Undergraduates Favor Strong United Nations, Federalist Poll Shows

Eighty-four per cent of Harvard students favor one or more measures for increasing the power of the United Nations, according to a poll distributed by the Harvard-Radcliffe World Federalists on February.

Of the 1596 undergraduates who responded to the poll 47 per cent favor a standing police force, 45 per cent support universal membership, and 51 per cent would give the United Nations judicial powers through the International Court of Justice. Fifty-six per cent favor U.N. legislative and executive initiative "in matters affecting the maintenance of world peace."

Most respondents were skeptical about the role of the U.N. today, however. Although over 90 per cent feel the world body performs useful economic and social functions, only 40 per cent believe that its activities contribute significantly to world peace.