USUN Files
Memorandum by Mr. John C. Ross to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)1
In the light of the rapidly developing situation with regard to Palestine and in particular in the light of the attitude of the press (referred to more fully below), I telephoned Mr. Rusk this afternoon and had a talk with him about the status of our preparation for handling the Palestine case when it comes up in the Security Council.
I told him that I realized he is in a very difficult position. We here in the Mission wanted to be just as helpful as we possibly could be to him and to the State Department; on the other hand, we also were in a somewhat difficult position.
I said that there was an obvious desire on the part of other delegations to discuss the Palestine case with us. Porter McKeever,2 I understood, [Page 627] had reported to him when he was in New York the day before something about the attitude of the press, namely, that the press was taking a very critical view of the State Department and of the Mission and was very much concerned about the relationship of the Mission and the State Department in the development of our policy in this matter.
[Here follow details of press criticism.]
I told Dean further that if I followed my natural inclination I would be talking to a great many people on the other delegations, not necessarily at this time to tell them our views if we were not ready to do this, but at least to give them an opportunity to talk and find out their views. [Here follow examples.]
Dean said he thought he appreciated our difficulties. He said he had been in a most difficult position himself. This matter was being dealt with at the highest levels in Washington. They had strict orders to “clamp down”. He wanted to help us, of course, as much as he could and he wanted our help so far as we could give it.
He hoped that it would be possible for him to come to New York on this matter no later than next Tuesday night. Meanwhile, he thought all we could say in response to inquiries was that we had not yet had any instructions from the Department. He realized that this was not altogether satisfactory but he was afraid it was the best that could be done in the circumstances.
He thought we should be responsive to those who sought us out and wanted to express their views; in other words, we should not avoid them. On the other hand, we should not ourselves for the time being seek others out for the purpose of discussing Palestine with them.
[Here follows the remainder of conversation, dealing primarily with the timing of future discussion in the Security Council on the Palestine problem.]