500.CC/5–1545
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
The Swiss Minister42 called on me this afternoon at his request.
In connection with the San Francisco Conference, the Minister wondered what the position of Switzerland would be in relation to the eventual world organization. I said it was hoped that all “peace-loving countries” would eventually become members of the organization and I supposed that of course Switzerland would be one of the first to be invited to join. The Minister said that this would be difficult in view of the fact that Switzerland’s neutrality is provided for by law and that in the case of Swiss membership in the League of Nations Switzerland had insisted upon a special clause providing that, in view of her neutrality, Switzerland would not be called upon to participate in sanctions against any country. He thought it would be impossible for Switzerland to become a member of the proposed world organization, in which Switzerland might be called upon to participate in the use of force against another country, which would violate her neutrality, and that if she were to join a special exception would probably have to be made in her case. He thought that Soviet Russia, which does not like Switzerland, might refuse to permit such an exception. I said that I could not answer this question in advance of the setting up of the world organization.
- Charles Bruggmann.↩