4 INTELLECTUAL COOPERATION IN WAR-TIME AND PLANS ... 387relation to the charter even though there were serious question-marks
about the American commitment to all of its principles.^142
One British member observed that the words in the charter concern-
ing freedom from fear would have no meaning should the United States
once again retreat into isolation. Indeed, the British group as a whole
maintained that there was a crucial link between American support for
the charter’s promise of freedom from fear and the British commitment
to help in the dismantling of the old colonial order: although American
opinion urged its dismantling the United States had yet to offer any
assurances as to what would replace it.^143 Britain was one of those pow-
ers whose security interests were tied up with old colonial order and
thus Britain simply could not be expected to cooperate in dismantling it
unless the United States pledged its share in the establishment of a new
and different system of security.^144
Australian and Canadian members expressed disappointment in regard to
the views expressed by British members on the question of self-determina-
tion, with one Canadian member stating that they seemed to complacently
accept that progress towards implementing clause three of the charter would
‘proceed at a leisurely pace.’^145 Nonetheless, Australian and Canadian mem-
bers joined the British members in expressing disappointment with some of
the American delegates who, while criticising the British attitude, appeared
unable to affirm that American public opinion would support the post-war
participation of the United States in the establishment of a general system of
security as foreshadowed in the charter’s eighth clause.^146
As a British member observed, ‘public opinion in some of the United
Nations, especially in Britain, had become alarmed over the seeming dis-
crepancy between the enthusiasm shown by the government and people
of the United States’ for the clauses of the charter urging political free-
dom, economic advancement and social security for all, and the ‘luke-
warmness of feeling’ for the clauses pledging the signatory powers ‘to
effective participation in the maintenance of external security.’^147
(^142) Ibid., 76, 123, 125.
(^143) Ibid., 46, 123.
(^144) Ibid., 46, 49, 77–8.
(^145) Ibid., 120.
(^146) Ibid., 77, 120, 123, 127.
(^147) Ibid., 24.