Editorial Note

In a memorandum to Mr. Rusk of October 7, John C. Ross, an Alternate United States Representative to the Fifth Session of the U.N. General Assembly, had reported on his conversation held that day with K.C.O. Shann, First Secretary of the Australian Mission to the United Nations. Mr. Ross had said in part, with reference to a [Page 1321] Pacific Pact: “Shann said Spender felt that if the work being done on a Japanese peace treaty involved an easy peace for Japan then Australia must have something in place of a strong peace treaty.

“Shann said Spender was leaving for home in a week or ten days and that he considered it essential that he give his people at home a definitive indication of United States views regarding a Pacific Pact. What Spender wants, Shann summarized, is an ‘unequivocal’ reaction from the United States.” (790.5/10–750) For documentation on talks with Mr. Spender which resulted from this conversation, see pages 1 ff.