MARVIN SCHLAFF

SCHLAFF--Marvin Allen, longtime United Nations official, died August 18 at his Greenwich Village home, of prostate cancer. He was born in Manhattan on August 14, 1926; public schools in the Bronx, and Birch Wathan; two years Columbia University's School of Engineering; U.S. Army, radio/radar mechanic; under G.I. Bill, Columbia College, B.A. 1948, and study in Paris; two years in Labor Division of the Marshall Plan. In 1952 returned to the U.S. with intent of becoming a union leader. Assembly-line worker in plants in California; communications equipment installer at Western Electric; active member of the Communications Workers of America. In 1953, he refused to sign a loyalty oath as required by the Bell System and told union members that they did not have to sign it as it was not a condition of employment; though he retained his job he lost his next union election and subsequently abandoned a union career. Moved to New York, M.A., Columbia's School of International Affairs; International Confederation of Free Trade Unions; International Labour Organisation, in Geneva and Addis Ababa. In 1965 joined the UN Secretariat, rising to the level of Director. As its Executive Officer was a prime mover in introducing word processing into the Department of Conference Services, which included the translation, printing, and publications sections. As Director of Program Planning worked on study recommending the creation of an integrated management information system in the UN. After retirement worked parttime as secretary of the joint appeals board/disciplinary committee, the UN's internal justice system. Survived by wife, Marcia; children Elizabeth of South Glastonbury, CT, Anthony of Brookline, MA, Abigail of Ann Arbor, MI; sister Ruth Meyers of Riverdale, NY; four grandchildren. Donations may be made to the New York Public Library, the neighborhood libraries.