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The representatives of Czechoslovakia and of the Soviet Union spoke in support of the Polish resolution, observing that under present trading conditions the basic form of economic agreement was, and should remain, bilateral agreement. The representative of Argentina stated that, while he could not support the Polish resolution, which involved criticism of the domestic conduct of a member State, he could not support the French resolution either. His country had not signed the Havana Charter, and he considered other non-signatory countries would similarly not wish to bind themselves to its principles. The representative of China then proposed a draft resolution referring the question of trade discrimination to the Economic and Social Council. This proposal met with little acceptance, Committee members pointing out that the matter had already been considered in great detail by the Trade Conferences at Geneva and Havana, which had evolved the principles now supported by the French resolution. The representatives of Syria, Norway, Denmark, and Belgium proposed that no action be taken on the item, and jointly submitted a resolution to this effect. This resolution was the first to be voted upon and was adopted by the Committee by 28 votes to 6 with 13 abstentions. The New Zealand delegation, which was among those which abstained, had intended to vote for the French resolution. In plenary session the Polish delegate reintroduced his resolution, explaining that Committee II should have voted either for or against it. It was procedurally incorrect to decide to take no action on an agenda item submitted to a Committee. The United States delegate declared that, though the words of the resolution were mild, it was aimed politically at his country. When put to the vote, the resolution was heavily defeated. The Problem of Wasting Food in Certain Countries In introducing this subject the representative of Poland referred to the action already taken by the United Nations, and particularly by the Economic and Social Council, in connection with the long-term problem of increasing the world food-supply. Nevertheless, the immediate problem remained and the shortage was accentuated by uneconomic utilization of foodstuffs. Methods of marketing and transport, of combating plant and animal diseases, needed improvement; in many countries, moreover, the system of land tenure hindered production. The problem could be largely solved by the mechanization of primary production, which under-developed and war-devastated countries should

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