501.AA/8–2646: Telegram
The Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
urgent
[Received 1:48 p.m.]
517. Reference my 515, August 23, 6:50 p.m. Cadogan came to see me this morning to discuss the membership problem. Although he did not say so specifically, I gathered he has received instructions from the Foreign Office. He said he did not wish to use the veto on our over-all proposition for admission of the 9 applicants but that after I had spoken he would have to make a statement himself expressing the British doubts about Albania and Mongolia. I told him that in the event the French are unable to support Siam, we will consider the possibility of then proposing the admission of 8 members but that final decisions on this point had not been reached. He thought the idea a good one and said that he would have no difficulty in supporting it as a second proposition upon failure of the first. I told him that if we fail on both and voting goes by individual countries that we would have to vote against Albania and Mongolia. His instructions are the same.
Hasluck’s33 attitude is uncertain. I talked with him Saturday and he said that he had telegraphed the text of our proposed statement to Evatt34 with a request for instructions. The Australian attitude is difficult to understand. His reservations on the report of the Membership Committee do not make sense and seem to me contrary to clear stipulations of the Charter. The general Australian attitude seems to be that the voting should be by separate states but I have pressed Hasluck our view that it is desirable to avoid discussion of the merits of each individual case in the Council if we can do so.
I would appreciate the Department’s views as soon as possible regarding the proposal that we suggest voting on 8 states if the French have to oppose Siam. I will try to see Parodi before the meeting of the Council on Wednesday. If he still has rigid instructions to oppose Siam and would therefore have to vote against our proposal for admitting all 9 applicants, we might consider whether our initial proposal should not be for 8 applicants, provided Parodi will previously request a postponement of Siam.