Actress Found U.N. Exciting

HOLLYWOOD - "It was much more exciting than acting, because you were taking part in real and important dramas."

This was Irene Dunne´s reaction to her recent experience as United States delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. Now back in her Holmby Hills home, she paused in her busy life to reflect on her experience in international diplomacy. Some of her reactions:

"The language of diplomacy is very careful and polite. Your opponents can sound just as pleasant as can be while they are quietly cutting your throat."

 "I HAVE THE greatest respect for the State Department career men who briefed the delegates and were with us all the time to explain our policy. Yet I think it´s a healthy think  for laymen to serve at the Assembly each year. We come in full of enthusiasm to get things done - and sometimes we do accomplish things...

 "Yes, my having been in films did create a little notice. One day, one of the delegates came up and said, "Oh, I hate you!" Than he explained that he had stayed up until 1.30 in the morning watching one of my old movies on TV. Even Andrei Gromyko said that he had seen me on TV...

 "I found Gromyko very cordial - all of the Russians in fact. I always went out of my way to talk to them at social affairs. One of the Russians was a biologist, and while other delegates wanted to sight-see, he wanted to get into one of the universities. I mentioned it to one of our advisers, saying I saw no harm in it, and it was arranged. While we went to parties, he did his homework at night...

"THERE WAS a great deal of social life connected with the Assembly. I found that my having been in film helped keep the conversation going. Our first dinner was given by the Japanese´delegation. The first thing the hostess said was ´As you came down the stairs I remembered you singing "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" in "Roberta"´...

 "Our briefing in Washington helped immeasurably. Secretary Dulles was very understanding and Henry Cabot Lodge was the tower of strength to all of us. He is very New England and punctual, and he set a good example for us...

 "When I made my first speech, I was amazed, that I wasn´t nervous at all. Yet, when I make a TV or stage appearance I shake all over. Perhaps it was because I wasn´t giving a performance. I pledged 27 million dollars for the relief of Palestine refugees, which was a pretty nice gesture for our country to make...

 "I CAME AWAY greatly impressed with the work the U.N. does in its limited field - and it does have certain limits. I think we averted a serious situation in Syria, which might have been much more worse without a forum to hear it...

 "And I´m much impressed with the work the U.N. agencies do. I´m especially interested in UNICEF´s work with children. And the health organization which has found that it can control the dread disease yaws with a five-cent injection of penicillin. I might add that Russia doesn´t contribute one hot ruble to the organization...

(Press Telegram, February 24. 1958)