Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, United Nations Affairs, Volume III

340.1 AG/4–653

Memorandum by the Secretary of State to the President

restricted

[Washington,] April 7, 1953.

• Subject:
• Statement on United States Policy on Human Rights in the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.¹

As you know, I have pointed out in my statement in the Senate hearings on the Bricker proposal that we do not feel that the United States should, in the present stage of international relations, consider the ratification of the Covenants on Human Rights now being drafted in the United Nations and that attention should be given in the United Nations to the furtherance of human rights through more effective ways than the proposed Covenants.

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights opens tomorrow—April 7—and it seems useful to us to utilize this opportunity for the issuance of a statement by you stressing positive United States support for the human rights goals of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This statement would be helpful in our information efforts abroad as well as in this country.

Accordingly I recommend that you issue the enclosed statement at noon on April 7.

John Foster Dulles

[Attachment]

Proposed Statement by the President

restricted until released

April 7, 1953.

Message From the President of the United States of America to the Members of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights at the Opening of its Session April 7, 1953 in Geneva²

I am asking Mrs. Oswald B. Lord, the new Representative of the United States on the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to express to the Commission my deep personal interest in its work. In these days of international tension and strain, it is encouraging to know that the members of the Commission on Human Rights are working to develop effective programs to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all people and all nations throughout the world.

The United Nations Charter states the human rights goals which the United States and the other Members of the United Nations have pledged themselves to achieve in cooperation with the United Nations—the promotion of universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.

For the people of the United States as well as for people everywhere, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a significant beacon in the steady march toward achieving human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.

People everywhere are seeking freedom—freedom to live, freedom from arbitrary restraint, freedom to think and speak as they wish, freedom to seek and find the truth. We must press ahead to broaden the areas of freedom. The United States is convinced that freedom is an indispensable condition to the achievement of a stable peace.

Unfortunately, in too many areas of the world today there is tyranny and the subjugation of peoples by totalitarian governments which have no respect for the dignity of the human person. This denial of the freedom of peoples, the continued disregard of human rights, is a basic cause of instability and discontent in the world today.

For these reasons, the work of the Commission on Human Rights assumes greater importance and meaning. For these reasons also, there is need for a new approach to the development of a human rights conscience in all areas of the world. I have accordingly asked Mrs. Lord to present positive UN action programs to the Commission which we feel will contribute to that recognition of human rights and fundamental freedoms which people are seeking throughout the world.

1. The statement was proposed to the Secretary of State on Apr. 6, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (McCardle), in a memorandum of Apr. 6, 1953 which read:

   “As a follow-up of your statement today concerning the draft Covenants on Human Rights at the hearings on the Bricker proposal, it would be advisable to have the President issue the attached statement tomorrow to stress positive United States support for the human rights goals of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It would be useful to utilize the opening of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva tomorrow—April 7—for this purpose. This statement would be helpful in our information efforts abroad as well as in this country.” (340.1 AG/4–653)

   The original of the instant memorandum was signed by Dulles on Apr. 7 and handcarried to the White House at 9: 30 a.m.

2. Released by the White House at noon on Apr. 7, 1953, the text was transmitted to Mrs. Lord at Geneva in priority telegram 638, Apr. 7, 10:51 a.m. The telegram indicated that the Department assumed that Mrs. Lord was releasing the text of the Secretary of State’s letter to her of Apr. 3. These two documents and the text of Mrs. Lord’s statement before the Human Rights Commission on Apr. 8 (see infra) were issued on Apr. 9 by the Mission at the United Nations in Press Release No. 1688 (Mrs. Lord had released the text of the Secretary of State’s letter in Geneva on Apr. 7). All are printed in the Department of State Bulletin, Apr. 20, 1953, pp. 579–582 (“U.S. Policy on Human Rights”).