons of medical information and taught backwoods surgeons modern techniques. In 1947, it brought vaccines and specialists to Egypt to wipe out a lethal cholera epidemic within six weeks.

"I could not believe my eyes," said Chisholm when he read the Russian's cable. Since WHO's constitution made no provisions for withdrawals, he refused to accept Russia's resignation. "I propose," he answered, "that I visit Moscow for fuller discussions ... I await your invitation."

This week, as WHO's executive board met, Director Chisholm was still waiting for the word from Moscow.

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