740.00116 European War 1939/813: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
3936. Your 1608, March 5, 9 p.m., regarding establishment of the United Nations Commission for the investigation of War Crimes.
The Honorable Herbert Claiborne Pell, formerly a member of Congress from the State of New York and more recently American Minister to Lisbon and Budapest, respectively, has been appointed as this Government’s representative on the Commission. He will proceed to London within the next 10 days or 2 weeks. The British Embassy is being informed.
This Government appreciates the statement that the British Government would be agreeable to having the American member accept the Chairmanship of the Commission but it feels that this might give rise to some dissension or misunderstanding on the part of other Governments. For its part this Government is of the view that since the Commission is to meet at London, and since Sir Cecil Hurst is a member of the Permanent Court of International Justice, it would be fitting for him to serve as Chairman of the Commission.
You may inform the Foreign Office in the sense of the foregoing.