214. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Department of State1
1323. For Secretary. Reference Department’s telegram 1200.2 Prior to their departure this morning House Foreign Affairs Far East Subcommittee requested me to send you following message:
“Your prompt reply to our message has been received via Allison. Unfortunately the case presented leaves us quite unconvinced that present position of our government on package deal is right or advisable. We feel compelled to urge again that United States reconsider its position.
We believe that US should itself return and urge other governments to return to their firm opposition to such package deals as was shown from 1948 until recently, such opposition having been in accordance with the 1948 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.
[Page 445]We cannot agree with the argument that any UN member should accept the will of a majority when that involves violation of the letter and spirit of UN Charter. If principles are to be abandoned whenever a majority believes it expedient, why should we have charters or even constitutions?
Is it not better to thwart the will of the majority of nations than to ignore the principles and provisions of the UN Charter?
We believe surrender to Soviet ultimatum would weaken the UN and lead inevitably to increased pressure for admission of Red China. Would not the United States have lost its ability to resist effectively such admission which is overwhelmingly opposed by the Congress and the American people? We believe such surrender would surely weaken the hopes and the will to resist on the part of the enslaved peoples behind the iron curtain. Moreover, it is bound to decrease respect for the United States which we must regretfully report is dwindling alarmingly all through the Middle and Far East. All these would strengthen the Communist world position, lead to further Communist ultimatums, and greatly increase the dangers of war.
It is the opinion of government leaders in several of the countries our subcommittee has recently visited that the United States would be compromising on a moral issue. We are convinced that what is morally wrong can never be politically right.
Our primary concern is not for the fate of the Chinese Nationalist Government, important though that is. History may well record its veto and steadfast adherence to the UN Charter as its finest deed. Our primary concern is for the honor and moral leadership and the future welfare of our own country. Signed Clement J. Zablocki, Chairman, John Jarman, Robert C. Byrd, Walter H. Judd, Marguerite Stitt Church, E. Ross Adair.”
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.2/12–1255. Secret.↩
- Document 210.↩