U.S. TOLD NOT TO HURRY

Chronicle (Levin), 7 February 1947, Page 7

U.S. TOLD NOT TO HURRY

PACIFIC ISLANDS WHICH JAPS HELD Received Thursdav, S.15 p.m. KEW YORK, Feb. 5. Britain. Australia and ttussia have dec-Iined to'approve, at present, l nited States' proposal t'or Ameriean trusteeship over Japanese mandated islands in the Paeific, says the Kew York Times' Washington correspondent, James Reston. The three nations stated that United State.s ' proposal should not V>e eonsidered until the Japanese peaee settleinent. None of the three eoiintries objeeted to United States eontinuing to oeenpy the islands nor did thev indieate any opposition in prineipie to United States as the adminisfering powor nnder United Nations' trusteeship system. Mr. Reston eomments that these observations by the three Pacilie powers who are also menibers of the Seeuritv rouncil, will almost eertainly prevent United States' ternis of trusteeship being accepted at this stage. The proposals would have to be approved by seven of the 11 menibers of the Seeuritv Council including the' Soviet Uniou, Britain, Franee and ('hina. The British point out eertain legal dittieulties which some Ameriean ottieials also recognise. The main diilicultv is that until there is a peaee .settleinent with Jnpan under whieh a recognised Jajianese governnient abandons all e.laitus to the islands, it is ditticult to have a elear title to thern. There are also -eertain politieal dittieulties involved. The British are in military oeeupation of foriner Italian eolonies in Afriea just as the Amerieaii. are in niilitary oeeupation of the Japarese islands. The politieal situatiou in Afriea, however, is sueli that the British evidently opine that a settleinent of the Italiau eolonial question at I this tinie w ould not be advisable. There- : fore tliey are not too eager to see the 3'aeilie island question established a preeedent. The British, Australian and Soviet, observalions were maile in response to an Ameriean request for eomments on the proposed tenns of trusteeship for the islands. These ternis, published 111 Xovember, deelared the enlire rcgion eoiitaining most of the Marsludl.s and Mnrianas, a "strategie, area" under United States' adniiuistration. Thev would give United States rights pratieally cquivalent to annexation. Mr. Keston eontinues that United States ottieials are not (listurbed by the observations of the British and Russians. United States inteiuls to reuiain

in the islands and the only result oi the British and Russian action is ti postpone the legal transfer for at leas, a year or. two. Ameriean ottieials ha; hoped to avoid this deiav. Tliey ex pressed the opinion that the title of t li « foriner mandates did not rest with th>' Japanese but with the League o. Nations.