PACIFIC BASES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21923, 18 January 1946, Page 3

PACIFIC BASES

CONQUERED ISLES RETENTION RIGHTS

U.S. SENATORS' CLAIM

JOINT CONTROL OPPOSED (10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 17. A bi-partisan Senate group was mobilised to-day to fight any form ol international control or supervision over enemy Pacific Islands taken by the Americans and whose continued occupation and fortification are considered essential to future American security needs, reports the New York Times ' correspondent. These senators believe that the United States alone should decide whether to retain Japanese-owned or mandated islands that it conquered at high cost and intend seeking a clarification of President Truman’s extemporaneous views. The senators point out that the United Nations’ Charter stipulates that agreements relating to trusteeships of strategic areas are subject to the approval of the United Nations’ Security Council on which China, Russ'a, Britain, America and France have veto power and the islands for which the United States would ask sole trusteeship rights doubtless would be classified as strategic areas by the United Nations. „ . The - senators maintain that tne islands should not be subject to veto power. President Truman, discussing bases, declared that the United States would insist that she be the sole trustee of enemy Pacific islands conquered by the American forces and considered vital to the future security of the United States.