Hull Papers
Memorandum by Mr. Savage
This morning there was a conversation in the Secretary’s office, at which were present the Secretary, Mr. Welles, Mr. Berle, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. Savage.
It was understood that the President had not yet approved the memorandum regarding the creation of a Supreme War Council.1 Mr. Welles said that in the draft memorandum it was desirable to provide that on the Council should be represented the United States and the British Commonwealth of Nations; and the U.S.S.R. in respect of warfare against the countries with which it is at war. Furthermore, when the Council had under consideration subjects directly affecting areas in which China or the Netherlands was interested, a representative of that country should participate in the deliberations on a footing of entire equality with the other representatives.
Mr. Hackworth and Mr. Savage redrafted the memorandum on the Supreme War Council to include these changes. Later in a conversation with the Secretary he looked over the new draft, making the comment that it should not be made compulsory for the Supreme War Council to create a Staff. At this point the conversation was interrupted; it was understood that this new draft would be considered again at the earliest practicable time.2
- The memorandum under reference is the draft of December 19, 6 p.m., ante, p. 40. See the discussion at the White House on December 27, ante, p. 124.↩
- The “new draft” (a copy of which is in the Hull Papers) is not printed here because there was no further negotiation on this subject; see the Roosevelt-Hull telephone conversation of December 31, post, p. 149.↩