Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, United Nations and General International Matters, Volume XI

93. Letter From the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the President¹

New York, October 15, 1957.

Dear Mr. President: In your recent letter² you asked for suggestions to repair the damage done to our world position by the events at Little Rock.³ Having reflected, I make these suggestions:

1. That Our diplomatic representatives make a sustained effort to extend hospitality to distinguished colored people. This should not be confined merely to US diplomats in colored countries or posts like mine here, where I entertain non-whites regularly. In “white” countries distinguished colored people who may be visiting should be given hospitality. I know from experience here how much it means.

2. That some favorable action be taken on a loan to India and, in conjunction therewith, on settling the Kashmir question. India is a key country with much of the non-white world.

3. An affirmative attitude by the US on the subject of multilateral economic aid under the UN would have a tremendously good effect in all of these non-white countries and would tend to counteract the harm of Little Rock.

You may remember that I submitted such a scheme to you— involving no extra cost to the US, to be conducted entirely in harmony with US foreign policy (although our control would not be apparent); getting us about twice as much for our money as we now get under the bilateral program; and which would get us credit for helping an altruistic UN program “with no selfish political strings attached”. Under a UN program the services of first-class experts who are willing to live in the native village can be obtained at salaries which no equally good US expert would accept.

Ever since I have been here US policy has been negative. This has hurt us.

I am delighted that Secretary Dulles has now approved an affirmative position—including essential features which I had proposed—for us to take at this General Assembly. It still has to be cleared by Treasury, Budget, and the White House staff. There really is no sound argument against it and overwhelming arguments in favor of it. It aims directly at all those countries which are most upset by what happened at Little Rock and is definitely a step in the right direction.

The prestige which the Soviet Union is getting because of its satellites intensifies the importance of effective non-communist technical and economic assistance coming in a way which does not look like the US-USSR power struggle.

I would like you to hear me on this subject when it comes to you for decision—if there is any opposition to it.⁴

With warm and respectful regard,

Faithfully yours,

Cabot Lodge

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Administration Series. The word “personal” is handwritten on the top of the source text by Lodge.
2. Not found.
3. Reference is to the disturbances at Little Rock, Arkansas, during September and October 1957, during the racial integration of Little Rock High School.
4. President Eisenhower inserted a bracket from paragraph 3, to the end of the text with the handwritten notation: “To Gov. Adams.” At the bottom of the page he wrote: “Pls return to my files. DE.” The words “if there is any opposition to it” were underlined by the President.