103. Letter From the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the Secretary of State1
Dear Foster: As time goes by, the one change in the Charter which seems to be commanding the greatest support is the one to eliminate the veto on the admission of new members.
But on this crucial change, there is the determined (although so far silent) opposition of the British… .
. . . . . . .
Of course we have a deep conviction the other way and I think we should back up our conviction and make a two-fisted effort to get the Charter changed.
But in the light of the Secretary General’s view that it might be desirable to postpone a Charter review conference, I thought you should have this British attitude in mind.
As it is, without a positive Charter review item, the next General Assembly looks pretty thin. I gather Harold Stassen will [Page 267] have nothing ready in time for the General Assembly to work on, although he may have material for a Presidential appearance at the U.N. at the end of the session.
I wish we could get British acquiescence—however grudging—in making a strong effort on non-member participation. It would be good for the U.N., good for the U.S., not really bad for the U.K.— and it would make a great hit with the masses of Americans who feel kindly towards Ireland, Italy and Germany.
Whatever is done either on eliminating the veto on membership by a revision of the Charter or on pressing forward with our proposal for non-member participation, it is clear from past experience that we should begin now to press for acceptance by the British and others. We should not wait until late August, which is always too late on anything controversial. I feel that with more and earlier effort we have a good chance to make progress on both of these questions.
Faithfully yours,
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.1/3–3155. Secret.↩