nomic welfare of their inhabitants would be safeguarded and promoted and that opportunity would be given to those peoples capable of self-government or independence to achieve the status to which they aspire.

The chapters of the Charter relating to dependent territories and trusteeship create the machinery to accomplish these purposes and at the same time to make it possible fully to protect the vital security interests of the United States with respect to any territories in the Pacific and elsewhere which, by later agreement, may be included in the trusteeship system. These chapters also reflect a logical development of the traditional American attitudes and policies toward dependent peoples.

It must be emphasized that although satisfactory trusteeship machinery has been created, that in itself does not automatically place any specific territories under the trusteeship system. The Charter provides that each trusteeship agreement must be individually negotiated and agreed to by the states directly concerned with respect to a particular territory before such territory can come within the system. The particular trusteeship agreement must also be approved by the United Nations. Provision is also made, in the interest of security, for the special designation of strategic areas and for the employment of the facilities and resources of trust territories for security needs.

BACKGROUND OF UNITED STATES POLICY

In 1918, two principal views on this subject were advanced by President Wilson, namely, that colonies should be governed in the interest of the native peoples, and that the principle of equal economic opportunity for all nations should be generally recognized. The first view-native welfare had emerged partly as a result of the Congo scandals toward the end of the nineteenth century. The second-equal economic opportunity-had been applied to the Congo Basin by the Berlin Convention of 1885 and the Brussels Convention of 1890, and it was proposed further to extend this principle.

American policy with respect to non-self-governing peoples had also been reflected in the grant of independence to Cuba; in the Jones Act of 1916 foreshadowing the independence of the Philippines; and in the Jones Act of 1917 granting full American citizenship and a substantial measure of home rule to Puerto Rico.

At the end of the war of 1914-1918, the United States Government took the position that none of the dependent territories which were detached from Germany and Turkey should be annexed by any of the Allied and Associated Powers.

In order to avoid annexation and to give effect to the two fundamental principles of native welfare and equal economic opportunity, the mandates system was devised. This placed upon the League of Nations responsibility for supervision over the administration of the dependent territories taken from Germany and Turkey. In this way, the welfare of the dependent peoples involved in the mandates system, and the actions of the mandatory powers specifically entrusted with responsibilities of administration over them, became matters of continuing international concern.

The United States, although not a member of the League or a party to the Treaty of Versailles, safeguarded its interests in the mandated territories, resulting from its membership in the Allied and Associated Powers, by a series of treaties with the mandatory powers which protected its national rights and its international position.

Early in 1942 when the United States Government began to develop its policies with respect to a new international organization, the need for the establishment of some international mechanism to replace the mandates system of the League of Nations was clearly recognized.

The projected new international machinery to deal with these territories came to be described as a trusteeship system, a description which differentiated it from the League of Nations mandates system. It was designed to be not only a substitute for, but also a definite improvement over, the old mandates system.

The trusteeship question was also the subject of study by the other governments which later participated in the Dumbarton Oaks Conversations. It had been tentatively placed on the agenda of these Conversations, but discussion of this subject was temporarily postponed pending completion of studies of the many complex factors involved. It was understood by the governments represented at Dumbarton Oaks that the question would be taken up later and placed on the agenda of the prospective United Nations Conference.

Subsequently, an Interdepartmental Committee on Dependent Area Aspects of International Organization was set up to examine further

into the question and to draft proposals as to the kind of trusteeship system which this Government could support. This Interdepartmental Committee developed a program designed to reflect our historic attitude toward dependent peoples and to safeguard American security and economic interests in the future.

Secretary Hull, in 1943, had submitted to the President, who endorsed them, certain proposals on dependent territories. They set forth that there should be opportunity to achieve independence for those peoples who aspire to independence, and that it is the duty and purpose of those United Nations which have responsibilities for the future of colonial areas to cooperate fully with the peoples of such areas in order that they may become qualified for independent national status. The Hull proposals called on these governments to fix, at the earliest practicable moment, the dates upon which colonial peoples under their authority would be accorded the status of full independence within a system of general security. They also urged that in order effectively to carry out these purposes and functions, the United Nations should establish an international trusteeship administration.

AGREEMENT REACHED AT YALTA

President Roosevelt was deeply interested in this question and took with him to Yalta certain recommendations on dependent territory and trusteeship matters as to proposals which might be advanced at the Crimea Conference. The subject was considered at Yalta by President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Marshal Stalin, and the following policy was agreed upon:

(a) That the five governments with permanent seats in the Security Council should consult each other prior to-the United Nations Conference on providing machinery in the World Charter for dealing with territorial trusteeships which would apply only to (a) existing mandates of the League of Nations; (b) territory to be detached from the enemy as a result of this war; and (c) any other territory that may voluntarily be placed under trusteeship.

(b) That no discussions of specific territories were to take place

during the preliminary consultations on trusteeships or at the United Nations Conference itself. Only machinery and prin

ciples of trusteeship should be formulated at the Conference for inclusion in the Charter, and it was to be a matter for subsequent agreement as to which territories within the categories specified above would actually be placed under trusteeship.

Upon the basis of this new decision of general policy, the Interdepartmental Committee, after President Roosevelt's return from Yalta, reviewed its previous work and developed new proposals, within the limits of the Yalta agreement, for a Chapter on Trusteeship to be included in the proposed Charter of the new organization.

APPROVAL OF UNITED STATES POLICY BY

PRESIDENTS ROOSEVELT AND TRUMAN

These revised proposals were approved by Secretary of State Stettinius and were transmitted formally by the Secretary of State to the Secretaries of War and Navy. They were submitted to President Roosevelt by the Secretary of State on April 10, together with recommendations that they constitute the basis of the position of this Government on the subject in the discussions a San Francisco. The President replied to the Secretary of State on April 10, saying that he approved in principle the draft proposal on international trusteeship.

President Roosevelt died on April 12. On April 18 at a meeting held in the State Department at which were present the Secretary of State, the Secretaries of War and Navy, the United States Delegation to the San Francisco Conference, and the Advisers to the United States Delegation, including advisers from the Departments of War, Navy, and Interior, a memorandum was prepared for President Truman and submitted to him by the three secretaries. The memorandum was approved in the following terms:

It is not proposed at San Francisco to determine the placing of any particular territory under a trusteeship system. All that will be discussed there will be the possible machinery of such a system.

The United States Government considers that it would be entirely practicable to devise a trusteeship system which would apply only to such territories in the following categories as may, by trusteeship arrangements, be placed thereunder, namely:

(a) territories now held under mandate; (b) territories which may be detached from enemy states as a result of this war; and (c) territories voluntarily placed under the system by states responsible for their administration. It shall be a matter for subsequent agreement as to which of the specific territories within the foregoing categories shall be brought under the trusteeship system and upon what terms.

This system would provide, by agreements, for (i, me maintenance of United States military and strategic rights, (2) such control as will be necessary to assure general peace and security in the Pacific Ocean area as well as elsewhere in the world, and (3) the advancement of the social, economic, and political welfare of the inhabitants of the dependent terri

tories.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE UNITED STATES

DELEGATION

The policy toward dependent territories and trusteeship had now been carefully coordinated within our own Government. The United States Delegation had a set of guiding principles, the chief points of which were:

(1) Recognition that the principles of the Atlantic Charter are applicable to all peoples of the world, including dependent peoples;

(2) Recognition of the principle that the administration and development of dependent peoples is a proper concern of the world community and of the international organization; (3) That, subject to prior agreement of the states directly concerned,

(a) territories now administered under the mandates sys

tem may be placed under the new trusteeship system if and when such agreement is reached;

(b) territories which are detached from enemy states in this war may be placed and administered under the trusteeship system when such agreement is reached; and (c) the trusteeship system should be available to dependent territories other than those in (a) and (b) above when the states controlling them voluntarily agree;