315.3/8–2853
The Deputy United States Representative of the
United States at the United Nations (Wadsworth) to the Under
Secretary of State for Administration (Lourie)
New York, August 28,
1953.
Dear Don: Enclosed is
a copy of a letter dated August 20, 1953 from the Secretary General
of the United Nations concerning overseas investigations of U.S.
nationals employed by the UN on
missions abroad.
Mr. Hammarskjold
expresses serious concern at the possible consequences of
investigations of such UN officials
in an area in which they have served on a mission. His concern is
based upon the possibility that the enquiries may spread to the
questioning of persons of other nationalities and of strongly
partisan local inhabitants, with consequent loss of confidence in
the integrity of their work and of the entire UN effort in the area. He is especially dubious about
the wisdom of carrying on such investigations abroad with respect to
persons like Ralph
Bunche and General Riley.
We have replied to the Secretary General that we are not familiar
with the nature and scope of overseas investigations of UN employees. We have also told him that
we understand the basis of his concern, and that we are requesting
the Department’s comments regarding the entire matter. We would
appreciate your furnishing us with as much information as possible
concerning the subject, especially with respect to the nature and
scope of the investigations in question so that the matter may be
discussed fully with Mr. Hammarskjold.
We, of course, fully support the carrying out of complete
investigations, including investigations abroad of Americans
employed by UN. However, care must be
taken not to undermine the prestige of loyal U.S. nationals serving
on delicate missions in other areas in the world or to weaken the
authority and effectiveness of the UN
itself.
Sincerely yours,
[Enclosure]
The Secretary-General of the United
Nations (Hammarskjold)
to the United States Representative at the
United Nations (Lodge)
New
York, August 20, 1953.
My Dear Ambassador Lodge: Thank you
for letter of 14 August1 in which you inform me
that the International Organizations Employees Loyalty Board has
now been constituted and is commencing [Page 349] its work. I am particularly gratified to
have your assurance that everything possible will be done to
expedite the reports concerning United States nationals employed
by the United Nations and those who are candidates for
employment.
With regard to the last paragraph of your letter, I have looked
into the problem in Jerusalem and I find that the delays were
caused initially by the fact that the finger-printing, in the
United States Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate in
Jerusalem, of several of the persons concerned did not meet the
requirements of the United States authorities here. The forms
were returned to the field and in several cases the procedure
had to be repeated twice.
Furthermore, certain information was requested of the officials
in the area which was not readily available there. The necessary
data has now been cabled to Jerusalem and there should be no
further delays at that end.
My enquiry also showed that of the twenty persons listed as being
under investigation, only one is still in the area; most of the
others have returned to Headquarters and a few have resigned. Of
the persons listed, three had never been in the employ of the
United Nations. Indeed, one is an officer of the United States
State Department—Mr. James W. Barco—who had
represented the United States Government on the United Nations
Conciliation Commission for Palestine. I presume that the other
two were United States officials assigned to the
The review of this list raised a serious concern in my mind
regarding the possible consequences of investigations about
United Nations officials in the area in which they have served
on a mission. You will appreciate how easily such enquiries may
spread to the questioning of persons of other nationalities, and
particularly of the local inhabitants who may have had contacts
with the members of the mission. The officials of the United
Nations now under investigation were sent to Palestine to
perform a delicate and highly responsible mission requiring
exceptional integrity on the part of all members of the staff.
Their work was not always popular among the local inhabitants
because of the strong partisanship and the heavily charged
emotional atmosphere that surrounded the problems with which
they had to deal.
An enquiry by officials of their own Government concerning the
integrity of men like Dr. Ralph
Bunche and General W. E.
Riley, former United Nations Chief-of-Staff, both
of whose names appear on the list, may result in raising doubts
in the area about the integrity of their work in Palestine.
These doubts in turn may place in question the integrity of the
entire United Nations effort in Palestine and thus weaken the
authority and the effectiveness of the mission and of the United
Nations itself. I have learned since that similar enquiries
about [Page 350] United States
members of the Secretariat are being made in other troubled
areas where the United Nations has sent missions of enquiry,
conciliation or mediation.
I feel sure that you will appreciate the delicacy and the
importance of this problem.
Yours sincerely,
