The United States and the United Nations

LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL

The President to the Congress

To the Congress of the United States:

I transmit herewith to the Congress, pursuant to the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 [section 4, Public Law 264, 79th Congress, 59 Stat. 620], my second annual report on the activities of the United Nations and the participation of the United States therein covering the calendar year 1947.

The problems of international relations arising this past year in the meetings of the United Nations were met neither by evasion nor by meaningless compromises. The decisions and recommendations on the large number of problems noted in this Report are straight forward expressions of the judgment held by the overwhelming majority of the Members on the right and effective course to follow. The small minority holding opposing views on certain important problems, however, have presented to the organization a new question of disturbing character through their nonparticipation in carrying out the recommendations with which these Members have disagreed.

By its recommendations, the United Nations is acting to maintain the independence and integrity of Greece, to bring independence to Korea, and to place the question of Palestine on the way to settlement on the basis of two independent states, one Arab and one Jewish. The General Assembly has been equipped to bring its full weight to bear on the maintenance of good relations between states during this next year, through the new Interim Committee. As decided upon by the General Assembly, remedies will be sought, through consultation among the great powers and by study among all Members, to improve the functioning of the voting provisions of the Charter and hence to strengthen the organization by increasing the effectiveness of the Security Council.

Every principal organ of the United Nations is at work, and most of the necessary committees, commissions, and subcommittees have been established. In its handling of fundamental international problems during the past year, the United Nations has felt the profound changes in world relationships and the difficulties which we still face in all aspects of international relations. Naturally, therefore, its work is

not free from disappointments. This is especially true in regard to the establishment of international control of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, and to various political, economic and other problems that directly or indirectly affect progress toward attaining international security. But, whatever the disappointments, the United Nations is making headway.

The United States will continue as heretofore to carry its full share of responsibility and of leadership in the United Nations. We hope this will encourage every Member, in the same spirit, to help the United Nations to achieve the purposes that gave it birth and to give its principles realistic effect in the problems that come before it. Our faith in the United Nations is ever-constant. We shall seek to demonstrate that faith both by energetic support and by the spirit of our participation.

The accompanying Report describes the efforts made by this Government to contribute to constructive achievement in the United Nations during the past year through the policies stated by United States representatives and through important proposals initiated in the various organs. These efforts were directed above all to assuring that the principles of the United Nations would be given full effect. The aim of our policy in matters not falling within the United Nations, but rather within direct United States relations with other governments, was to uphold the same basic principles. These principles are fundamentally those to which we have traditionally given allegiance.

It continues to be the intention of the United States to foster throughout our relations with other nations the fulfilment of the Charter in its entirety. We realize that nothing less than fidelity to the principles and faithful effort to achieve the purposes of the Charter will meet the genuine needs of any nation, whether large or small. Accordingly, the strengthening of the United Nations continues to be a cornerstone of the foreign policy of the United States.

The Secretary of State to the President

DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Washington, D. C.
January 28, 1948

The President:

I have the honor to submit for your approval and transmission to the Congress under the provisions of Section 4 of Public Law 264, approved December 20, 1945, the accompanying Report concerning the activities of the United Nations and the participation therein of the United States during the calendar year 1947.

This Report is intended to give clarity to the United Nations work at a time when it has become more complicated and substantive, and to take account of the increased number of problems to which consideration has been given during recent months. The United Nations turned its primary attention in 1947 from creating its own organization to problems of international relations requiring its attention. As it did so, its work necessarily reflected the difficulties and differences of view that prevailed, unfortunately, in many fields of international relations in the 12 months just ended.

In the presence of international discord, the United Nations has nevertheless made progress not only on the more important political, economic and social problems given most public notice during the year, but in regard to the many less spectacular matters on which it is also at work. Its record is a solid contribution to the building of a peaceful and durable world order. Some of the accomplishments noted in the Report were made despite the intransigence of a numerically small minority, which has extended to a refusal to carry out certain major recommendations. The majority of the Members are demonstrating vigorous determination to carry out their Charter obligations, to exercise their privileges as Members, and to assure that the widest possible area of cooperation in all fields within the scope of the Charter shall be fostered in every feasible way.

The record offers no basis for complacency, which would overlook the real obstacles that have appeared, especially the repeated inability of the great powers to agree on important questions involving the security of the world. The record offers, on the other hand, no basis for pessimism, which would unrealistically ignore the range of agreement which has been reached. The fact that the United Nations dis

closed disagreement during its activities over the past year is no occasion for surprise. The organization was built to deal with the troubles that could not be successfully dealt with by the processes of agreement available to states through their direct bilateral and other diplomatic relations. The absence of unanimity in reaching decisions is not necessarily fatal. Differences strongly held are not readily resolved. Such matters naturally will require time as well as effort to adjust.

The Report indicates the nature of the disappointments as they stand at the close of the year. They are found principally in the security field, especially in regard to the international control of atomic energy, to the provision of armed forces for the Security Council, and to certain other specific security issues such as Greece, where efforts to insure the peace have been frustrated by the obstruction of a few Members. Our representatives are continuing to examine every approach by which further progress may be realized-progress in achieving freedom from war.

In conclusion, I wish to report that, in my opinion, there was considerable evidence that our participation in the United Nations received wide public support, and that the interest of the American people in the success of the United Nations was increased rather than diminished during the course of the past year.

Respectfully submitted,

THE PRESIDENT

The White House

CONTENTS

Page

LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL:

The President to the Congress

The Secretary of State to the President

Part A: The Second Year of the United Nations