315.3/11–3053: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the Department of State
Delga 338. Personal for the Secretary. He Administrative Tribunal awards. As regards the administrative tribunal awards, the British position appears to be definitely and immovably one of favoring referral to the International Court of Justice. If they Were willing to vote with us we could, of course, defeat awards. Several personal discussions with Selwyn Lloyd and exchanges of letters convinces me, however, that they are firmly set the other way.
Now I learn that, either on their own motion or through some other delegation, they intend to bring up the motion to refer the matter to ICJ in such a way as to forestall our getting vote on the substantive merits of question. If they do this, motion will probably carry and we will never get a vote on the substantive issue at all. This seems to me to be an extremely unfriendly thing to do and certainly if the US ever did anything remotely resembling it, we would call down upon our heads the condemnation of all the people with beautiful and superior minds from one end of the world to the other.
Frankly this matter has gotten to a point where only representations to Churchill can be expected to accomplish anything. I do not know of any stone that either Congressman Richards or I have left unturned here. I recommend that one last effort be made with Churchill to get British support for our position.1