UNION

La reprise des Travaux de l'U.A.I. 3 Court Historique de l'U. A. 1. . . . . . .5 Tableau d'un siècle de Réunions internationales. 6 Quelques Réunions internationales : Conférence des O. N. G. Genève . . . . . 7 Conférence des Sociétés d'Ingénieurs Londres. . 8 Journées d'études des Banquiers Oxford . . . 8 Congrès des Prisonniers Politiques Bruxelles. . 9 Un Projet : La création d'un Centre international de Hautes Etudes Administratives. . . . . . . . . 10 Un Livre : Le 4 tome du Dictionnaire diplomatique . . . 10 Congrés annoncés . . . . . . . . . . 11 Calendrier des Congres tenus en 1948 . . . 13 Liste des Publications de l'U. A. l. . . . . 15 CONTENTS

A l'occasion de la sortie de  International Associations are invited to send to the Secretariat of the U.A.I, their remarks and suggestions and any communication for publication which they think might be of interest to other Associations.
In sending us regular information on your activities you enable us to study the evolution of the private international organisations, which is of interest to everbody.

We send New Years Greetings to all the International Associations and me wish them every success for their work in the future.
En ce début d'année, nous adressons à toutes les Associations Internationales nos me Heurs voeux pour le succès de leurs travaux.
2 La reprise des Travaux de l´U. A. I.
La reprise actuelle des travaux de l'U.A.I. et le f a i t que celle-ci est dirigée par un comité provisoire sont dus aux diverses causes suivantes.
Ce programme fut porté à la connaissance d'un certain nombre d'associations à l'occasion de l'envoi d'un questionnaire destiné à compléter la documentation possédée par l'Union, questionnaire auquel la plupart ont bien voulu répondre en y j oignant leurs encouragements. En raison de la création de cette commission intérimaire et des conversations en cours entre les membres de cette commission et l'U.A.I, celle-ci a décidé de ralentir l'exécution de certains points de son programme jusqu'au moment où les conclusions des rapports de la commission lui feront connaître le champ d'action qu'elle souhaiterait lui voir plus spécialement travailler. * L'effort actuel sera porté sur la mise a j o u r de sa documentation, sur la publication du Bulletin mensuel d'informations et sur la préparation d études susceptibles d intéresser l'ensemble des associations.
Bruxelles est en effet le siège d'une centaine d'associations internationales, -sera un outil efficace mis à la disposition de tous ceux qui veulent faire des efforts privés dans le monde international, une force irrésistible de rapprochement, de progrès et de paix. The year 1910 witnessed the realisation of a great idea, namely the First World Congress of International Associations in which 132 international bodies took part, and which gave official birth to the present Union of International Associations.
The principal promoters of this first world Congress and of the Union of International Associations, were Henri LA FON-TAINE, Nobel prize, and Paul OTLET who had already formed, in 1892, the International Office of Bibliography. These two men were great pioneers amongst those who worked for world community. Their aim was to bring together into a closer relationship all international organisations and to create, as they called it, a real « diplomatic corps » of the scientific world and social progress.
Two Annuals of the International Life, describing the activities of over 100 International Associations, have been published. The first volume containing 1.370 pages saw the light in 1908-1909, and the second of 2.652 pages left the press in 1910-1911. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the International Institute of Peace collaborated in the publishing of the last named volume.
In order to avoid a tedious recapitulation of all works accomplished by the Union of International Associations, we invite readers to refer to an extensive list of publications of the Union, which is given at the end of the present Bulletin.
A second World Congress of International Associations was organized in Brussels, in 1913 and delegates of 175 associations and 22 governments attended. As in the case of the former congress, all works were published in the form of a Report of over 1.000 pages.
The third session of the world Congress look place in San-Francisco in 1910.
A review, under the title « La Vie Internationale* was published from 1912 to 1921 and contained general discussions as well as information about the life and orga-nization of dînèrent international institutions.
The leaders of the Union, thinking of the future and forming large international projects, had however underestimated the material difficulties. They founded successively an International Museum dedicated to show the collective aims of mankind throughout the ages; secondly an International Library principally concerned into bibliography and information on the International Organisations. T h i r d l y they founded a Universal Bibliographical Inventory.
Unfortunately, owing to lack of funds, the above works had to be interrupted after the 1914-18 war.
The enormous documentation -200.000 books and pamphlets, 15.000.000 card indices -which had been collected before the first great war is still kept in Brussels where a group of admirers of II. LA FON-TAINE et P. OTLET still exists under the name : « Les Amis du Palais Mondial ».
In 1920, an International University was organized in order to enable a select group of professors to initiate students in all international problems.
In 1923, with the support of the League of Nations, the Union of International Associations published a « Code des Voeux et Résolutions des Congrès Internationaux ». This volume of 940 pages, eontains 1.216 resolutions adopted during 151 international meetings. All of the above mentioned resolutions were classified by associations in order that they might be completed by others when adopted in the future.
This book contains, among others things, the draft of an international convention, adopted by the world Congress of 1913 concerning a supra-national juridical statute for the International Associations.
This book offered an important service in that il re f lec te d the common wishes of the loaders of p u b l i c op in i o n a n d was available for consultation by all national governments a n d in te r n a t io n a l bodies. Unfortunately, the organisers of the Union of International Associations, had to face still increasing financial difficulties, pr inc ipa lly due to the lack of understanding of public opinion and also to the projects being too important for their times.
Before the 1911-18 war, the Union had been subsidized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Interparliamentary Union and by the Belgian Government.
After t h e 1911-18 war, the Union of International Associations could not obtain s u f f i c i e n t f i n a n c i a l aid to enable it to pursue f u l l y its activities, in spite of evident proof of it s capacities.
In addition, the League of Na tion s had itself to face political difficulties and could n o t show a f u r t h e r interest in pr ivate organisations.
The promoters, nevertheless, continued u n l i t their last days to keep in order the large documentation about the work of the International Organisations.
Thanks to this tremendons work we hav e not only a rich documentation which is rightly considered as international capital, but also we are inspired w i t h a strong f a i t h in international life.
It s up to us now to continue this great work w i t h the aid of a ll the International Associations.
The present si t ua ti on and programme of t h e U n i o n is developed in the first article of t h i s number. The conference discussed how technical information could best be disseminated and considered means whereby interchange of authors a n d lecturers between Societies in different countries could be facilitated. The means by which the Societies kept their members informed of technical progress were discussed. The meeting also reviewed the existing arrangements in regard to visiting members of sister Institutions and drew up plans for a greater measure of uniformity in this regard. Another matter of considerable interest was dealt with. That of the arrangements under which an Institution constituted in one country undertakes local activities in the territory of another having i t s own National Engineering Institution.
The fourth and final meeting was held on the 8th October, when the Conference considered the nomenclature and requirements for the various grades of membership of the participating Societies and the international relationship of Engineering Societies.
The first of the conclusions reached at the Conference, was t h a t it is desirable to foster international co-operation between professionnal engineers through contact between the recognized National Engineering Societies of each country. The b a n k i n g Associations of t h e world and where there was none -the hanks themselves or the embassies -were invited to send men to a course entitled « Current Financial Problems and the City of London ». As a result some one hundred and twenty bankers, drawn from Ihirtyone different nations met and lived at Christ Church for the fortnight.

International Summer School of Bankers
The main themes were the post-war financial organisations of the City of London, the instruction and work of the clearing banks with special reference to the foreign and trustee departments and the present financial situation of the United Kingdom and the Sterling Area. Certain problems arising out of Marshall Aid, such as the Payments Agreement and trade between Eastern and Western Europe, which had been on the original agenda, proved to be very much in the news a n d the discussion on them by these senior officials was well-informed and illuminating.
The last discussion of all was conducted by the men chiefly responsible for the recent developments in practical training in t he banks, and constituted, an authoritative exchange and expression of views and methods in this fie ld .
Lectures were being held in the mornings and evenings, and followed by questions and discussions. The afternoons were devoted to important panel discussions, each of which was led by a chosen panel of members with special knowledge of the topic.
In a welcoming message, Lord Balfour of Burleigh, chairman of Lloyds Bank and President of the Institute, said, among other things : « We believe t h a t by bringing together men and women of the same vocation from many types of economy, we may help to promote international understanding and co-operation in however small a degree ».
This message could be given as a conclusion, regarding the success attained by the « School ». Au cours de la réunion, fut exprimé le désir très net de voir éviter toute prise de position qui puisse être suspectée de présenter une tendance politique, quelle qu'elle soit, tant sur le plan national que sur le plan international. L'idée de la création d'un Centre International des Hautes Etudes Administratives fut esquissée, qui retint fortement l'attention des participants.