Detroit evening times., 1945-05-10
BEHIND
NEWS
By Pau
Mallor

GAN FRANCISCO, May g.
~ American international
trusteeship proposal appeared
to a great many experts out
here to be a plain gratuitous
gift 10 internationalism of our
hard won Pacific island bases
at least to far more than said
anything about il.
There was quite an inside
fight which was kept quiet for
diplomatic reaS sons. Senator
Byrd appeared twice before the
American delegation with his
men from the naval affairs COM
mittee d e m andin G outright
ownership.
Both the army and navy con-
sultants here threatened TO
walk out of the conference, so
outraged were they over the
acceptance of the international
and human rights" approach
to the world problem instead of
realistic appreciation of the
necessities of security to guar
antee those rights.
PUT the whole A mer can
~ delegation sat adamant in
its position. In the secret
meeting State Secretary Stet-
tinius argued that under the
trusteeships we would really
operate the bases anyway.
There is a yes-and-no answer
given to that by Byrd and
others. Our navy will no
doubt be the largest in the Pa
cific but all other nations will
use these bases freely as their
own under the joint ownership
proposition and with their
planes.
In the end Byrd and the army
and navy shook their heads in
strong disagreement but agreed
10 restrain themselves publicly
for time at least 10 see how
the affair works out. 1t may
become the subject of some fu-
ture diplomatic dickering.
The text of the proposal says
the ideas behind the proposal of
the trustee system (a) ITO
further international peace and
security Security in the Pa
cific will most aSsuredly rest
upon the American fleet and
planes in the future. and the
navy says it wants ownership Of
the bases outright What better
authority could be offered for
our necessities.
THEN, the text continues the
Il plan was designed: (b) ITO
promote the political, economic,
and social advancement of the
trust territories and their inhab-
ltants and their progressive de-
Velopment toward self-govern-
ment. That sounds like a rather
grim joke. The JapS are the
people on the islands we want
and have. With every one pro-
posing the utmost punishment
for the Nazis in Europe, it is tit
teringly ironical TO suggest that
the Japs in Okinawa, and in the
MarlanaS required such consid-
GRAFTON. Their social advance
ment, as well as their political
and economic progress and
advancement toward Self-gov-
ernment' are less important
considerations than what the
best authorities on the subject
think necessary for our security.
AS a matter of basic fact.
there are not many inhabitants
on the particular islands we
want.
The third excuse in the text
was tc): "To provide for non
discriminatory treatment in
trust territories with respect 10
the economic and other appro-
pirate civil activities of the ma
tlonalS of all member states"
The economic part of this Sug-
gests other nations want TO
open these islands to trade. and
/ do not know what civil ac-
tlvitieS' other nations could
possibly desire on those volcanic
coral wreaths. Any marine from
out there could testify they are
not pleasant places to live. and
about the only trade most Of
them have known, was ship or
so a month, in peacetime days.
VET TO quote the text further,
L all functions of the organi-
zation relating TO strategic
areas, including the approval of
the truSteeship arrangements
and mark this WELD their al
teration or amendment should
be exercised by the security
uncil'-meaning not only the
Big Five. but the little six ma
tions thereon can change tho
trusteeship arrangements and
we will have only one vote of
il in the matter.