U.N. Commission Begins Discussion on Effective Implementation of Human Rights

The United Nations Human Rights Commission this morning began consideration of ways and means for effectively implementing human rights and fundamental freedoms. Colonel W.R. Hodgson of Australia proposed the establishment of an International Court of Human Rights.

Col. Hogdson said a declaration of human rights by the General Assembly would not be sufficient. The next stage must be a multilateral convention obliging member governments to incorporate these rights in their constitutions if they were not already there. There should also be an International Court of Human Rights to ensure that the rights are observed. Some asserted, said Col. Hodgson, that international law without sanctions was not effective, but the six hundred judgments of the Permanent Court of International Justice had been accepted without reserve. Neither the International Court of Justice nor the Security Council had jurisdiction to deal with human rights cases.

Col. Hodgson proposed that an international court consisting of independent judges, should have jurisdiction to hear and determine all disputes concerning rights of citizenship and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms provided for in the declaration to be made by the General Assembly. It should be open to any person or group of persons and to any state that accepted the declaration and it should hear all appeals from decisions of courts of states bound by the declaration in which any question of human rights was involved. The court should report annually to the Economic and Social Council.

The United Kingdom, USSR, United States and other representatives expressed the view that it would be premature to consider machinery for imphementation before the initial draft of the bill was available. The proposed International Bill of Rights will be prepared in the form of a resolution of the General Assembly.