795.00/11–1452
Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by Barbara Evans, Secretary to the Secretary of State
Mr. Gross telephoned Secretary to say that he had heard that Menon had a further draft of the resolution on Korea, subsequent to the one handed Gross this morning, copy of which is attached hereto.1 He had [Page 622] also heard a rumor that Menon was going to go ahead and circulate the newest draft. Menon had an appointment with Mr. Gross at 4:30 this afternoon.
The Secretary said he had had only the briefest chance to look over the attached resolution, since there had been a delay in receiving it. But he thought it was a very dangerous document. He had noted that the paragraph about there being no forcible return is not in the proposals which will be submitted to the Chinese, although it is in the preamble. What is in the proposal to the Chinese simply involves turning the prisoners over to the political commission. The Secretary also thought from a hasty reading it seemed that if these proposals are accepted by the UN, nobody can change them, and the UN will have written the armistice.
Mr. Gross said he thought these two points were correctly stated by the Secretary, and he thought that the so-called new draft which Menon would bring in to him would not be different in these respects. He therefore was concerned about his position when he saw Menon. He was afraid that this was the breaking point, but he did not want to be in the position of telling Menon that it was, particularly as Lloyd and Pearson have given him (Menon) full encouragement on something along the line of the draft. Lloyd had told Gross that both he and Eden felt it was better to accept something along this line than to let the situation go along. Gross had said to Lloyd that he felt it was impossible from our point of view and that he felt this question would have to be resolved at the Minister level; that no further progress or talk could be had at the Gross–Lloyd level. Mr. Gross thought that after Secretary had chance to see Eden, he should see Menon this evening. The Secretary said that in point of time this was almost impossible. Eden was coming in a few minutes for another meeting, and there would be no opportunity for the Secretary to read and study the draft resolution or resolutions, and be in a position to lay the matter on the line with Eden. The Secretary thought he would just have to say he did not have the power to accept; that he did not think it would do.
Mr. Gross asked if the Secretary would authorize him to say to Menon that it will not be necessary for the latter to see the Secretary. But Gross feared that this would lead to the breaking point. The Secretary said he had to have a little time to think the matter over; actually, he could not make the decision anyway, although it seemed to him clear that the proposed resolution was not acceptable. It seemed to him the resolution created the greatest difficulties. The question of the disposition of the prisoners was still open; it seemed to the Secretary that by the resolution we would be negotiating an armistice and sending it to Clark.
Mr. Gross said he would tell Menon strongly that the matter was too important for the question to be stampeded. This is the first draft we [Page 623] have had from Menon; it is a matter which must be considered carefully and considered on the basis of this specific draft, which is now handed to us for the first time. Mr. Gross said he would not get into drafting suggestions with him, but at the same time would avoid giving him the impression that this was the breaking point.
The Secretary said he would like to see what the new resolution is like as soon as Mr. Gross gets it.
- The Indian draft handed to Gross on the morning of Nov. 14 was not attached to the source text. A copy is located in Secretary’s Letters, lot 56 D 459. On the same day, at 4 p.m., Menon gave the U.S. Delegation another text of his resolution, transmitted to the Department in telegram Delga 193, infra.↩