Lot 71–D 440, Box 192321

Memorandum by Mr. G. Hayden Raynor of the United States Delegation Staff of Advisers to the United States Representative at the United Nations ( Austin )

confidential

Subject: Warmongering

You will have noted several memos I have written in the last 24 hours2 indicating that there is a strong feeling developing in the Assembly, even extending to countries such as Canada and Australia, to the effect that the Soviets must not be voted down on everything in this Assembly. They must be allowed something in an effort to relieve the great tension which has developed.

The Canadians and Australians feel that warmongering, provided the Soviet resolution is turned about, is a subject on which this could be accomplished.3 We have attempted to talk them out of this position, along the lines of the memos to which I have referred, but I am quite satisfied they are unconvinced.4

The point of this memo is to suggest that at Flushing tomorrow you find an opportunity to discuss this matter with Mike Pearson of Canada,5 and also with Dr. Evatt of Australia.6 I cannot overemphasize [Page 87] the importance of these discussions in the event that we attempt to follow up the line which I understand has been decided upon.7 If countries such as Canada and Australia are not with us, we will be in a weak position indeed.

  1. Folder “Committee 1, Measures against Propoganda and Inciters of a New War”.
  2. These memoranda are not printed; they are deposited in the IO Files, US/A/C.1 series.
  3. Both Canada and Australia were considering offering amendments to the Soviet resolution.
  4. Mr. Raynor had passed along the information that the United States experts felt that the Soviet resolution should be defeated outright rather than amended or turned about, because otherwise “the result would be that the Moscow radio could blare forth 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on this theme: the Soviet Union attacked the United States for warmongering; the General Assembly passed a resolution condemning warmongering, et cetera.” (IO Files, Doc. US/A/C.1/390, October 19, 1947)
  5. Lester B. Pearson, Canadian Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs.
  6. Herbert V. Evatt, Australian Minister for External Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Australian Delegation to the General Assembly.
  7. See Minutes of 24th Meeting of the U.S. Delegation, October 21, infra.