Editorial Note

In a letter of July 21 to Senator Tom Connally of Texas, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Mr. Acheson urged Senate action on the Charter. He stressed in part that a number of American states (including Argentina) had that year ratified the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, that eight states had ratified the Charter itself, and that each American nation (as well as the COAS) had supported the United Nations action in Korea. He concluded: “This hour, when the solidarity of the American Republics has been once more so strongly evidenced, provides a most suitable opportunity for this Government again to demonstrate its support of the Inter-American System by ratifying the Charter of the Organization of American States.” (361/7–2150)

For information pertinent to action by the Foreign Relations Committee, see Senate Executive Report No. 15, 81st Cong., 2d Sess.

The Senate gave its advice and consent to ratification on August 28, 1950, subject to a reservation which had been recommended by the Committee. The reservation follows:

“That the Senate give its advice and consent to ratification of the Charter with the reservation that none of its provisions shall be considered as enlarging the powers of the Federal Government of the United States or limiting the powers of the several states of the Federal Union with respect to any matters recognized under the Constitution as being within the reserved powers of the several states.”

President Truman ratified the Charter, subject to the reservation, on June 15, 1951, and it entered into force for the United States on December 13, 1951. Most of the delay between Senate action and ratification resulted from a procedure whereby the United States first submitted the reservation for approval by other American states.