t recent world developments will focus d Nations. The question is whether the orce in ameliorating difficult situations, und Southeast Asia, or whether it will be g the developing and third world nations stly Western countries, thereby further inevident at the U.N. mmittee has invited a distinguished panel of volvement with the United Nations spans the f the Charter at San Francisco in 1945 to the n. the Honorable Harold E. Stassen, the only living the United Nations Charter; our former colleague, and on this committee, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, the United States at the United Nations from 1953 e Arthur J. Goldberg, who held that post from 1965 Ambassador Charles S. Yost, who followed in 1969 and 1971. These gentlemen need no further introduction, but ng on them I would like to ask Senator Percy, whom I onsible for these hearings, and have asked to act as con, to say a few words. STATEMENT BY SENATOR PERCY Senator PERCY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I hope you are not implying I am responsible for everything that (1) THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED NATIONS THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1975 UNITED STATES SENATE, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 4221, the Dirksen Senate Office Building, the Hon. John Sparkman [chairman] presiding. Present: Senators Sparkman, Clark, Case, Javits, and Percy. OPENING STATEMENT The CHAIRMAN. Let the committee come to order, please. We are meeting today to open a series of hearings on the United States and the United Nations. The purpose of these hearings is to put into perspective what our original hopes and aims were, how the U.N. has developed, and what our future policies and attitudes should be. I think it is fair to predict that recent world developments will focus greater attention on the United Nations. The question is whether the U.N. will be a constructive force in ameliorating difficult situations, such as in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, or whether it will be a destructive force in pitting the developing and third world nations against the developed, mostly Western countries, thereby further increasing the polarization evident at the U.N. To start us off, the committee has invited a distinguished panel of past officials whose involvement with the United Nations spans the time of the signing of the Charter at San Francisco in 1945 to the Nixon administration. We have with us the Honorable Harold E. Stassen, the only living U.S. signatory of the United Nations Charter; our former colleague, both in the Senate and on this committee, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, who represented the United States at the United Nations from 1953 to 1960; Justice Arthur J. Goldberg, who held that post from 1965 to 1968; and Ambassador Charles S. Yost, who followed in 1969 and served until 1971. These gentlemen need no further introduction, but before calling on them I would like to ask Senator Percy, whom I hold responsible for these hearings, and have asked to act as cochairman, to say a few words. STATEMENT BY SENATOR PERCY Senator PERCY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I hope you are not implying I am responsible for everything that is said at the hearings. [Laughter.] (1) I would like to say I was rather surprised when I finished my tour of duty as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly last fall, to learn that it had been 20 years since the U.S. Senate had held hearings on the United Nations. In view of the U.N.'s potential to promote peace, and the misunderstanding at the U.N. today between the developed and developing worlds over many political, economic and social issues today, it seemed best to stand back now to see where we are and what our policies should be in regard to the U.N. Certainly the hearings that begin this morning and will continue tomorrow, May 8, and on the 14th and 15th, 21st and 22d, will be quite comprehensive. I am most indebted, Mr. Chairman, to you for the decision that you have made to devote as much of the time of the Foreign Relations Committee to these hearings as you have. We shall be hearing from those who made and executed U.S. policy at the United Nations over the years, from distinguished experts in international relations and from other prominent Americans who have important viewpoints to express. I have a deep personal interest because in 1945 I was up in the peanut gallery at San Francisco-I was in the Navy then-the war was winding down, and with a little time on my hands, I watched the remarkable proceedings, as the U.N. was put together. I think it rather remarkable that the four witnesses today have rep resented different branches of government-a Governor, a Senator, a Justice of the Supreme Court, an Ambassador-and two of them played more than one role during their government service. They cer tainly are among the four most knowledgeable and devoted Americans who could be testifying this morning. I think it is an auspicious beginning for these hearings. Senator Percy, you stated that you served last year, was it not, i the United Nations? Senator PERCY. Yes, sir. U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES SENT TO U.N. SINCE 1950 The CHAIRMAN. You know, ever since 1950 we have been sendin two Congressional representatives to the United Nations for each ses sion. The Senate one year and the House the next year-one Democrat one Republican. I want to say that Senator Lodge and I started that in 1950 whe President Truman appointed us to go to the United Nations, and th practice has been followed ever since. It is a great experience, and enjoyed it very much. We are very glad to have all of you distinguished gentlemen wit us, and if you will take the seats at the table, Governor Stassen, Sen ator Lodge, Justice Goldberg, Ambassador Yost. That is quite an array of distinguished talent. Charlie Yost was around the United Nations when I was there. have known him through the years and the great work that he ha done. We will be glad to hear from you, gentlemen. I will ask Governo Stassen to lead off. STATEMENT OF HAROLD E. STASSEN, MEMBER OF THE U.S. DELEGATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION, SAN FRANCISCO, 1945 Mr. STASSEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Responding to your invitation to testify at this hearing on the subject "The U.S. Role in the United Nations: The Vision and the Reality," may I first of all commend the committee for addressing itself to this subject at this critical hour in the conduct of our foreign relations. The very serious adverse consequences in recent years, arising out of our foreign relations are, in my view, a direct result of an excess of unilateral, bilateral, and individualistic conduct of our foreign affairs. These unfortunate results are causing some tendency to turn inward and to increase isolationist sentiments. MULTILATERAL AND U.N. APPROACH TO FOREIGN POLICY URGED What we need urgently is a turn toward a greater use of open multilateral and United Nations' centering of the conduct of our foreign policy. These latter methods may at first seem more difficult, but in the modern world they are the only sound road toward true progress. The unilateral, bilateral, and individualistic methods may at first seem easier and more productive, but they nearly always lead to tragedy and disaster. The United States should take the lead in making the United Nations more adequate, rather than bypassing and downgrading it. We should think now of the next 30 years. We need that kind of approach at this juncture. U.N. SHOULD BE MODERNIZED AND STRENGTHENED When we drafted and signed the United Nations Charter in San Francisco 30 years ago, we anticipated that it would need modernizing and strengthening in the future. Such improvement is overdue. My own views in this respect were expressed in a national broadcast on NBC on July 5, 1945, immediately after the conclusion of the Charter. Sometimes there are references by others that we then thought we had solved everything. We did not think we solved everything. I said briefly, quoting from that address of July 5, 1945, which is in the printed volumes of my address: "Taken as a whole, the Charter is a human document. It is a realistic document. It is not perfect. It has weaknesses." I said that it is important that the people of the world do not feel that they have automatically insured future peace, or that they have ipso facto solved the problems of war. I said further that even at its greatest significance, the Charter only establishes a framework, a machinery, a code. And then I said that is why our adherence to the |