Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28
UNITED STATES AND NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE This is an old American tradi tion that the U. S. Government is suppo-rting the peoples of the world in their endeavors to be free, sovereign and independent. The late president Woodrow W il son proclaimed the principle of self-determination of peoples 35 years ago which gave the enslav ed peoples of the world the inspi ration and stimulus in their strug gle for freedom and democracy, and the U. S. Government a clearer and more potent delinea tion of its foreign policy. The U.S. Department of State de clares in its recent publication: “The example of American po licy, as a force of freedom, can be seen in the American attitude to ward national independence. We know from exeprience that inde pendence is the way tO' freedom and dignity. It opens the door to popular self-government—though it does not guarantee democratic rights and privileges. “We recognize, of course, that not all people are now ready to shoulder the burdens of indepen dence and sellf-government, but we affirm the right and the capa bility of all to work toward them. And where an independence movement has strong popular support, we are inclined to give it the benefit of the d’oubt. “This American attitude has an ethical as well as a political back ground. For, as Secretary Ache- son has said, the “truth is that just as no man and no govern ment is wise enough or disinter ested enougih to direct t'he think ing and the action of another in dividual, so no nation and no peo ple are wise enough and disinter ested enough very long to assume the responsibility for another peo ple or to control another people’s opportunities.” “A free country is one that does not have to take orders from a foreign government. Believing as we do that national independence is a stepping stone to popular go vernment and personal liberty, we set a high value on the indepen dence even of those nations which cannot by any stretch of the im agination be called democracies. “The fact that we help a coun try to be free of foreign domina tion does not mean that we sup port the particular government it happens to have at any particular time. It means that we want the kind of international community in which each nation is free to manage its own affairs, subject of course, to its pledges and respon sibilities under the United Na tions Charter. “In recent years the United States has had a chance to prove that it is still the traditional friend of young nations, still the champion of popples seeking their independence. Since the end of the second World War more than 500,000,000 people have gained their independence. Eight new nations have been born. The Unit ed States -has assisted in the birth of these nations, as far as it could. It has vigorously supported their membership in the United Na tions. “In the Philippines we had our best opportunity ot demonstrate that American policy means what it says. The 20,000,000 citizens of those islands celebrated their in dependence on July 4, 1946, as a result of a promise we made and kept. Moreover, we not only wel comed them into the community of nations but -helped them to or ganize and finance their free so ciety. “To India, Pakistan, Burma, ai^d Ceylon we are giving our strong and friendly support. The people of Israel have had Ameri ca’s moral and material backing since the beginning of their strug gle for nationhood. “Americans can take pride in their contribution to the creation of the Republic of Indonesia. Dur ing the long and difficult negotia tions between the Indonesian and Netherland Governments, Ameri can diplomacy played an import ant and sometimes a decisive part in bringing the parties together and in helping them, finally, to work out an agreement/’ The a/bo've elucidation of United States foreign policy is an unequi vocal statement whicih leaves no doubt as to its application to all and any international situations where the proiblem of national in- Costume from Ukraine, County Zalischyky, worn by Mrs. Ivanna Rozankowsky of Utica, N. Y. (Photo courtesy of Ukr. Working- mens Ass’ri).
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28 
