Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, General; the United Nations, Volume I

501.AD/5–1446

Memorandum by the Acting Secretary of State to President Truman

Washington, May 14, 1946.

Subject: Mr. Stettinius’ telegram of May 13 with respect to Interim Headquarters of the United Nations

The Department has followed with some care the problems which the United Nations has had to face in establishing its temporary headquarters in New York. We agree that the only practical course, in order to ensure the success of the meeting of the General Assembly scheduled for September 3, is to continue in effect the decision reached by the General Assembly this past February to have the interim headquarters located in New York for a period of at least three years. It is understandable that the New York authorities will not be able to make the necessary considerable outlays which will be required to assure the success of the next Assembly meeting unless they can be confident that the United Nations will remain in the New York area for at least three years. Consequently we recommend that you authorize Mr. Stettinius to support the General Assembly decision and so inform Mr. Lie, the Secretary General, and the other Delegations to the Security Council whose support is desired.

We also recommend that you authorize Mr. Stettinius to confirm that this Government will give all appropriate assistance to the United Nations in connection with arrangements for temporary headquarters. This latter recommendation will involve action by this Government from time to time of no inconsiderable importance. We can anticipate that we will be asked to grant priorities for residential housing construction for members of the Secretariat, to make available surplus Army and Navy transport equipment, and the like. We feel it important in the interest of the United States in carrying out our policy of full support to the United Nations that the Federal Government be prepared to assist in such instances as these. In order to ascertain promptly the specific types of assistance which the Federal Government may be called upon to give, we recommend that Mr. Stettinius be asked to obtain from Mr. Lie a specification of contemplated requests for assistance.

A message from you to Mr. Stettinius in response to his telegram under reference, drafted along the foregoing lines, is attached for your approval.

Dean Acheson

[Annex]

Suggested Draft Telegram to Mr. Stettinius³⁵

In response to your telegram of May 13, I am very glad to authorize you to inform the Secretary General that the United States Government will firmly support him in his effort to carry out the General Assembly’s decision to establish the temporary headquarters of the United Nations in New York for an interim period of three years.

You are also authorized to confirm to Lie and to other delegations that the Federal Government will give all appropriate assistance to the United Nations in connection with arrangements for temporary headquarters.

However, in order to enable the Federal Government to assist, it is essential to know in specific terms exactly what assistance the United Nations wants from the Federal Government. If you will discuss this also with Lie, we will be in a better position here in Washington to determine procedures in order to provide assistance with minimum delay.

Harry S. Truman

35. This draft, signed by President Truman, was dispatched to Mr. Stettinius at New York as telegram 59, May 14, 5 p.m.