eee a - 30 - Article 5 of the Trusteeship Agreement, 61 Stat. 3302). In return for this, it imposed upon itself the series of specific obligations which we set forth at the outset. Paramount among these is the promise to foster the development of political institutions in the Trust Territory, and to promote the development of the people of the Trust Territory toward self-government or independence. Towards this end, the United States agreed to give to the people of the Trust Territory a progressively increasing share in the administrative services and develop their participation in government. ‘This new policy of the Department of Interior is a retrograde step against the development of democratic institutions in the Trust Territory, since in effect it says that it will decide what is and is not good for the people of Micronesia. It also will put the fledgling governments in Micronesia on a weakened basis, at one of the most crucial times of nationhood, that of birth. It is hard to think of a more undemocratic and anti~democratic act by the Interior Department, especially in view of the consistent support Congress has given the people of Micronesia by extending these federal programs to the Trust Territory. Violation of Congressional Policy The decision by the Department of Interior to terminate the federal programs in the Trust Territory also violates the constitutional power vested in Congress to appropriate . THF eee : eeng ty ete yeasy - mes s gece oc ae Bare Pps 3 goat petra * : i ab EB and nar to6 ee . i. aes ONE mo et ey Et wae ot weep