Show Women Work for Peace Play Important Roles in inU U. U N. N Setup Setup By HELEN ELEN BECKWIT Guest columnist for Kathleen N Norris orris Bell Syndicate Features Additional evidence of the progress being made by women in world af af- affairs affairs af- af affairs fairs is offered in the role being played by women in the United Na Na- Nations Nations Nations setup Main achievement insofar as women are concerned was the es es- establishment es- es establishment of the commission on the status of women The group was created as a result of the de de- demand demand de- de demand mand by prominent feminists that tha the new international agency should inter inter- give recognition to women's ests The United States representative on the commission is Miss Dorothy Kenyon New York attorney and for for- former former former mer municipal court judge Long ac ac- active active active tive in women's organizations Miss Kenyon served as a member of oi the League of Nations committee on the legal status of women voters The movement for UN U.N. recognition tion of women was launched at the San Francisco conference when they succeeded in getting the principle principle principle of equal rights incorporated in inthe inthe inthe the UN U.N. charter They also got the proposal for a commission for women put on the agenda for the London meeting in inthe inthe inthe the winter of 1946 At this meeting the economic and social council set up a sub commission on the status of women in the commission on hu hu- human human hu- hu human man rights of which Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt is the chairman The commission outlined a pro pro- program gram calling for civil political edu edu- educational educational educational and social equality for wom wom- en They asked that an executive of of- office office fice flee on women's affairs should be set setup setup up as a part of the United Nations secretariat They recommended ex ex- expansion expansion ex- ex expansion into a larger independent commission The economic and so so- social social social cial council approved the suggestion suggestion suggestion tion and authorized establishment of ofa a separate commission At their meeting in New York in October 1946 the council designated the countries to be represented on the new commission Work in Secretariat Although they seldom appear be be- before before before fore the public eye another group of women is playing an important role in telling the United Nations story to the world This group is com com- comprised comprised comprised of members of the UN U.N. sec sec- secretariat secretariat ec- ec who accomplish a major mission even if their work is prin prin- principally principally principally behind the scenes Among members of the secretariat at are many of the new twentieth century women who have risen from the ashes of war At first glance these girls look like smart young women you could could- see almost any any- anywhere where where pretty pretty North Americans in toned flower-toned sweaters and blouses slender Chinese in short skirted ver ver- versions versions versions of Oriental dress skinned olive-skinned South Americans with liquid Latin eyes Lipstick smart hats and all that But watch them awhile and you will find they are different There is less party talk and drinking more hard work for a purpose Not that they are any less interested in men than women always were they sim sim- simply simply simply ply seem to think and talk about them less These women hold what is probably the worlds world's largest feminine fem fem- feminine feminine collection of university de de- de- de grees Many speak from two to five lan lan- languages languages' languages languages' languages languages' and can translate or take shorthand in several Others are wizards with paintbrushes Yet many are working for far less money than they have made before on a heavy schedule that sometimes ex ex- extends extends ex- ex extends tends to 10 or 12 2 hours a day six or seven days a week with a three hour daily commutation added to that During the general assembly they were soaked in a bath of work that left virtually no time for shopping shop shop- shopping shopping ping hairdresser friends or play Why do they do it Let Marion Dix tell you Miss Dix a former scenario writer turned down 1000 a week in Hollywood Holly Holly- Hollywood Hollywood wood to work for a week in the United Nations as chief of the film and television section which is pro pro- producing producing a film on the functions pur pur- purposes purposes purposes poses and goal of Hof the United Na Na- Nations Miss Dix says succinctly 1 If the United Nations fails there will be no world It must succeed A job to help it succeed is the best job you can have right now now and and no work seems too hard Constance Rhodes adds a few words to that Miss Rhodes is an English girl who studied at the Paris P ris Sorbonne worked for the ILO in Geneva and now is secretary to An An- Andrew Andrew Andrew drew Cordier right hand man to Lie Says Miss Rhodes Satisfaction in Effort This kind of work gets in your blood once youve you've done it Its It's fas fas- fascinating fascinating fascinating meeting people of all na- na na It would bore me now nowA eA r J A 4 job to help U. U N. N succeed is the best job you can hate haie right rigl now AID PEACE PLACE MOVEMENT Women arc are taking their share of the load in furthering the movement for peace as exemplified exemplified exemplified fied by the United Nations it t is pointed out by Miss Beckwith in inthe inthe the accompanying article a sub sub- substitute substitute substitute for Kathleen Norris Norris' regular regu regu- regular regular lar feature Women hold high places in inthe inthe inthe the U. U N. N setup setu while still an atz- another another other group although hough shorn of o f publicity and notoriety quietly do Jo their bit for peace by serving in the secretariat The story of these women should provide in in- inspiration inspiration Z spira for all working girls and women to work in an office filled only with English And then then then-I I dont don't want to sound too high minded minded but but theres there's theresa a great satisfaction in working for peace After every difficult time we seem to have made a little progress progress progress ress and it makes you feel good to think you have had even a small part Dynamic Mrs Trudy Veit Austri Austri- Austrian an born art editor of the visual in information in- in information formation service directs the pro pro- production production production in-I in of posters exhibits and charts some of which are in 16 languages British born Mrs Audrey Langston mother of seven- seven year-old year twins as U U. N. N photo liaison officer directs a photographic staff stall which snaps pictures for U. U N. N posters post post- posters posters ers and nd exhibits One of the toughest U. U N N. jobs is held by French born Lucie de Vienne Blanc head of a four language typing typing ing ng pool of girls most of whom came from Europe Mme de Vien Vien- Vienne ne Blanc who used to be a concert singer keeps harmony and clock clock- clockwork clockwork clockwork work order while English French Spanish and Russian documents pass jass from translator to stenographer to o reviser to typist to reviser etc She says the girls love America like American men better than Eu Eu- Europeans Europeans Europeans because they treat them better setter are fascinated by New York shops and rejoice in pretty clothes at relatively low cost Among the girls working hard for peace is a large quota headed to- to toward toward ward vard interesting personal careers Take ake Mary Ronay University of Michigan graduate who is creden creden- credentials credentials credentials officer in charge of press ac ac- accreditation accreditation ac- ac accreditation cards and seating ar- ar She worked in a Detroit Detroit De- De troit bookstore to earn to come cometo cometo cometo to New York and now is working and saving to study music in Paris Then there is Senorita Orellana of Chile Spanish translator who holds a Ph D. D degree from Columbia uni uni- university uni- uni university ver ity taught three years at Smith college ollege and now is headed toward a career in Chiles Chile's diplomatic service Doreen Feng daughter of the Chi Chi- Chinese Chinese Chinese nese ambassador to Mexico pores over ver and pencils making U. U I. I N N. posters and charts but some someday someday day ay she hopes to be a great painter Add to the list Marie Bordy tiny Russian photographer on Audrey Langston's staff who speaks five languages and chalked up some kind of f a record when she not only got a good picture of camera shy Soviet Delegate Andrei Gromyko but also made him smile Her ambition is a studio of her own |