Hickerson–Murphy–Key files, lot 58 D 33, “Amb Lodge—1954”
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Key)
Dear Dave: A recent British Institute of Public Opinion poll on Communist China has just been brought to my attention.
This poll shows that United Kingdom opinion in favor of the admission of Communist China to the United Nations has declined from 52% in 1953 to 45% in 1954.
I think this trend is heartening news which should be helpful to us in getting a common front with the United Kingdom against the admission of Communist China.
Could you let me know what our present timetable is on discussions with the British for continuing the moratorium on this matter? If we have a resumed session or special session on Indochina, do you expect the question of Chinese Representation to come up and if so how do we plan to deal with it?
The poll referred to above can be found in an unclassified Intelligence Report No. 5550.155 of May 3, 1954.
Sincerely yours,