143. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, at Geneva1
Tedul 58. Eyes only Secretary (upon return to Geneva). Prior to receiving your message to Macmillan (Secto 1772) and before I realized that a commitment on UN membership had already been reached, I mentioned to Adams over the telephone in Denver that if you concurred I might ask President’s opinion on situation during my visit Wednesday.
Adams apparently raised the subject with the President later in the afternoon on his own initiative, and has sent me following transcript of the President’s comments:3
“Governor Adams brought to the President’s attention the package deal now being discussed before the UN as to the addition of thirteen new members on the side of the Free World, including Italy and Japan, Spain and Portugal; and on the side of the Soviet, four nations—Bulgaria, Rumania, Albania and Hungary.
“The President said: ‘I can’t personally see any great defeat for us here. These countries are small nations. We would be getting in Italy and Japan. The countries of Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary and Albania will of course always vote with the Russians, and we might find one or two of the others voting against us. But look at the size of the population of Japan and Italy—look at the representation we would have coming in. We are anxious to build up the morale and the moral consciousness of both Japan and Italy. I think on balance I would favor it.
“‘This does not mean I remember my detailed conversation with Foster on this subject, and this does not mean that if Foster saw something particularly vulnerable about the idea, I would not go along with him—but unless he sees something which I do not, I am in favor.’”