Palestine Armistice Prevented General. War in Middle East, Opening Session of U.N. Told

The Middle East would have been embroiled today in a general war if it were not for the successful handling by the U.N. of the Palestine problem, Dr. Herbert V. Evatt, president of the General Assembly, told the United Nations delegates today in his opening address at the Assembly session at which Israel Is expected to be accepted as a full-fledged member of the organization.

Speaking before a fully packed Assembly hall and crowded public galleries, Evatt, who is Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, cited the armistice in Palestine as one of the major achievements of the United Nations. “In Palestine it (the U.N.) has pointed a way to a just and stable solution and averted war in this region,” he stated. “In the absence of the United Nations a general war would have broken out.”

##att expressed regret at the death of Count Folks Bernadette and emphasized that the work of the late mediator in Palestine had teen ably continued by Dr. Ralph J. Bunche. That the admission of Israel to U.N. membership at this session is considered a certainty was indicated by the fact that seating space was arranged at the Assembly between Iraq and Lebanon delegation for Israeli representatives who will take their place at the Assembly immediately after Israel’s application for admission is favor-ably voted upon, The U.N. steering committee adjourned tonight without, considering the Israeli application, but will meet again tomorrow morning. In his opening address today Assembly president Evatt praised the achievements of the Paris part of the session in the field of human rights. “They resulted in the adoption, without dissent, of the great Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the Convention on Genocide,” he said. “The New York meetings can take further constructive action towards securing genuine observance of human rights throughout the world.”