At the same time, it must be agreed, if it is considered proper or necessary, what sanctions are to be applied to those who fail to comply. ETHIOPIA Every treaty or international engagement entered into hereafter by any member shall be forthwith registered with the Secretariat and shall as soon as possible be published by it. No such treaty or international engagement shall be binding until so registered. FRANCE Any treaty or international engagement of a political character which is concluded or entered into in the future by a member of the Organization shall be recorded immediately by the Secretariat and published by it as soon as possible. None of the treaties or international engagements in question will be binding prior to their recording. IRAN Any international treaty or undertaking concluded by a member of the Organization should be registered immediately by the Secretariat and published by it as soon as possible. MEXICO Treaties and international engagements shall be registered by the Secretary-General of the Permanent Union of Nations and published as soon as possible. They shall not be valid and binding if not registered in the form prescribed in this article. NETHERLANDS The provisions of the League of Nations Covenant with regard to the registration of treaties as a condition for their validity [should] be retained in the Charter of the new Organization. MISCELLANEOUS BELGIUM The parties to the present Charter recognize that the Organization they are setting up possesses international status, together with the rights this involves. CUBA The technical organs and offices of the League of Nations which can be incorporated within the International Organization [should] be made an integral part of the latter, which shall use whatever means are necessary and expedient to adapt them adequately to the new purposes that will be attributed to them. The official languages of the International Organization shall be English, French, and Spanish. IRAN A committee of qualified jurists should be established to draw up a code of international law. Verbatim Minutes of the Opening Session, April 25 Doc. 8, April 25 MR. STETTINIUS: The United Nations Conference on International Organization is now convened. We shall open the Conference with one minute of silent and solemn meditation. Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States. PRESIDENT TRUMAN (speaking from Washington): Delegates to the United Nations Conference on International Organization, the world has experienced a revival of an old faith in the everlasting moral force of justice. At no time in history has there been a more important conference, or a more necessary meeting, than this one in San Francisco, which you are opening today. On behalf of the American people, I extend to you a most hearty welcome. President Roosevelt appointed an able delegation to represent the United States. I have complete confidence in its chairman, Secretary of State Stettinius, and in his distinguished colleagues, former Secretary Cordell Hull, Senator Connally, Senator Vandenberg, Representative Bloom and Representative Eaton, Governor Stassen, and Dean Gildersleeve. They have my confidence. They have my support. In the name of a great humanitarian-one who surely is with us today in spirit-I earnestly appeal to each and every one of you to rise above personal interests, and adhere to those lofty principles which benefit all mankind. Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his life while trying to perpetuate these high ideals. This Conference owes its existence, in a large part, to the vision, foresight, and determination of Franklin Roosevelt. Each of you can remember other courageous champions who also made the supreme sacrifice, serving under your flag. They gave their lives, so that others might live in security. They died to insure justice. We must work and live to guarantee justice for all. You members of this Conference are to be architects of a better world. In your hands rests our future. By your labors at this Conference, we shall know if suffering humanity is to achieve a just and lasting peace. Let us labor to achieve a peace which is really worthy of their great sacrifice. We must make certain, by your work here, that another war will be impossible. We, who have lived through the torture and the tragedy of two world conflicts, must realize the magnitude of the problem before us. We do not need far-sighted vision to understand the trend in recent history. Its significance is all too clear. With ever-increasing brutality and destruction, modern warfare, if unchecked, would ultimately crush all civilization. We still have a choice between the alternatives: the continuation of international chaos-or the establishment of a world Organization for the enforcement of peace. It is not the purpose of this Conference to draft a treaty of peace in the old sense of that term. It is not our assignment to settle specific questions of territories, boundaries, citizenship, and reparations. This Conference will devote its energies and its labors exclusively to the single problem of setting up the essential Organization to keep the peace. You are to write the fundamental charter. Our sole objective, at this decisive gathering, is to create the structure. We must provide the machinery which will make future peace not only possible but certain. The construction of this delicate machine is far more complicated than drawing boundary lines upon a map, or estimating fair reparations, or placing reasonable limits on armaments. Your task must be completed first. We represent the overwhelming majority of all mankind. We speak for people who have endured the most savage and devastating war ever inflicted upon innocent men, women, and children. We hold a powerful mandate from our people. They believe we will fulfil this obligation. We must prevent, if human mind, heart, and hope can prevent, the repetition of the disasters from which the entire world will suffer for years to come. If we should pay merely lip service to the inspiring ideals and then later do violence to simple justice, we would draw down upon us the bitter wrath of generations yet unborn. We must not continue to sacrifice the flower of our youth merely to check madmen, those who in every age plan world domination. The sacrifices of our youth today must lead, through your efforts, to the building for tomorrow of a mighty combination of nations, founded upon justice for peace. Justice remains the greatest power on earth. To that tremendous power alone will we submit. Nine days ago I told the Congress of the United States, and I now repeat it to you: Nothing is more essential to the future peace of the world than the continued cooperation of the nations which had to muster the force necessary to defeat the conspiracy of the Axis powers to dominate the world. While these great states have a special responsibility to enforce the peace, their responsibility is based upon the obligations resting upon all states, large and small, not to use force in international relations, except in the defense of the law. The responsibility of great states is to serve, and not to dominate the peoples of the world. None of us doubt that with Divine Guidance, friendly cooperation, and hard work, we shall find an adequate answer to the problem history has put before us. Realizing the scope of our task and the imperative need for success, we proceed with humility and determination. By harmonious cooperation, the United Nations repelled the onslaught of the greatest aggregation of military force that was ever assembled in the long history of aggression. Every nation now fighting for freedom is giving according to its ability and opportunity. We fully realize today that victory in war requires a mighty, united effort. Certainly, victory in peace calls for and must receive an equal effort. |