Lot 60–D 224, Box 55: D.O./P.R./21
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Stettinius) to the Secretary of State
Subject: Progress Report on Dumbarton Oaks Conversations—Twenty-second Day
Meeting of the Joint Formulation Group
The joint formulation group met this afternoon and made a number of refinements in and additions to the draft proposals as follows:
(a) Introductory Statement
An introductory statement was added to the effect that an international organization should be created under the title of the United Nations and that its charter should contain provisions to give effect to the proposals.
(b) Voting Procedure in the Assembly and in the Economic and Social Council
The provisions on voting in the assembly and in the Economic and Social Council were amended to read that in either case the vote should be by a majority of those states present and voting. This would apply in the assembly in the case of either a ⅔ majority or a simple majority.
(c) Representatives in the Assembly
It was agreed to add to the provision concerning the composition of the assembly a statement to the effect that the states members should have “a number of representatives to be specified in the Charter.”
(d) Disarmament
The British insisted that the word “disarmament” should be placed in brackets wherever it occurs in the draft proposals to indicate that they have not as yet agreed to its use in the document.
[Page 808](e) Availability of Air Force Contingents
Agreement has not as yet been reached to accept either our alternative83 or the British alternative84 concerning national air force contingents. However, the British and Russian representatives agreed to our proposal to eliminate an inner bracket in the American alternative and to alter the statement to read that “the strength and degree of readiness of these contingents and plans for their combined action should be determined by the Security Council with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee within the limits laid down in the special agreement or agreements referred to above”.
(f) Transitional Arrangements
It was agreed that the present section of Chapter VIII relating to Interim Arrangements should become a new Chapter XII to be designated Transitional Arrangements but should for the time being remain in brackets.
(g) Non-intervention in Domestic Matters
With reference to the present bracketed paragraph of the chapter on Principles which states that the organization should refrain from intervention in the internal affairs of any state, the British proposed the addition of a new paragraph to the section on Pacific Settlement to the effect that the present provisions of this section should not apply to situations or disputes arising out of matters which by international law are solely within the domestic jurisdiction of the state concerned. Both the Soviet and the American representatives regarded this addition favorably but reserved their positions on it pending consideration.
Meeting of the American Group
The American group, at its regular 9:30 meeting, considered the tentative proposal on voting in the council formulated on Wednesday. [Page 809] Suggested modifications by individual members will be considered on Monday.
- “In order to enable urgent military measures to be taken by the organization there should be held immediately available by the members of the organization national air force contingents for combined international enforcement action. The strength and degree of readiness of these contingents should be determined by the council with the assistance of the military committee within the limits laid down in the special agreement or agreements referred to above.” (Formulation Group’s draft of September 9, 1944, 2 p.m.; draft not printed.)↩
- “The agreement or agreements should provide for the most rapid means of making military force available and effective in order to maintain or restore peace and security. To this end it should be one of the first tasks of the military committee referred to in paragraph below to examine the practicability of organizing contingents from the air forces of members of the organization into a combined air force made up of such contingents serving under their national commanders but under the supreme command of a commander appointed by the council and under the council’s directions. The composition of such a force would be decided by the council and the size of the contingents to be provided by each member of the organization would be decided by the agreement or agreements above referred to.” (Formulation Group’s draft of September 9, 1944, 2 p.m.; draft not printed.)↩