Hickerson–Murphy–Key files, lot 58 D 35, “9th General Assembly Session”
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Key) to the Deputy United States Representative at the United Nations (Wadsworth)1
- Subject:
- Possible General Assembly Item on Communism—the New Colonialism.
We have been giving considerable thought to the suggestion in your memorandum of June 10, that we introduce the above subject as a new item for exploitation at the Ninth General Assembly.
The idea has been discussed with appropriate political and intelligence officers in the Department and they have all expressed a willingness to contribute in the preparation of suitable material. With respect to the parliamentary technique of introducing a new item, however, it is our feeling that it would be more effective to present the data as a suitable occasion presents itself. As you well know the word “colonialism” is anathema to many of our Asian and Latin friends, and it is thought that we might well have difficulty in gaining their support in this endeavor. They might use a formal item on this subject to attempt to embarrass the so-called “colonial” powers.
Our specialists indicate that they already have considerable material already prepared on this general subject and have asked that we give them more specific guidance as to the scope of the project. They have suggested that communism be attacked on three broad points: intervention, imperialism and exploitation. The attack might [Page 1395] begin with a general revelation of international communism as a far-flung clandestine political organization operated from Moscow as was done by the Secretary in his March 8 speech at Caracas—with the addition of specific facts. Soviet imperialism then could be exposed, as countries have fallen under its control and have in fact become colonies. Soviet and possibly Chinese Communist exploitation could then be shown in some detail, pointing out how the economics of these unfortunate countries have been warped to fit the Communist requirements. A special case, with an eye to land reform in Southeast Asia and the Far East, might be made of exposing the failure of collectivisation in Russia. The attendant loss of freedom, of course, could be shown.
It is suggested that you may wish to have George Betts let Harold Moseley or Olcott Deming know if the above approach is satisfactory to you in order that the details may be ironed out at the working level and the preparation of the material begun.2
- Drafted by Harold W. Moseley, Department of State representative on the OCB’s Working Group on the United Nations, for the Ninth General Assembly.↩
- The Working Group was formally reactivated on July 23, 1954, in order to coordinate the provision of certain interdepartmental support for U.S. activities at the Ninth Regular Session of the General Assembly, “particularly with respect to exploiting the vulnerabilities of the international Communist conspiracy …” This was in pursuance of President Eisenhower’s policy to use the United Nations as “the only real world forum where we have the opportunity for international presentation and rebuttal …” (S/S–OCB files, lot 62 D 430, “UN General Assembly,” a memorandum for the Operations Coordinating Board by George A. Morgan, Acting Executive Officer, July 26, 1954, entitled “Terms of Reference for OCB Working Group on the United Nations”.)↩