Editorial Note
On October 17, 1952, the United Nations General Assembly, by a vote of 45 (United States) in favor, 6 opposed, with 8 abstentions, decided to accept a recommendation from the General Committee to include the matter of race conflict in the Union of South Africa as an item on the Assembly’s agenda. Earlier that day, the Representative of the Union of South Africa, supported by the Representatives of Australia and the United Kingdom, had requested that the General Assembly decide whether that body was competent to consider such an issue, before the vote was taken to place the item on the agenda. The President of the General Assembly ruled that the South African proposal was in order, but that judgment was over-ruled by the Assembly. The vote was 10 in favor of the President’s ruling, including the United States, 41 opposed to the ruling, with 8 abstentions. Following its placement on the agenda, the item was referred to the Ad Hoc Political Committee, which considered the question between November 12 and 20, 1952.