——

a

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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

caper:
ea

.

ae
ET
.
.

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