CFM Files
United States Delegation Press Release
“Mr. President, I apologize for again speaking on this question, but I do wish to have the record show my earnest protest against the argument that it is impossible to create an organization except by a two-thirds vote. If we permit ourselves to make such a decision here, it would be a most unfortunate precedent which would handicap international organizations in the days to come. I can well conceive under any such rule that a minority of one more than a third could prevent the representatives of states from ever organizing to conduct international affairs. Never before have I heard such an argument made.
“The thought is in my mind that when we met here and you, Mr. President, were elected the vote was 13 to 7 with one abstention. We should never have organized if the seven could have held up your election and prevented the organization of the conference unless a majority of thirteen bowed to the will of the seven.
“The only authority offered as a precedent to justify such a contention is said to be the San Francisco Conference. I want to urge that there no one claimed it was necessary to have a two-thirds vote in order for the states to organize before a Constitution was formed, and when Article 18 is cited, I submit to you, as the Representative of the United Kingdom has, that it is a complete refutation of the argument.
“I would willingly follow it, if we cannot rely upon our parliamentary history and our knowledge of parliamentary proceedings. If we are to be guided by the Constitution adopted at San Francisco, that Constitution sets out specifically the questions that require a two-thirds vote and it declares that the decision of all other questions including the determination of additional categories of questions to be decided by a two-thirds majority, shall be made by the majority of the members present and voting.
“Now, if we decided to abide by that and the motion is made here that this question of voting procedure shall be settled by a two-thirds vote, then under the Constitution of the United Nations that must be submitted to a majority vote and not a two-thirds vote.
“If this question of two-thirds is insisted upon, I hope the President will submit to the conference whether or not by a majority vote that question will be listed as a question requiring a two-thirds majority.”