Lot 60–D 224, Box 55: D.O./P.R./2
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Stettinius) to the Secretary of State
Subject: Progress Report on Dumbarton Oaks Conversations—Second Day
Morning Meeting at Dumbarton Oaks
We met this morning, as scheduled. All members of all three groups were present.96 In addition a number of advisers and members of the Secretariat97 were also in attendance. The matters covered fell under the following headings:
(a) Chairmanship
On the motion of Ambassador Gromyko, seconded by Sir Alexander Cadogan, I was chosen as the permanent chairman. (This had been agreed upon at the meeting of the Joint Steering Committee yesterday afternoon.)
(b) Announcements
I thereupon reported to the meeting on the arrangements which had been agreed upon at yesterday afternoon’s meeting of the Joint Steering Committee. (These points are set forth in the Progress Report of August 21 on the first day’s proceedings.)
(c) Presentation of Soviet Views
As had been agreed upon at the meeting of the Joint Steering Committee yesterday afternoon I called upon Ambassador Gromyko to present the views of the Soviet group on the general principles of international organization. Points of interest in the Ambassador’s statement and in the subsequent discussion may be listed as follows:
(1) Importance of Early Statement as to Major Principles
Ambassador Gromyko said that his Government believed that it would be desirable to attempt to reach agreement on major principles. Sir Alexander Cadogan expressed his agreement with this view, adding [Page 716] that he understood that this did not exclude subsequent discussion in the course of the conversations of other points. Ambassador Gromyko concurred in this statement.
(2) Regional Questions and Social and Economic Questions
There was general agreement that the questions of regional organization and of the relationship of the general organization to social and economic problems should be referred to a subcommittee for consideration.
(3) Use of the Word “Aggression”
Sir Alexander Cadogan expressed the view that in view of the uncertainty of the meaning of the word “aggression”, as shown by prior experience, it might be wise in any definition of the aims of the proposed organization to use broader and more inclusive language.
(4) Voting Procedure in the Council
Sir Alexander Cadogan stated that he had been instructed to propose that voting in the Council be on the basis of a two-thirds vote in all cases [including the unanimous votes of all permanent members]98 and further that states which are parties to disputes should not vote.
(5) International Court of Justice
It was agreed that this subject should be referred to the Legal Subcommittee99 for further discussion.
(6) Security Functions of the Organization
Sir Alexander Cadogan stated that the Soviet reference to a possible international air force required further study and that the British attitude on this would in large part depend upon matters of detail. There was general agreement that detailed security matters should also be referred to a subcommittee.
Meeting of Joint Steering Committee at Dumbarton Oaks at 12:00 Noon
The same persons who had met yesterday afternoon1 met again at noon to determine further questions of procedure. It was decided that the following subcommittees should be established: a drafting subcommittee, a legal subcommittee, a subcommittee on general questions of international organization, a subcommittee on technical security questions.2
Afternoon Meeting at Dumbarton Oaks
The afternoon [plenary] meeting was devoted to a presentation of the British point of view by Sir Alexander Cadogan and a presentation of the American point of view by me, Mr. Pasvolsky, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. Dunn.
- The morning and afternoon plenary sessions held on August 22 were the last plenary sessions held until the closing day of the first phase.↩
- The Secretariat included Alger Hiss (American), Paul Falla (British), and M. M. Yunin (Soviet).↩
- Conversations, Phase A, Plenary Notes 1, August 22, 1944.↩
- This subcommittee held four meetings, August 24 and 31, and September 2 and 6, and prepared the initial draft of joint proposals on the international court of justice.↩
- Ambassador Gromyko, Arkady Alexandrovich Sobolev, Valentin Mihailovich Berezhkov, of the Soviet Group; Sir Alexander Cadogan and Gladwyn Jebb, of the British Group; and Under Secretary Stettinius, Leo Pasvolsky, and James C. Dunn of the American Group; Alger Hiss was also present as secretary.↩
- For a list of members of the four subcommittees, see Department of State Bulletin, August 27, 1944, p. 203; also, Postwar Foreign Policy Preparation, pp. 306–307.↩