Nations and who are still active, more or less, in public affairs.

There are also included certain members of the Secretariats of the United Nations and the Specialized Agencies, who, regardless of their position in the professional scale, are performing functions of great significance to the United Nations organization.

Questionnaires were sent to the approximately 2700 individuals comprising the groups defined above. Sketches were prepared from the data submitted on the questionnaires and then returned to the biographees for approval or correction and completion. Where little or no data were received from a person in a key position, the research staff gathered information from all reliable sources and drafted a biography. Where circumstances prevented biographees from re-checking such data, the sketches have been designated with an asterisk (*). As in all projects of this kind, not all persons invited took the opportunity to be included.

Although this work is intended as a reference guide to the active personnel, for this first edition we have also included Count Folke Bernadotte, now deceased, because his name is still associated with current programs of the United Nations.

In addition to nearly 1700 biographies, there is included a section devoted to the background and structure of the United Nations, and a brief chronology of conferences and agreements leading to the formation of the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies. Tables showing the distribution of biographees and the names and addresses of lay associations dedicated to promotion of the United Nations and the UN idea are also to be found in the Appendix.

Because of the differences in orthographical practice throughout the world, a modified method of alphabetizing has been foliowe. All names are listed in alphabetical order according to surname or family name. In the case of some Chinese biographees, the names (family and given) have been placed according to Chinese practice, family name first, followed by the given name or names, without commas between them (for example: HSU MO). When the surname contains a prefix such as des, de, da, d', les, la, von, van, etc., the biographee has been included alphabetically under the prefix. The capitalization of the prefix has followed the preference of the individual biographees.

Only the residence address for members of the United Nations Secretariat has been listed. The official address for all such persons, unless otherwise noted, is United Nations, New York. For all others, both an official and a residence address have been listed.

The abbreviations used are listed in alphabetical order immediately following this Foreword.

The legitimacy and need of a directory of this kind was carefully studied before undertaking its publication. This investigation revealed a substantial demand on the part of government officials, libraries, newspapers, international organizations, United Nations delegations, civic groups, students and others who have occasion to use the information now included here. All persons consulted believed that WHO'S WHO IN THE UNITED NATIONS would be a constant source of reference, not only for persons directly concerned with personalities in international affairs, but also for the layman seeking information on the individuals who are shaping the destiny of the world community.

Libraries underlined the need for a single, authoritative volume of this nature. The United Nations' Assistant SecretaryGeneral for Public Information, Mr. Benjamin Cohen, in endorsing the plans to prepare this volume, declared such a book would be "very worthwhile" and expressed the interest of the United Nations in "a biographical reference work for which there is a great need. "

Appreciation is hereby expressed to the many busy executives among the United Nations personnel who gave of their valuable time to assist the research staff in its laborious task of finding individual facts and suggesting new sources that would prove helpful. Outstanding among these individuals were Mr. Benjamin Cohen, Assistant Secretary General for Public Information; Mr. Phil Stitt, Chief of Sales and Circulation in the Department of Public Information during the formative stages of the project; Miss Moira Figgis, Chief of the Research Section; Mr. Albert van der Vekene, Mr. Frank Kozik, Mr. Georges Palthey, Mr. Bedrich Grunzweig, and Mr. Paul Rodzianko. None of these persons is responsible, however, for any inconsistencies or errors which may be found here.

In addition to the editors, this work has had the devoted attention of a staff which came to have increasing enthusiasm for the aims of the United Nations and its founding ideas as they learned more about the organization, and translated such enthusiasm into many useful deeds beyond the call of duty. These include Farrell Jones, David Nalle, Josephine S. Johnson, Margaret Polak, Hazel Hart and Berta M. Pierce. G. James Fleming, who first proposed this work, gave it general supervision.

Since men and their minds are so important to the making of war as well as peace, it is our hope that wider acquaintanceship with the men and women in the United Nations which acquaintanceship this volume helps to make possible -- will tend to promote more general understanding of the United Nations and what it does, and perhaps, why.

April 1, 1951

THE PUBLISHERS