Office of the Historian

176. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China1

Washington, November 22, 1955—1:56 p.m.

304. Request you convey following message urgently to President Chiang Kai-shek from President:

“Dear Mr. President:

Secretary Dulles is cabling you separately2 about the problem of United Nations membership. As you know, there is a proposal to admit 18 nations, including 5 Soviet satellites. Among them is Outer Mongolia. It is painful to contemplate more satellites in the United Nations. But the other side of the picture is that 13 free nations ardently desire admission and that a great majority of the free nations which are now United Nations members feel that it is worth while to pay the price of 5 satellites to get the 13 non-satellites.

Whatever may be our own national judgment, I feel that we cannot properly interpose a veto to block arbitrarily the will of the great majority. As you doubtless know the United States has never been sympathetic to the use of the veto in membership matters. To use it now would strengthen the Communist cause and do grave damage to our influence in the United Nations. It would not be necessary for you to vote for membership you disapproved of but only to abstain.

For our part we do not intend to be in the position of endorsing any of the satellites. We shall, if the procedure permits, abstain from voting on them, if it seems that all of the free countries are going to be admitted.

This issue is so important to us both, and could have such far-reaching consequences, that I venture to make this personal appeal that our two countries should not seem divided in this matter.

With my warm personal regard, I am,

Sincerely,

Dwight D. Eisenhower”.

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.2/11–2255. Secret; Niact. A typewritten notation on the source text reads: “Written by the Secretary and sent at his request (FE-Robertson).”↩
  2. Infra.↩