Daniel Inouye: “I believe all of us will agree that the atrocities committed and the inhumane treatment of our war prisoners cannot be…”

“I believe all of us will agree that the atrocities committed and the inhumane treatment of our war prisoners cannot be condoned and cannot in any way be justified. We condemn those atrocities. It is not a question of Japanese corporations versus American heroes. What is involved is the Constitution of the United States. Article II makes it very clear that treaties are to be negotiated by the President or the executive branch of this country-- not by any State, nor by any individual, nor by the Senate. It will be by the executive branch. There is no question about that. The document that my dear friend from New Hampshire has referred to which was arranged by our then-Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, should be praised and not condemned. I would like to explain. I believe the references to this arrangement is a bit misleading. I say so most respectfully. This arrangement which was engineered by Secretary Dulles was simply a side agreement designed to address a domestic issue for the Dutch and thereby enabling the Dutch to sign on as a signatory to the treaty of peace in San Francisco. It does not in any way change the terms of the treaty.”