Lot 60–D 224, Box 59: Stettinius Diary
Extracts From the Personal Diary of the Under Secretary of State (Stettinius)
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Conversations with the Secretary
As soon as I heard that the cable from Stalin on voting had been received I called the Secretary. I explained to him that while Stalin did not back away from the expressed Soviet opinion he did not close the door. The Secretary seemed encouraged. I sent him a copy of the text as soon as we received it.
Mr. Hull had just talked to the President, who had confirmed that the meeting in Quebec was breaking up tonight and that Eden was flying back to England tonight. Mr. Hull said Cadogan would return directly to Washington.
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Meeting with the Secretary
I met with the Secretary in his office this afternoon to bring him up to date generally. He was very disturbed because Mr. Long had [Page 814] been in and given him the impression that there was a great amount of dissension and differences of opinion among members of the American delegation. I told him this was completely wrong and suggested that we have Long in to go over the ground with him. We then had a forty-minute meeting with Long, Hackworth, and Pasvolsky present. Mr. Long backed down completely from his position when I explained clearly that yesterday I had canvassed the American group as to their position on the compromise formula and that with the exception of reservations by Bowman and Cohen, they were all united that it was the thing to do, if it was acceptable to the Russians. Pasvolsky, Hackworth and I all then expressed the opinion that there was nothing to be excited about. Long seemed apologetic for having brought the matter up.
Pasvolsky expressed his view that the Russians may accept this formula and that it would be acceptable to us. I made it completely clear to the Secretary that the three Governments had received it only for study on an informal tentative basis and that no one had made a commitment on it.
The Secretary was very definite that we could not exclude the Associated Nations from original membership as it would result in a very bad effect in Latin American relations. The Secretary, answering my memorandum of the 13th,93 indicated definite opposition to the British proposal of qualification based on contribution made, on the election of non-permanent members of the Council.
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