Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, United Nations and General International Matters, Volume II

51. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State in Washington and the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) in New York, December 5, 1958, 5:20 p.m.¹

New YorkDecember 5, 1958, 5:20 p.m.

TELEPHONE CALL TO AMBLODGE

The Sec said he is in a quandary re Hungarian business. They discussed rejecting credentials and the committee idea of L’s. The Sec said the only thing he and the Pres meant was no arm twisting but it was o.k. to try to get votes by talking around.² L said his recommendation was to have a comm with a rapporteur like Prince Wan to make a report which he grants is not very manly. The Sec does not think the Soviets and satellites will get out because he does not think we will get ⅔s. L would say we don’t know how many votes we will get—we are doing it because we think it is right. It is very far-reaching etc. They were not too keen on the wording of the res, though L has not seen it. The Sec mentioned CD³ pressuring the Pres but L said he does not know about it. L said he has not talked with Mansfield and Hickenlooper⁴ as he did not want to at this stage. L receives a lot of telegrams from Senators but it is just going through the motions. The Sec would anticipate that just L would work on it there but L said unless he and the Pres worked on it too they would barely get a majority. The Sec mentioned his having to reply to Lloyd. He would have signed the letter but got to worrying about it. L said he was glad the Sec would have to make the decision—he would end up with a comm. L said the session is supposed to end Dec 12 but he would extend it and told Wilcox how he proposed to operate—this would not please people. There would be some applause in Congress but he does not know if freedom-loving Hungarians would be pleased to see us get defeated which we could very well. The Sec will give it more thought but in his present mood he is ready to drop it. L said he would not regret it—irritation from CD but he would not worry about that. You get something from the comm and that is perfectly respectable. L said you would have to do it next year and it will be tough. ILO will have a problem next year.⁵

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations, November–December 1958. Transcribed by Bernau.
2. Reference is to instructions that USUN should not “lobby” for a resolution to reject the Hungarian Delegation’s credentials. See Document 47.
3. C.D. Jackson.
4. See footnote 2, Document 47.
5. Lodge discussed the issue of Hungarian credentials with Eisenhower during breakfast at the White House, Saturday, December 6. Observing that there was “very little differentiation in principle” between refusing to seat Hungary ... and continuing to seat the Soviets, the President stated he could not support efforts to reject the Hungarian Delegation’s credentials as long as the Soviet Union maintained its seat. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman Files, Eisenhower Diaries)