Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General, Volume I

500.CC/10–1844: Circular telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)²⁸

Washington, October 18, 1944—5 p.m.

For the Ambassador and Schoenfeld.²⁹ Reporting Opinion on International Organization.³⁰ The Department has need for comprehensive information as to the unofficial as well as official reactions in European countries to the Dumbarton Oaks document recently published. For each country these should include the views not only of important officials but also influential private individuals, groups and organizations, including particularly opposition political groups or parties which may now influence or in due course direct the foreign policy of the country.

It is desired to receive information concerning such phases of the Dumbarton Oaks proposals as the following:

1. Provisions relating to the organization and powers of the Security Council and General Assembly.

2. Position of the smaller states in the Organization.

3. Voting provisions.

4. Economic and military sanctions.

5. Provisions as to regional arrangements with respect to the maintenance and enforcement of peace.

6. The international court of justice.

7. Arrangements for international economic and social cooperation, especially the Economic and Social Council.

8. Announced procedure for creating the General International Organization, and in particular any views on membership of the Conference.

9. Whether the Organization should be established now or after the war.

10. Reactions to the omitted section on territorial trusteeship, still under consideration.

11. Attitude toward terminating the League of Nations.

12. Suggestions for supplements to and amendments of the proposals and comments on any other points which, in your judgment, should be referred to the Department.

You should, of course, indicate the influence and importance of the various opinions reported. The Department also desires to know what aspects of the proposals for the General International Organization receive most attention and comment.

In view of the urgent need for this information, the Department will appreciate as prompt and full reporting as possible on the above topics. In the event that inquiries are made during the course of any discussions of the subject, the Department would be glad to have them referred to Washington for comment.

Hull

28. Repeated on the same date to Belgium, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Soviet Union, and to the Embassy at Cairo, Egypt, for the United States Representative on the Advisory Council for Italy (Kirk).
29. Rudolf E. Schoenfeld was Chargé at the American Embassy near the Governments in Exile of Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, Norway, and Poland.
30. A circular airgram of similar purport had been sent to all Diplomatic Officers in the other American Republics, October 16, 1944, 11:30 a.m.; not printed.