155. Editorial Note
On March 15, New Zealand Ambassador Leslie K. Munro and Secretary Dulles discussed possible courses of action in the United Nations in the light of the British proposal, put forward by Ambassador Makins on March 14 (see Document 152), for a tripartite commission. Dulles commented that while the United States would of course consider any British proposals, it was “most unlikely” that it would “look with favor on a commission all the members of which recognized the Chinese Communists.” He stated that the Department had not yet decided whether to proceed with the United Nations resolution in light of the British opposition to doing so. He observed that “as between pressing the UK for action on the one hand or letting the matter coast along for a further period, the question could of course be raised as to what new element had arisen which required urgent action. Communist Chinese propaganda had diminished a considerable amount of late: the volume of propaganda about Formosa had dropped from about 20% to about 5%. It was perhaps not a particularly significant development except that the Chinese Reds would presumably precede any armed attack with a heavy volume of propaganda.” (Memorandum of conversation by Key, March 15; Department of State, Central files, 793.00/3–1555)