501.BB/10–3046: Telegram
Mr. John C. Ross, Adviser, United States Delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, to the Secretary of State
urgent
[Received 8:12 a.m.]
727. Personal for the Secretary from Ross. Following is the alternative text Senator Austin said he would send to you.26 Senator Austin, who has not yet seen this draft, will discuss it with you at 9 this morning.27
At the outset of what I have to say to the General Assembly I must refer briefly to the address made yesterday by the representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Parts of Mr. Molotov’s speech indicated distrust and misunderstanding of the motives of the United States and of other members of the United Nations. I do not believe that recriminations among nations allied in war and in peace promote that unity which Mr. Molotov so rightly points out is essential to the success of the United Nations.
I shall not participate in any exchange of recriminations.
The policy of the United States speaks for itself. It was summed up by President Truman in fifteen words last week: “The United States will support the United Nations with all the resources that we possess.”28
That policy the Soviet Union must surely understand for Mr. Molotov said virtually the same thing yesterday when he declared, “the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics stands unshakeably for the respect of the United Nations organization and deems essential that its charter be honestly and consistently observed.” May I say on behalf of the United States that we warmly welcome this renewed assurance.
[Page 976]We welcome especially the confidence expressed by Mr. Molotov that unanimous agreement among all the nations both large and small can be achieved on such vital matters as the control of atomic energy and on steps to lighten the burden of armaments and military expenditures which still rest so heavily upon the peoples of the world. It is hardly necessary for me, the representative of the United States, to say that my country supports wholeheartedly the objectives of the resolution Mr. Molotov introduced for the reduction of armaments. The United States believes that Mr. Molotov’s proposal should be placed on our agenda and fully considered and discussed. The initiative of the Soviet Union in this matter is appropriate, because of its mighty armies: just as the initiative of the United States was appropriate in proposing measures to prevent the manufacture and use of atomic weapons.
I recall to you the initiative taken by the United States at Washington in November 1945 in the conversations among President Truman, Prime Minister Attlee and Prime Minister MacKenzie King—at Moscow in December 1945 in the conversations between Mr. Byrnes, Mr. Molotov and Mr. Bevin—in the Assembly last January when the resolution creating the Atomic Energy Commission and establishing its terms of reference was unanimously adopted—and since then in the work of the Commission itself where the distinguished United States representative, Mr. Bernard M. Baruch, has presented proposals expressing the policy of the President of the United States.
Nor does the United States stop there. As President Truman emphasized again last week we attach the greatest importance to reaching agreements that will remove the deadly fear of other weapons of mass destruction in accordance with the same resolution passed by this Assembly.
And I might add that Mr. Baruch pointed out last night that we are ready to accept the Soviet proposal to outlaw the bomb and destroy our present stock—but only as a part of the whole.
So far as Mr. Molotov’s resolution concerns the regulation and reduction of other armaments, the whole world knows where the United States stands and has always stood. For 20 years before the war and in the 15 months since the fighting stopped the United States has consistently been in the forefront of those striving to reduce the burden of armaments upon the peoples of the world. Since the end of the war in Europe and the Pacific the United States has progressively and rapidly reduced its military establishment.
After the last war we made one mistake. We disarmed unilaterally. We shall not repeat that mistake.
The United States is prepared to cooperate fully with any other member of the United Nations which is sincerely devoted to the goal of disarmament. We cannot reduce armaments by talking about the “regulation of armaments and possible disarmament” or the “heavy economic burden caused by excessive expenditures for armaments”. [Page 977] We can not achieve it without positive acts which will establish the “peaceful postwar conditions” to which Mr. Molotov also referred.
Nor can a system for the regulation of armaments and possible disarmament as contemplated in articles 11, 26, and 47 of the Charter be effectively planned except in relation to progress in the negotiation of the armed forces agreements called for by article 43. At the beginning of April, four of the five members of the Military Staff Committee made specific proposals concerning the principles which should govern the negotiation of these agreements. In September the Soviet Union submitted for the first time a statement of its views on the problem.
I am happy to note that Mr. Molotov referred to the work of the Military Staff Committee. I hope it will now be possible for this Committee to make rapid progress. The conclusion of these agreements, providing the Security Council with peace forces adequate to prevent acts of aggression, is essential to carrying out the objectives of Mr. Molotov’s resolution for the reduction of armaments.
Mr. Molotov also referred to article 43 in connection with the Soviet proposal concerning the presence of armed forces of the United Nations on foreign territories. He said, “In this connection it is natural that the Security Council should know the actual situation, namely where and what armed forces of the United Nations are situated at present outside the confines of their countries … for its part the Soviet Union is prepared to submit this information to the Security Council. …”
The Government of the United States understands Mr. Molotov’s statement to mean that the Soviet Union is fully prepared to report on its armed forces in ex-enemy states as well as in other foreign territories.
The United States has nothing to hide with regard to US armed forces abroad. In no case are United States forces in friendly countries except with the consent of those countries.
The United States welcomes wholeheartedly the statement of Mr. Molotov that “as to the Soviet Union there is no hesitation and doubt among our people that peace among nations, and peaceful competition between them, which also means the possibility of increasing friendly cooperation and understanding among big and small states, be entirely in keeping with the interests of our country … it reflects the firm will to achieve universal peace and readiness to enter into peaceful competition in the social and economic sphere between states and social systems.”
That is exactly the position of the Government and people of the United States, Peaceful competition and friendly cooperation are words every American understands because they are fundamental in. our system and in our attitude toward other nations and other systems. We are very happy to receive such definite assurances that the government and the people of the Soviet Union feel the same way. Warren R. Austin.
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See telegram 726 October 29, from New York, supra., footnote 23 thereto, and the bracketed note on p. 972.
The present text was substantially incorporated into the initial portion of Senator Austin’s statement delivered at the 44th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly, October 30, 4 p.m. Mr. Austin’s remarks also included the following:
“The Government of the United States understands Mr. Molotov’s statement to mean that the Soviet Union is fully prepared to report on its armed forces in ex-enemy states as well as in other foreign territories. Therefore, the United States urges prompt fulfilment of this policy. The United States has nothing to hide with regard to our armed forces at home or abroad. The United States will promptly fulfil that policy. In no case are the United States forces in friendly countries except with the consent of those countries.
“It is our opinion that the proposed inquiry should include all mobilized armed forces, whether at home or abroad.”
For the full text of Austin’s address, see GA(I/2), Plenary, pp. 893–908.
↩ - The source text includes the following marginal comment by Mr. Hiss: “Taken up with the Secretary and discussed personally with Senator Austin.”↩
- For the text of President Truman’s address before the 34th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly, October 23, see GA(I/2), Plenary, pp. 682–689, or Department of State Bulletin, November 3, 1946, pp. 808–812.↩