Cablegram UN768 NEW YORK, 21 November 1946, 11.49 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET PERSONAL
Assembly 220. Trusteeship.
1. Have just returned from meeting of sub-committee at which Australian draft agreement [1] was given a first reading. We are now preparing a telegram [reporting] [2] suggestions and criticisms made and will follow this by an appraisal of the situation generally as it appears to us.
2. Dulles sought me out yesterday. His own personal preference was something short and simple, rather along the lines of our draft.
Partly owing to strong views of his own delegation and State Department, however, and partly owing to fuller contents of other drafts he had come to the conclusion that we would not be able to [maintain] it without alteration. Another factor was that the United States had included clauses along the general lines of the New Zealand draft in its own proposals for Japanese island agreement. [3] He expressed strong hope that during the second stage of consideration of Australian draft the Government would indicate willingness to accept some modifications and would not [maintain] a strong attitude [of] take it or leave it.
3. I asked Dulles as a personal matter to sketch for your consideration the points at which he thought modifications were called for.
4. During today’s meeting Dulles gave me the following note for your consideration and sends it with his personal regards and regrets your absence. Text begins-
‘The United States delegation feels that it would be desirable if the Australian draft agreement for New Guinea were to include all or most of the articles which are now contained in the New Zealand draft for Western Samoa.
We take this position for three reasons- (1) That the broad principles of the charter should be implemented in some detail in the draft agreements- (2) That since a number of these welfare provisions are already being exercised in New Guinea, the Australian Government should get credit for them-and (3) That in spite of the backwardness of the inhabitants of New Guinea, it is desirable to have certain provisions which a population can grow into.
We do not, however, attach equal importance to all the additional articles which were proposed to the Australian Government and which are now included in the New Zealand draft for Western Samoa, but I personally attach particular importance to the following articles in the New Zealand draft-Article 5 on Political Development, Article 8 Regarding Land Laws, Article 9 on Freedom of Conscience and Religion, Article 11 on Education, Article 12 on the Four Freedoms.’
5. During today’s meeting I gave reasons for every omission and inclusion to which attention was drawn but naturally at this stage made no suggestion of Government’s willingness to consider amendment. Formal proposals for amendment are to be lodged by 7 tomorrow evening.
_
1 That is, the draft trusteeship agreement for New Guinea.
2 Words in square brackets have been corrected from a copy in A4311, BOX 481.
3 The reference is to U.S. plans to administer under a trusteeship agreement those Pacific islands formerly administered by Japan under a League mandate.
_
[AA:A1838/1, 306/1/4]