661.00/3–1051: Circular airgram
The Acting Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic and Consular Offices 1
[Here follows discussion of two subjects, part of the weekly collection of items considered as possibly foreshadowing Soviet tactical trends, prepared by DRS. The second item described a Pravda editorial [Page 462] of March 1, which asserted that the scope of the signature campaign, launched by the Berlin meeting of the World Peace Council, in support of a Big Five Peace Pact, “is to be far beyond that of the Stockholm Appeal”.]
Moscow Warns of Possible Withdrawal from UN. Following the decision of the World Peace Council to send a delegation to the UN to demand that it “return to the role assigned it by the Charter,” a leading Soviet propagandist is reported to have stated in a public lecture in Moscow on February 27 that if the UN did not “respond to the representations” of the World Peace Council delegation, the USSR “would have no alternative but to leave the United Nations.” A Pravda editorial broadcast March 3 implied the same when it asserted that the UN had the choice “either to fulfill the demands of the World Peace Council … or to doom itself to disintegration.” This heightened Soviet campaign against the UN appears at present designed primarily to intimidate the UN into adopting a more positive attitude toward Soviet demands, rather than as a firm indication of an intention to withdraw from the UN. In this connection, Soviet UN delegates have recently stated positively that no such intention was to be inferred from Stalin’s recent remarks on the shortcomings of the UN. Nevertheless, the appearance of a frank prediction of withdrawal if this effort fails, when considered in conjunction with Soviet moves to create parallel organizations and the systematic drive to discredit the UN, must be considered as increasing the chances of an actual withdrawal.
[Here follows discussion of other subjects.]
- Sent to 54 diplomatic missions, 8 special missions, and 13 consulates and coir sulates general.↩