50. Editorial Note

On August 1, the United States Senate confirmed Harold E. Stassen as Deputy Representative on the Disarmament Commission of the United Nations. Background of this appointment is in memoranda of Secretary of State John Foster Dulles’ telephone call to Henry Cabot Lodge, July 27, 5:57 p.m., and Stassen’s call to Dulles, July 28, 6:22 p.m., both in the Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations; a memorandum of conversation by Dulles, July 27, of a meeting with the President at 9:45 a.m. that day; and a memorandum of conversation by Dulles, July 29, of a meeting held at the White House with Eisenhower, Dulles, Lodge, and Stassen on that day at 9:45 a.m. The President’s draft letter to Stassen, July 28, outlining the appointment is attached to Dulles’ memorandum of July 29. (Ibid., Meetings with the President)

Eisenhower’s draft letter of July 28 said that Stassen would sit for the United States in the forthcoming subcommittee meetings of the United Nations Disarmament Commission. He would serve under Lodge’s direction in his work relating to the United Nations, and in all other matters relating to negotiations with other governments he would be under the direction of and report to the Secretary of State. These relationships were confirmed in Eisenhower’s letter to Stassen, August 5, in Department of State, Central Files, 330.13/8–555.

Dulles’ memorandum of July 29 indicates that the President signed Stassen’s nomination during the succeeding Cabinet meeting and would send it promptly to the Senate. Department of State Bulletin, August 15, page 264, notes the Senate confirmation of Stassen’s appointment on August 1. A copy of Dulles’ letter to Dag Hammarskjöld, August 23, informing the United Nations Secretary-General of Stassen’s appointment is in Department of State, Central Files, 330.13/8–2355.