U.N. Economic and Social Council to Reconsider Draft Covenant on Human Rights

The United Nations Economic and Social Council, which opened its latest session here yesterday, today decided to “reconsider in its broad aspects” the draft International Covenant on Human Rights before passing it in to the General Assembly for final action.

Earlier, the World Jewish Congress urged the Council to reject the present draft under which persecuted individuals and groups do not have the right of appeal. The Congress’ plea was made in a memorandum, signed by Alex Easterman, political director of the World Jewish Congress, and Dr. F.R. Bienenfeld, its legal adviser, and in a separate appearance by Dr. Bienenfold before the Council’s Committee on Non-governmental Organizations.

The memorandum said that major provisions of the covenant are contrary to the U.N. Charter and called attention to the omission from the draft of any practical pleasures to protect the rights recognized in the Declaration on Human Rights. Both the memerandum and Dr. Bienenfeld pointed out that under the covenant it would take at least two years before the U.N. could take any action on a complaint–and then only in the form of issuing a “report.” “By this time,” the memorandum stated, “the persecuted individual would be either dead or have already suffered the effects of persecution.”