ful means of their own choice before calling upon the United Nations to intervene. The primary responsibility of the United Nations is to build a lasting system of peace and security capable of meeting the stresses and strains of the future, and to promote through more. effective international cooperation the economic and social well-being of the peoples of the world.

In the months ahead we must concentrate upon these tasks. We have first to provide the Security Council with the military force it needs to maintain peace. This must be done by special agreements which remain to be worked out between the Security Council and the member states. We should begin upon this task immediately.

We have another task of transcending importance. The establishment of a commission to deal with the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy is inseparably linked with the problem of security. It is a matter of primary concern to all nations. We must not fail to devise the safeguards necessary to ensure that this great discovery is used for human welfare and not for more deadly human warfare.

I hope that this Assembly will approve promptly the resolution proposed by my Government in association with the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, France and Canada, so that this commission may begin its work without delay.

The United Nations must be a cooperative effort upon the part of all peace-loving nations. Our fighting men have given us this opportunity. A great responsibility now rests upon all of us. Upon the meeting of that responsibility depends the future of civilized humanity. Twenty-five years ago we in the United States were not fully aware of our responsibility. But, with others, we have learned from experience. This time, both the United States Government and its people are deeply conscious of their responsibility. This time, on their behalf I pledge full and whole-hearted cooperation.

Resolution on Establishment of a Commission To Deal With the Problems Raised by the Discovery of Atomic Energy and Other Related Matters

Resolved by the General Assembly of the United Nations to establish a commission, with the composition and competence set out hereunder, to deal with the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy and other related matters:

1. Establishment of the Commission

A Commission is hereby established by the General Assembly with the terms of reference set out under Section V below.

2. Relations of the Commission with the Organs of the United Nations (a) The Commission shall submit its reports and recommendations to the Security Council, and such reports and recommendations shall be made public unless the Security Council, in the interest of peace and security, otherwise directs. In the appropriate cases the Security Council should transmit these Reports to the General Assembly and the members of the United Nations, as well as to the Economic and Social Council and other organs within the framework of the United Nations.

(b) In view of the Security Council's primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council shall issue directions. to the Commission in matters affecting security. On these matters the Commission shall be accountable for its work to the Security Council.

3. Composition of the Commission

The Commission shall be composed of one representative from each of those States, represented on the Security Council, and Canada when that State is not a member of the Security Council. Each representative on the Commission may have such assistance as he may desire.

4. Rules of Procedure

The Commission shall have whatever staff it may deem necessary, and shall make recommendations for its rules of procedure to the Security Council, which shall approve them as a procedural matter. 5. Terms of Reference of the Commission

The Commission shall proceed with the utmost despatch and enquire into all phases of the problem, and make such recommendations

from time to time with respect to them as it finds possible. In particular the Commission shall make specific proposals:

(a) For extending between all nations the exchange of basic scientific information for peaceful ends;

(b) For control of atomic energy to the extent necessary to ensure its use only for peaceful purposes;

(c) For the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and of all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction;

(d) For effective safeguards by way of inspection and other means to protect complying States against the hazards of violations and evasions.

The work of the Commission should proceed by separate stages, the successful completion of each of which will develop the necessary confidence of the world before the next stage is undertaken.

The Commission shall not infringe upon the responsibilities of any organ of the United Nations, but should present recommendations for the consideration of those organs in the performance of their tasks under the terms of the United Nations Charter.

II-A

Statement of the United States Position with Regard to Resolution Proposing Establishment of a Commission for the Control of Atomic Energy and Other Related Matters Submitted by Senator Tom Connally, Representative of the United States, to Committee I of the General Assembly, January 21, 1946

The combined efforts of the United States, Great Britain and Canada during the war resulted in great scientific discoveries in the field of atomic energy. The world importance of the problems presented by these discoveries was the subject of a declaration made by the heads of governments of these three states at Washington on November 15, 1945.

That declaration proposed the establishment of a Commission under the United Nations Organization to study these problems. As a result of discussions at Moscow in December, the Soviet Union agreed to join in the sponsorship of a resolution for the establishment

first session. It was further agreed that France, China and Canada should also be invited to join in the sponsorship of the resolution, and they have agreed to do so.

The proposed resolution, therefore, has been presented on behalf of all the permanent members of the Security Council and Canada.

The Commission is intended to enquire into all aspects of the problems presented by the discovery of atomic energy and by the other forces capable of use for mass destruction. Its object is to study and recommend measures which will permit and promote the use of these forces for peaceful and humanitarian purposes under security conditions which will protect the world against their use for destructive purposes.

In performing its work, the Commission must obviously operate within the framework of powers conferred upon the United Nations Organization by its Charter. It is authorized to make recommendations but not to compel action upon the part of any states. Each state will be free to consider the acceptance or rejection of the Commission's recommendations in accordance with its own constitutional processes.

As Secretary of State Byrnes stated on December 30, after returning from Moscow:

"The four objectives set forth in the proposed resolution establishing the Commission are not intended to indicate the order in which they are to be considered. In particular, it was intended and is understood that the matter of safeguards will apply to the recommendations of the Commission in relation to every phase of the subject and at every stage. Indeed, at the root of the whole matter lies the problem of providing the necessary safeguards."

The Resolution recognizes the interest and deep concern of all mankind in working out a lasting solution for this profoundly important problem by providing that the Commission should be established by the General Assembly. In this way, as President Truman recently said, "all nations would have a voice in selecting the proposed Commission." However, the only known use of atomic energy at present is for mass destruction on a scale unparalleled in the history of warfare. In view of the transcendant importance of the security aspects of the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy, the Resolution provides that the Commission shall submit its reports and recommendations to the Security Council. The Security Council is authorized to give directions to the Commission in matters affecting security, and it may restrain publication of reports detrimental to peace and security. But such action requires the affirmative vote of seven members of the Security Council, including the concurring votes of the permanent members. It is clear,

the work of the Commission.

It is the earnest belief of the United States Government that this Resolution will enable the Commission to perform its work effectively and without delay. The Delegation of the United States strongly urges that this Committee promptly recommend that the General Assembly approve the Resolution.

II-B

Statement by the Honorable James F. Byrnes, Senior Representative of the United States to the General Assembly, at the Seventeenth Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly, January 24, 1946

I wish to make a short statement in support of the very able report just made to the General Assembly by the Political and Security Committee.

The United Nations were obliged to unite in war to preserve their common freedom. The United Nations are now committed to remain united to preserve their common peace.

We won the war against aggression and tyranny by fighting together. We must now keep the peace by working together.

The report filed by the Committee calls upon us to join in creating a commission to study, from the point of view of international control, the problems created by the discovery of atomic energy and of other forces capable of mass destruction.

It calls upon us to find ways which will permit and promote the use of our knowledge of the forces of nature for the benefit of mankind under safeguards which will prevent their use for destructive purposes.

Science is a monopoly of no one nation. The discovery of atomic energy, like other great scientific discoveries, is based on earlier discoveries and the research of many inquiring minds in many countries. In a number of countries scientists were probing into the field of atomic energy before the war started. The United States, United Kingdom and Canada decided to pool their knowledge, and the United States at a cost of $2,000,000,000 pressed forward with research and developments to ensure that the nations fighting to preserve freedom on this earth should not lag in the race to discover the secret of the atom.