Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, General, Volume I

740.00119 MPC/23: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Acting Secretary of State

London, October 15, 1943—5 p.m.
[Received October 15—12:25 p.m.]

7060. Department’s 6368, October 13, 1 p.m. In my absence yesterday while I was with Morgenthau⁴⁴ in Scotland, Bucknell,⁴⁵ in accordance with your instructions, informed Cadogan of the contents of your telegram mentioned above. Cadogan replied that this was, of course, a matter that he would have to submit and obtain an authoritative decision. His own personal view was that the inclusion, particularly of Brazil and China, would open the door to all of the United Nations which would result inevitably in the Commission becoming unwieldy. He went on to say that it was his understanding that it had been agreed that the membership on the Commission should be limited to those countries who had actually fought the Italians. This would, of course, include the French, Soviets, Greeks and Yugoslavs. If, however, Brazil and China were included, the next step would be to include all of the United Nations. He thought that this would probably cause some difficulty.

We will endeavor to obtain a decision in the matter as promptly as possible.⁴⁶

Winant

44. Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury.
45. Howard Bucknell, Jr., Counselor of Embassy, Chargé d’Affaires.
46. In telegram No. 7197, October 19, 8 p.m., the Ambassador in the United Kingdom quoted a written reply from Cadogan in the same sense as the above (740.00119 MPC/37).