U.N. AND THE LEAGUE
It is a significant moment for me when,
after eighteen years, I again find myself in a centre where are concentrated
the passionate hopes of the thousands of millions of human beings who so
desperately long for the assurance of peace.
The
years of that interval, sombre as they were and sacred as they remain to the
memory of millions of innocent victims, hold forth for us bright hope of the
future. The League of Nations failed and failed basically because of its
inability to prevent aggression against my country. But, neither the depth of
that failure nor the intervening catastrophes could dull the perception of the
need and the search for peace through Collective Security. So it is that here
in the United Nations we have dedicated ourselves anew to those high and indeed
essential ideals, essential if the world is to continue on the path of peace.
Ethiopia, for its part, is profoundly
convinced of the triumph of these ideals, were it only that the past two
decades have, in her case, fully justified them. The League of Nations may have
failed, but Ethiopia was again liberated and through the United Nations has
finally seen the rectification of seventy years of injustice and the
vindication of the right of brothers to become reunited. Moreover, the memory
of the failure two decades ago of measures of collective security is being effaced
by the glorious achievement, to which Ethiopia also contributed, in the
collective defence of Korea. Surely we have cause to be heartened at the
progress of mankind.
We must lay aside any disappointment of
the hour lest it cloud our vision of the goal to which we would aspire and
press forward, with confidence, born of past experience, in the triumph of
principles which are here represented and for which you, Mr. Secretary-General,
labour so diligently and intelligently.
Ever since my country’s acceptance of the
obligations of the United Nations as a charter member, I have looked forward to
the day when I would be able to visit the organization’s headquarters. The
physical realization of these splendid buildings, of the hopes and aspirations
of those of us who have ardently supported the principle of collective security
and the practical instrument to secure and maintain international justice have
surpassed my expectation.
I have enjoyed meeting our able Secretary
General and members of his staff, but I am not less conscious of the important
and conscientious service rendered to the organization by the press corps. You
are quite literally the eyes and ears of the United Nations and it is through
you that the world can follow and can judge the realization of their faith in
the United Nations.
I have always been grateful to the press for their awareness of the
importance of the principle of collective security and of my efforts to
establish that principle in effective action. I am confident that within the
scope of your dedicated task of objectively reporting the achievement of the
Organization you will never fail to reflect the patient faith of all peoples
that only through discussion, collaboration, agreement and enforcement of the
will of mankind can world peace and stability be achieved.
June
1, 1954.
Selected Speeches of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie
– page 355 –
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HIM with Sir. Winston Churchill, 1954
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