to voting on matters of pacific settlement and such questions as admission to membership in the United Nations. Among the major problems toward the solution of which the United States Representatives did not present the initial proposals, but took active part in arriving at recommendations, was Palestine. The Assembly recommended the early establishment of two independent states, one Arab and one Jewish, with the city of Jerusalem placed under a special international regime, and with an economic union covering the whole area. The question of Palestine was the occasion for the First Special Session of the United Nations, April 28 to May 15, 1947, and was fraught, especially in the Annual Session, with extraordinary difficulties. The main objective of the Government of the United States on this problem was to assure the fullest possible consideration by the Assembly of all practicable alternative solutions and the reaching of a carefully reasoned decision expressing the best judgment of the United Nations as a whole on the wisest disposition to be made of this small territory, administered as a mandate by the United Kingdom since shortly after the First World War. Among other significant advances were the Assembly's recommendations in regard to non-self-governing territories, economic, social, and humanitarian problems, and the development of international law. The Assembly also considered the subject of propaganda. The original resolution proposed on propaganda had extraordinary implications. An exceedingly strong effort was made by the Soviet Union to achieve a decision based upon a number of allegations as to the motives and misinterpretations of the philosophy of several nations, including especially the United States. Most important was the attempt to win a prohibition of "war propaganda" in any form, backed by criminal penalties. These efforts clarified for all observers the nature of certain forms of propaganda and were met by various delegations, including the United States Delegation, with views based upon the fundamental character and necessity of freedom of speech. The outcome was a resolution rejecting the proposed undermining of freedom of speech and pressing toward better relations between states. A unanimous welcome was extended by the Assembly to the proposals advanced to provide the United Nations with permanent buildings in accordance with the headquarters agreement between the United States and the United Nations. Needless physical handicaps upon the functioning of the United Nations will in considerable measure be removed by the action projected in the resolution adopted this year, in regard to which the United States Delegation took an active part pursuant to the duty of host country. A non-interest-bearing loan of $65,000,000 from the United States was projected by the United States Delegation, subject to congressional approval, to make the building possible. The substantive activities of the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and the Trusteeship Council were also numerous. Their character can only be indicated by the following brief notes. In the case concerning the Corfu Channel, arising from the existence in an international waterway of a mine field that caused damage to two British destroyers, the Security Council recommended that the two parties, the United Kingdom and Albania, refer their dispute to the International Court of Justice. In considering the United Kingdom-Egyptian dispute, the Council did not reach a decision, and the matter remains suspended. The Council acted promptly on the Indonesian question by calling upon the two parties, the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia, to cease hostilities and to settle their differences by peaceful means. The good offices of the Council were offered to the parties; a three-nation Good Offices Committee of the Security Council is in Indonesia to assist the parties in ironing out their difficulties. In the further matter of the appointment of a governor of the Free Territory of Trieste, the Council has so far been unable to agree upon any individual to assume this important post. Trieste meanwhile continues under military occupation, divided into two zones, the United Kingdom and the United States occupying one and Yugoslavia the other. The Economic and Social Council, aside from its contribution to the development of the International Trade Organization and the general agreement on tariffs and trade, has undertaken promising steps toward economic improvement through the Economic Commission for Europe and the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East. It was also active in matters of social welfare, extension of aid to children through the International Children's Emergency Fund, drafting of a bill of human rights, and preparations for a conference on freedom of information to be held in March 1948. In their participation the Representatives of the United States demonstrated the deep interest of this Government in these matters. All departments and agencies of this Government directly concerned have collaborated in determining the policies expressed in behalf of the United States. The developments in regard to dependent areas invoked the traditional interest of the United States in the progressive advancement of non-self-governing peoples toward self-government. Much attention was devoted by the General Assembly to the information to be requested from the states administering non-self-governing territories. Following approval of several trusteeship agreements, the Trusteeship Council was established during the past year and held two sessions. Trusteeship agreements were approved for the trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the United States, and for Nauru, which is being administered by Australia. Ten trusteeship agree'ments are now in effect. The Council is preparing a statute for the City of Jerusalem, pursuant to the resolution of the General Assembly on Palestine, by which Jerusalem is to be administered by the Trusteeship Council on behalf of the United Nations under a special international regime. It is also noteworthy that during the year many of the Members of the United Nations expressed growing desire that the International Court of Justice should be utilized more fully. A resolution urging resort to the Court, both in regard to legal issues between states and in regard to interpretation of the Charter, was adopted. Certain disappointments, however, must be recorded. The lack of agreement on international control of atomic energy for peaceful purposes is of deep concern. The failure to agree to place armed forces at the disposal of the United Nations for the enforcement of peace is a further disappointment. The developments on these matters are presented later in this Report with an analysis of the main differences of view that existed at the close of the year. Likewise the slow progress in regard to regulation and reduction of conventional armaments is considered below. United States representation in the United Nations continued throughout the past year to be broadly representative of the Nation as a whole. The United States Representatives and Deputy Representatives are named in full in an appended paper. On the Security Council, Warren R. Austin, the United States Representative at the Seat of the United Nations, was the United States Representative, and Herschel V. Johnson served as Deputy United States Representative, both with the rank of Ambassador. By appointment during the year, Willard L. Thorp, Assistant Secretary of State for economic affairs, became United States Representative on the Economic and Social Council, with Leroy D. Stinebower as Deputy Representative. Francis B. Sayre was United States Representative on the Trusteeship Council, with Benjamin Gerig as Deputy Representative. The United States Delegation to the Second Regular Session of the General Assembly was composed of five Representatives and five Alternate Representatives. It included, in addition to several private citizens of much experience in international affairs, the United States Representatives on the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and the Trusteeship Council. This insured in the Delegation continuity of policy and full knowledge of previous United Nations developments. Members of the Congress did not serve on the Delegation this year, a departure from the practice followed during the two parts of the first annual session of the United Nations. This was determined in consultation with congressional leaders and with their approval. The Secretary of State, George C. Marshall, served as Chairman of the Delegation, and in his absence Warren R. Austin presided as Senior Representative. They, together with Herschel V. Johnson, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John Foster Dulles, of New York, constituted the Representatives on the Delegation. The Alternate Representatives were Charles Fahy, former Legal Adviser of the Department of State; Willard L. Thorp, Assistant Secretary of State for economic affairs; Francis B. Sayre; Adlai E. Stevenson, of Illinois; and Maj. Gen. John H. Hilldring, former Assistant Secretary of State for occupied areas, who was appointed after illness necessitated the resignation of Miss Virginia C. Gildersleeve. The Delegation was assisted in New York by advisers and assistants drawn from the Department of State, the United States Mission to the United Nations, and other agencies of the Government. These officials brought to bear in the work of the Delegation the full resources of information and of expert competence available in the parts of the Government most concerned with the problems under consideration in the General Assembly. |