If every American gave 44 cents to the United Nations, the debt the United States government has amassed to the U.N. since the end of World War II would be repaid, said Doctor Wayne Osborn, history professor and faculty adviser of the ISU United Nations Club.

Osborn spoke about the role of the U.S. in the United Nations at the Memorial Union Tuesday to a group of about 20 people as part of International Week.

“Why doesn’t the United States pay its dues? We are the largest U.N. debtor in the world,” he said. The total debt is estimated from $500 million to more than $1 billion when peacekeeping costs are included.

Osborn said there has been a recent movement to move the U.N. out of its home base in New York to somewhere in Europe. He added the U.N. brings huge revenues into New York and employs fewer people than Walt Disney World.

Another idea that has emerged is the creation of a citizens’ general assembly. “The non-government organizations are trying to monitor and observe that every nation adheres to the agreements they make in the United Nations,” Osborn said.

Though the U.N. has been criticized for being corrupt, Osborne said it is too poor to be corrupt. “The U.N. is not perfect, it should be and needs to be criticized, but the world would be much worse off without it.

“The U.N. is a great bargain, the mere fact it has survived for 50 years is an achievement in itself,” he said.

Osborn said the U.N.’s most well-known organization is the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). He showed a video that outlined the beliefs and activities of UNICEF.

“Everyone knows [UNICEF] is a fund to help children. It is the part of the U.N. that has the most recognition and support. Who could be against children?” he said.

UNICEF was founded in 1946 as an emergency relief fund after World War II to help starving children and aid refugees in Europe. It has continued to aid children all over the world for the last 50 years.

Osborn said private citizen groups channel millions of dollars into UNICEF, and organizations like the Kiwanis, Lyons and Isaac Walton League provide the link between communities and UNICEF’s world-wide programs.

The ISU U.N. Club is looking for more members, particularly international students to participate in discussions. The ISU U.N. Club meets the third Wednesday of each month in the Memorial Union.

Student membership in the Ames United Nations Association is $10 a year. It meets on the second Wednesday of each month.

Anyone interesting in joining either club should contact Osborn at 294-6306.