Submitted to and Passed by AEU Assembly, which convened in Westchester, NY

Whereas, the American Ethical Union, a united religious group, is for just human relations among all men every where, regardless of race, color or creed; and

Whereas, the United Nations has been established by many governments to promote these human relations and to safeguard world peace; and

Whereas, “Today the United Nations is the only hope we have of holding the world together during this difficult and dangerous period of post war settlement. Tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future, the United Nations is the only instrument for preventing another war in which there could be no victor, no vanquished, but only universal destruction for both sides and for humanity” (statement of Trygve Lie, Secretary General of the United Nations).

Whereas, the leadership which our country at present enjoys, carries with it the responsibility of strengthening the United Nations.

Therefore it is resolved, that the American Ethical Union believes that the United Nations can best be strengthened through affirmative interpretation of the present Charter and strongly urges: that our country, (the United States) make full and constructive use of this present machinery of the United Nations; that it assist in further developing this machinery and that of the specialized agencies into effective instruments of international cooperation; that it continue to recognize its responsibilities for leadership in the United Nations and its specialized agencies, thus sustaining the confidence of the people of the world in the United Nations.

The American Ethical Union is now opposed to world government, indeed it is the goal we must work toward; but we differ with the immediate revisionists as to timing and as to strategy in view of present world conditions. The present charter, we believe, is the best that could be agreed upon. Current suggestions for revising the charter, touch upon the form, but not the substance of present difficulties. One of the greatest present dangers to the United Nations, is the feeling which grows with the introduction of new and various plans for world federation, that something is being found that is better than what we now have. Because of the gravity of the situation, and because of our sense of responsibility, we the American Ethical Union, ask for the early appointment of a Committee of our Organization, to include representation from every constituent society, with authorization to devise methods of study, and means of cooperation and action, that will give the United Nations our fullest measure of encouragement and support.