39

A.—2

for redrafting, and was eventually adopted unanimously in the following form: — (b) Solutions of international economic, social, health, and other related problems; international cultural and educational co-operation; and Thus the statement of purposes as approved up to this stage substantially embodied the principles contained in those Australian amendments to which New Zealand also attached particular importance. Yet the statement still lacked the pledge which constituted an essential part of the Australian amendment and which the New Zealand delegation was anxious to see included in the Charter for the purpose of reinforcing its economic and social provisions, particularly with reference to the promotion of full employment. This omission, however, was rectified in a later report of the drafting sub-committee, which recommended that the following new paragraph be added after paragraph 1. " All members pledge themselves to take separate and joint action and to co-operate with the Organization and with each other to achieve these purposes." The Committee voted without dissent to accept the paragraph in principle subject to final drafting, the United States delegation reserving its position. In its next report the Committee recommended that the paragraph should be redrafted to read as follows:— " All members undertake to co-operate jointly and severally with the Organization for the achievement of these purposes." The Chairman's ruling that this redraft was in accordance with (he paragraph originally approved was strongly protested by the Australian and New Zealand delegates, who argued that the subcommittee had exceeded its authority by altering the substance of the pledges. The first draft, it was pointed out, contained both a pledge to co-operate and a pledge to take separate action. The revised draft omitted the latter, which, from the Australian and New Zealand viewpoint, was of crucial importance, since an earnest of any nation's sincerity and determination in seeking to achieve the objectives set out must be its readiness to do its utmost to achieve those objectives within its own country. An opposing view, however, was presented by the United States, who claimed that a pledge to take separate action might be construed as authorizing the Organization to intervene in domestic affairs. The safeguarding clause in Chapter IT, moreover, would not be sufficient, since a pledge of this type would make internal affairs matters of international concern. The United States was eager to co-operate and to pursue policies consistent with international well-being, but such obligations, it was maintained, could not be imposed effectively from without. The New Zealand delegate, while stating that in New Zealand the pledges as first worded would not create difficulties or be construed as implying interference with domestic affairs, recognized, nevertheless, the possibility of misinterpretation in the United States and perhaps elsewhere. In the circumstances he urged that the Committee should not close the door to reconsideration of a matter of such importance that unanimity was essential. He accordingly seconded a Soviet motion to refer the whole matter back to the drafting Committee with full powers to draft a pledge satisfactory to all. The drafting Committee reached agreement on the following recommendation, which was accepted by the Committee without further debate and with only one member dissenting:— " All members pledge themselves to take joint and separate action in co-operation with the Organization for the achievement of these purposes." Two further points with reference to the statement of purposes should be mentioned. First, it was agreed that the language of subparagraph (b) includes international co-operation in the suppression