Chronicle of the Institute
| Published date | 01 December 1968 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002085236803400412 |
| Date | 01 December 1968 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
CHRONICLE OF THE INSTITUTE
HAS, its Sections and Members
A Tribute to Ren6 Cassin
persons of differing cultures and disparate va-
lues.
On the international level he has long
Members of the International Institute of
understood the need for -
and supported -
Administrative Sciences will rejoice at the
exchanges among public officials and students
news of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize
of government from all the countries and re-
to our friend and colleague Rene Cassin of
gions of the world.
He encouraged the
France, Honorary President of this Institute,
broadening of the base of our National Sec-
which was announced by the Nobel Committee
tions, and was among the first to insist upon
of the Norwegian Storting on 9 October 1968.
the extension of the services of IIAS to the
The award has special significance for it was
newly independent and developing countries
the first to have been made in three years,
and their participation in the work of the
and in this case was undoubtedly bestowed to
Institute.
acknowledge the formidable contributions of
Ren6 Cassin is today, at 81, a vigorous
the recipient to the world-wide advancement
member of the Conseil Constitutionnel of
of the cause of human rights. The occasion
France.
But we remember his distinguished
was appropriate, since 1968 marks the twen-
contributions to the reform and democratiza-
tieth anniversary of the adoption of the Uni-
tion of the higher civil service in France, and
versal Declaration of Human Rights by the
as a principal architect of the modern
United
system
Nations, in the drafting and implemen-
for the training of civil servants, when he was
tation of which Rene Cassin played such a
Vice-President of the Conseil d’Etat and Pre-
major role.
sident of the French Institute of Administrative
Rene Cassin is a man of so many interests
Sciences.
and abilities that he stands out in high relief
To know Ren6 Cassin as we have known
in an age of great specialization. He is at
him is not only to respect him profoundly as,
once scholar, jurist, administrator, and human-
one of the truly great men of our times, but
ist -
a distinguished internationalist and a
to love him as a warm and sympathetic human
patriotic Frenchman. The breadth and depth
being. On the occasion of the bestowal
of his mind and
upon
personality defy appraisal by
him of the
the
supreme laurel of the Nobel Peace
customary criteria of the judgement of
Prize, his
human worth.
many friends and colleagues in the
International Institute of Administrative Scien-
We in the International Institut of Admin-
ces send him their congratulations and warm
istrative Sciences know Rene Cassin best as
personal regards. They wish him continued
the administrative man. In 1953, he accepted
years of good health and abounding energy so
the Presidency of IIAS at a critical juncture
that he may continue to carry forward his
in its life. He informed us then that he could
indispensable contributions to mankind.
serve only one three-year term by reason of
his heavy commitments both at home and in
international circles.
He presided over our
destinies from 1953 to 1956 as only he can
preside. Despite his many duties, there was
never an occasion when his brilliant mind and
progressive spirit were not fully available for
service to our Institute.
Our problems had
the benefit of his remarkable ability to lift
debate questions to their highest level, and to
achieve consensus through his remarkable
perception of and sensitivity to the views of
398
Activities Reports of the
documents are included in those figures. Once
Director General
again, appreciable progress has been made
and I should like to express my special thanks
Dublin, 6 September 1968
to the Getulio Vargas Foundation for the
many very interesting works it sends us.
1. Report to the Council of Administration
Another side of our internal organization
at its fourteenth session
is related to the organization of our interna-
My
tional
report to the Council of Administration
meetings, round tables and congresses,
would normally have referred at length to the
the work of our Standing and ad hoc Com-
activities reports of the National Sections but,
mittees, and, finally, financial administration
since they will be chiefly dealt with in my
questions.
report to the General Assembly, no useful
The Executive Committee has considered
purpose would seem to be served by covering
those
the
questions and has prepared various rules
same ground at this meeting.
and regulations which have been duly adopted
I should like, therefore, to summarize the
by the Council of Administration. But I should
activities of the Permanent Services of the
like to point out that they are completely use-
Institute and to comment on the experience of
less and inoperative if a spirit of co-operation
the past three
is
years.
In order not to weary
lacking at the national level. In spite of all
our efforts and our
you with a detailed account of what has been
many repeated and urgent
accomplished in very varied fields, I shall be
reminders, we have neither been able to per-
fairly brief. I intend, however, to
suade all the
go more
congressists to register in time
fully into certain reflections concerning the
nor to have all the promised documents sent
future of
to
our activities.
In everything we
us on the fixed dates.
There has, admit-
undertake, the future must constantly be borne
tedly, been marked progress in the registra-
in mind. All
tions
our efforts should aim at solving
as compared with the Paris Congress,
not only current problems but also those that
but it is surely to be regretted that the Exe-
will arise in the foreseeable future.
cutive Committee could only achieve that by
. increasing the fee for late registrations by
The co-operation of IIAS with other organi-
50 per cent. Here are the figures. While in
zations has developed considerably. It should
1965 practically only half of the 469 parti-
be sufficient if I give the names of the prin-
cipants had registered in time, for the Dublin
cipal cities where we have taken~ part in organ-
Congress only 343 participants out of 485 had
ized meetings: New York, Washington, Paris,
registered, by the date limit of 15 July -
Copenhagen, New Delhi, Luxembourg, Buda-
barely two-thirds of the total.
pest, The Hague, Rotterdam, Cologne, Utrecht,
Hamburg, Strasbourg, and even Brussels, since
Where national reports are concerned, the
we co-operated with the Institut Administra-
position is also far from brilliant. Most of
tion-Universit6 and with the Office de Coop6-
the National Rapporteurs were chosen by the
ration
National Sections
au D6veloppement established by the
from among specialists in
Belgian Government. Visits have also been
the subjects on the agenda. It was only excep-
made to Algiers, Berlin, Budapest, and Kara-
tionally -
and where no section existed -
chi.
that they were appointed by Member States
or by organisations which are corporate mem-
The number of requests for information
bers. For this Congress, of only 23 reports
from official agencies or from technical assis-
received on subject 1, 13 arrived in time, of
tance experts, teachers, and civil servants is
only 26 on subject 2, 17 arrived in time, and
constantly increasing.
Each year, on an
of only 24 on subject 3, 17 arrived in time.
average, we receive twenty-six requests from
It is difficult to understand why certain coun-
practically as many countries.
Within the
tries abstained from replying -
or should I
first seven months of 1968, there were nine-
say failed to reply -
to our questionnaires,
teen requests from sixteen countries. Certain
especially when Rapporteurs had been ap-
of them required very extensive research and
pointed.
the help of our National Sections.
This is a particularly important aspect of
In the period under consideration, our card-
our relations with our National Sections. The
index has increased by 29,000 cards, bringing
value of our studies lies in as wide a compari-
the total to more than 202,000. This repre-
son as possible of national experiences. The
sents an increase of 16 per cent on the 1965
Institute’s part is limited to nominating, as
total.
Neither the United Nations nor IIAS
general rapporteurs, persons accustomed to
399
using comparative methods and competent in
Budgets for 1968 and 1969 both show a defi-
the subject-matter. In that respect, I can say
cit.
The Executive Committee is concerned
that we have been reasonably successful. In
with how to provide the Institute with new
view of our limited budget, a general rappor-
revenue to carry out and, if possible, increase
teur cannot be a paid full-time member of
its activities on the basis of a well-balanced
the IIAS staff.
While selected from outside
budget. Unfortunately, our receipts remain
the Institute, he must be able to rely on its
practically the same while our expenses in-
maximum help. We therefore have to provide
crease each year, if only on account of the
him with detailed information from the greatest
higher cost of living. Thus, while the total
possible number of countries so that he may
contributions and subscriptions received in-
present to a congress a summary based on the
creased by only 3 per cent between 1965 and
guide-lines fixed by the preparatory round
1968, the salaries increased by 9.1 per cent
table.
Our National Sections are therefore
during the same period, and even 11.4 per
expected to ensure that reports are on the lines
cent...
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