Evening star., 1944-12-20
President Tells Press
Atlantic Charter Is MOI
A Signed Document
BY J. A. FOX.

The Atlantic Charter Is not a
formal document, but simply a
declartion OK principles to gov
ern international relationships
approved by President Roosevelt
and Prime Minister Churchill in
their historic meeting at sea, in
August, 1914, and then given to
the world in a signed press re-
lease.
Ending widespread speculation as
to the whereabouts" of the charter,
President Roosevelt told his news
conference late yesterday that there
isn't any copy, SO far as he knows,
adding that the nearest thing to it
probably was in the hands of radio
operators on the cruiser Augusta
and the battleship Prince of Wales,
through whom the text of the dec
laration was dispatched.
What the operators received was
something scribbled, some of it in
the Presidents hand, some in Prime
Minister Churchill's, some in the
Va "ClCS, bklCll
Undersecretary of State. and some
in the handwriting of Sir Alexander
Cadogan of the British Foreign Of
flee.
No One Signed 1t.
The Presidents explanation was
given when he was asked if he and
Mr.. Churchill had ever signed the
charter
No one signed it, he said
Asked where it waS-a question
recently raised by Senator Chand-
Ter, Democrat, of Kentucky-the
President said there isn't any copy
so far as he knows, and then he out
lined how it came into existence.
When the draft was completed, he
said, his and the Prime Minister'S
aides were directed to send it to the
two governments and the press.
Among the points in that charter
were:
No territorial changes not in ac-
cord with the freely expressed wishes
of the peoples concerned.
Respect for the rights of all peo-
piles to choose their forms of gov
ernment..
Isn't it true" reporter persist
ed, that all the United Nations
have signed the principles Of the
Atlantic Charter"
Other Allies Endorsed Principles.
That was right, the President re-
piled, they signed on January l.,
1942
A reporter drew the Presidents
attention to the fact that the state
ment given out at the time said
that the President and Prime Min
lister had signed it.
1t wasn't complete document,
the President responded, repeating
that there was no formal, complete
document signed by the two chiefs
Of state. 1t was signed in substance
however, he said.
Have you since that time wished
you had formal document, signed,
sealed and delivered?" Mr.. Roose-
Velt was asked.
No, except for the benefit of
visitors to Washington, he answered
lightly.
Later. Presidential Secretary
Stephen Early showed reporters
the document received by radio
from the Augusta in August, 1941.
The communication was signed
simply Roosevelt" but it began
with instructions to Mr.. Early on
releasing statement to the press
and then quoted the text of the
statement itself. That statement
incorporated the Atlantic Charter,
and it was signed: Franklin D.
Roosevelt and Winston S.
Churchill"
Merely Signed Press Release.
Mr.. Early interpreted this to mean
that Mr.. Churchill and the Presi-
dent merely had signed a press re-
lease, of which the charter vas a
portion but not the charter itself.
The Presidents news conference
was held just few hours after he
returned from three-week stay in
Warm Springs, and he picked his
way carefully through a ross-fre
of questions dealing largely with
foreign affairs.
Asked DO you welcome and do
you foresee?' an early conference
with Prime Minister Churchill and
Premier Stain, the President said
that was highly speculative. When
the reporter said he would like to
remove the speculation" the Pres
ident laughed and said he would.
too. He said no definite date for
the meeting had been set.
Foreign Policy on Record.
Told that some of his strongest
supporters and critics - thought
that it was time for Mr.. Roosevelt
to restate his foreign policy, the