IO Files: US/A/C.4/65
Memorandum of Conversation, by the United States Representative on the Trusteeship Council (Sayre)
By chance I passed General Romulo1 in the hallway this morning and engaged in a short conversation with him about the position of the Philippine Delegation with respect to its activities with regard to trusteeship in Committee 4. After a few preliminary remarks I asked General Romulo why the Philippine Delegation is so consistently voting against the United States in that Committee.
General Romulo replied: “Why is the United States following so reactionary a course in Committee 4?” He said that in all the other Committees the Philippine Delegation was consistently voting with the United States; but that in Committee 4 the United States throughout had taken sides with the colonial powers and was following so reactionary a course that the Philippine Delegation, under his instructions, was voting consistently against the United States. He said that as a result of the course which the United States is following in that Committee, it is losing its prestige and leadership among the Oriental peoples and that he felt sorely disappointed in the course we are following. He said that he had several times been tempted to take the floor and express his feelings along this line but that he disliked doing so and had not yet taken that step.
[Page 302]I replied that the United States is seeking to gain its objectives, i.e., the promotion of the welfare of self-governing peoples, by methods which are practical because we want practical results and not merely high-sounding phrases. I said that I felt that the tactics now being pursued by the non-colonial powers most unwise in order to gain the objectives which they desire. The result in Committee 4 has been to stimulate and produce cleavage between the colonial and non-colonial powers. The various resolutions pushed by the non-colonial powers have been so formulated or so phrased as to needlessly irritate or awaken fears in the minds of the colonial powers. This is the last way to secure steps on the part of the colonial powers to increase the number of territories put under trusteeship and to promote the welfare of non-self-governing peoples. I said that the Soviets have been pressing along such a program and I felt unhappy that General Romulo and other non-colonial delegations should allow themselves to be used in this way.
General Romulo expressed strong disagreement. We agreed to talk the matter over further next week. General Romulo said that he felt so strongly about this matter that he would like to talk further with me and also with Secretary Marshall.
I feel that there is a situation here which needs attention and that further conversations should be pursued.
- Brig. Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, Chairman of the Philippine Delegation.↩