IO Files: USGA/Ia/LeCom/9
Memorandum by the Principal Adviser to the United States Delegation (Hiss) to the Secretary of State
secret
[London,] January 23, 1946.
The group of Advisers on the American Delegation which has been dealing with the Court slate has met with Mr. Cohen and Mr. Walker and the following decisions have been agreed upon.
The United States will give active support to only one candidacy, that of Mr. Hackworth.
The following nine candidates have been agreed upon, leaving six to be determined. This list is also approved by the Department.
| Hackworth (U.S.A.) | DeVisscher (Belgium) |
| McNair (U.K.) | Klaestad (Norway) |
| Krylov (U.S.S.R.) | Read (Canada) |
| Hsu Mo (China) | Zoricic (Yugoslavia) |
| Basdevant (France) |
As to the remaining six seats the group agreed on the following principles:
- 1.
- Not more than three Latin American selections. A larger number would be disproportionate to the position occupied by this legal system. Also since it is desired to support two North American candidates (U.S. and Canada), this would give over-representation to the Western Hemisphere. These three Latin Americans will be selected from the following group of five: Podesta Costa (Argentina), Azevedo (Brazil), Parra-Perez (Venezuela), Lozano y Lozano (Colombia), Guerrero (El Salvador). The Argentine candidate, Podesta Costa, appears to have considerable support among the Latin American countries and also from the United Kingdom. We are informed that he is highly capable and that he is pro-democratic and favorable to the United States. Department officials are also interested in this candidacy and are to inform us shortly on the views of Mr. Braden. We are [Page 170] also awaiting the views of the Department on the other Latin American candidates before going further in making selections.
- 2.
- An additional candidate from Eastern Europe, Winiarski of Poland has been favorably mentioned by the Department, and we are awaiting further data on candidates from this region. We have not felt it wise to support either (1) Verzijl (Netherlands) who is supported by the British, or (2) Davis (South Africa) who is particularly favored by the British. The first of these selections would mean three Western European Judges in addition to France as against one for Eastern Europe (excluding U.S.S.R.). The second selection (Davis) would mean four Judges from countries representing the Anglo-American system of jurisprudence.
- 3.
- To support two candidates giving representation to the Moslem legal system and the Near and Middle Eastern geographical area. Three candidates are considered in this connection: Zafrullah Khan (India), Badawi Pasha (Egypt) and Cemil Bilsel. Further advice from the Department is being awaited before proceeding with these decisions. If it is decided to support only one of these candidates, Spiropolous of Greece might be selected for the vacancy thus created. He is a nominee of the United States National Group.