740.00119 FEAC/3–546
Memorandum by Dr. George H. Blakeslee, of the American Delegation to the Far Eastern Commission, to the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Vincent)
Subject: The Secretary’s Conversation with General McCoy regarding FEC Matters.
In chatting with Mr. Penfield,17 he asked me whether I had informed you of the substance of the conversation between General McCoy and the Secretary late Saturday morning. I have assumed that you would [Page 169] be informed regarding this conversation from more direct sources. But to make certain, here are the main facts.
Last Friday Mr. Novicov called on the Secretary and asked him to direct General McCoy to support the Soviet proposal regarding the Vice-Chairmanship.18 Late Saturday morning the Secretary called for General McCoy and made to him the following statements:
- 1.
- The Secretary disapproves the wording of the title of Committee No. 4 of which Mr. Novicov is to be Chairman. The title was “The Strengthening of Democratic Processes.” The Secretary objected to the word “democratic” under the circumstances;
- 2.
- The Secretary disapproved Mr. Novicov’s proposal that the Soviet representative should be the sole Vice-Chairman of the Commission. If it should be necessary to elect a Vice-Chairman other than an American, the Secretary favored some three Vice-Chairmen, evidently including the Russian, British and Chinese representatives.
General McCoy has been taking action in accordance with these views of the Secretary.