23 JANUARY 1948, Page 5

I hope that the pilgrimage of M. Trygve Lie round

Europe in search for a site for the next session of the United Nations Assembly is little more than a formality. For by every criterion that can be applied Geneva has claims with which no other city's can compare. It possesses in the Palais des Nations buildings superior probably to any others in the world for the holding of an international conference —which is natural enough, seeing that they were built for that ex- press purpose. It has hotel accommodation that should on the whole prove adequate, though one hotel at least has been converted to other uses since League of Nations days. The fine League Library is available, and the International Labour Office is adjacent. What is equally valuable, in a place like Geneva the delegates are.concentrated in a relatively small area and informal contacts out of conference hours—a most necessary feature of a conference—are so much the easier. In a city like Paris, or even Brussels, arrangements of that kind are much more difficult. Add to that that Geneva has good rail and air connections, and its superiority to any other centre for this particular purpose stands demonstrated. Prices in Switzerland are no doubt rather high, but it is questionable whether France or Belgium or Holland would show any advantage in that respect. * *