Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, General; the United Nations, Volume I, Part 1

501.BB/9–748: Telegram

The Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Jessup) to the Secretary of State

secret

Paris, September 7, 1948—7 p. m.

Delga 1. RefDeptel 3306 of August 26 [25] and my telephone conversation with Rusk today, have conferred with Ambassador Caffery regarding question of French presidency of GA. Understand Schuman definitely would not serve and French Government has no desire for position. It is possible that if US presses hard, it might be arranged that Marie¹ would accept but in Ambassador’s opinion, because of French reluctance, this would require considerable campaign on our part to secure the appropriate support for Marie. In my opinion, under these circumstances, it would be preferable to drop attempt to secure French president and make best of bad bargain by throwing full support behind Evatt thus obtaining as much of his good will as possible. In view plans for discussions in Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and with Evatt possibly Monday in London, urgently request instructions on Department’s view. Assume Department advising Douglas² our pending visit to London.

I understand from telephone conversation this afternoon with Baruch³ at The Hague that Dulles⁴ on his recent visit discussed GA items with Dutch officials. Any background we can have on these talks would also be much appreciated.

Jessup

1. André Marie, French Prime Minister from about July 26 to August 28, 1948.
2. Lewis W. Douglas, Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
3. Herman B. Baruch, Ambassador to the Netherlands.
4. John Foster Dulles; appointed a Representative on the U.S. Delegation to the Third Session of the General Assembly; adviser on foreign affairs to the Republican Party nominee for President of the United States (1948), Mr. Thomas E. Dewey.