UNITED NATIONS: Scaring Louisa May Alcott

The Algerian rebels had been holding off any negotiations with France hoping to make a show of world backing in the U.N. Last year they had come within one vote of a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly, and at least one nation—Castro's Cuba—had indicated it would change its vote in Algeria's favor this year.

Shrewdly, the Afro-Asian bloc last fortnight submitted a bland resolution that did not mention independence or describe the rebel F.L.N. as a legitimate government. The French delegation, clinging steadily to its insistence that Algeria is part of France and hence none of the General Assembly's business, once again boycotted the debate. But Charles de Gaulle's offer of self-determination to Algeria (TIME, Sept. 28) had so strengthened France's moral posture that even Saudi Arabia's volatile Ahmad Shukairy, wildest of Arab orators, felt obliged to express his "esteem, tribute, and high regard" for the general. Seeing that they were not mustering enough support, the Afro-Asians, led by Pakistan's Aly Khan, softened their resolution even more (ALGERIAN REBELS RUN UNDER ALY KHAN'S COLORS, headlined one Paris paper).

On the final vote, the resolution failed for the second straight year to get the necessary two-thirds majority. The score: 39 yes, 22 no, 20 abstentions (including the U.S.).

Said one member of the U.S. delegation: "You know, you sweat like hell, cable like hell, lobby like crazy in the corridors—and then it's finally all over and it doesn't mean a thing. This resolution was so meek it wouldn't have scared Louisa May Alcott. By abstaining we pleased the Arab bloc, and at the same time we didn't get De Gaulle sore. We just hope to God he starts negotiating with Algeria."