Office of the Historian

181. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission at the United Nations1

Washington, September 22, 1960—7:05 p.m.

Tosec 16. From Hanes. Strongly urge Secretary make or authorize some public statement concerning New York Police cooperation along lines previously discussed with Berding.2 Could be done as answer to press query. New York Police coming under increasing public pressure and this can be predicted to increase as time passes, tempers grow shorter, and elements interested in provoking incidents become increasingly proficient at doing so. In this connection picketing of [Page 346] Yugoslavs3 apparently being carried on inter alia by professional Communist agitators who adept in skirting fringes of law while producing maximum disorder. Also call attention to death this morning of 9-year-old Venezuelan girl4 which will be linked in public mind with entire question of police security matters even though incident had no connection with any security operation.

Kennedy has now requested some public support by State Department. I feel he entitled to it in view cooperation with all our requests. I also feel expression our support now will be more valuable in terms our relations with police and their cooperation with other difficult requests which we will inevitably have to make in coming days than would same support a later date. Also suggest public relations benefit from our point of view in making statement now while entire security operation still receiving relatively favorable public reaction than it would later by which time accumulated incidents and irritations may have resulted in general public reaction of being fed up with entire matter.5

Dillon
  1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 59, Conference Files: FRC 83–0068, CF 1769. Confidential. Drafted and approved by Hanes and cleared with Stoessel.↩
  2. On September 21, Berding sent Herter a memorandum suggesting that he issue a statement praising the New York City Police and security officers for the manner in which they were handling the General Assembly security problems. (Ibid., CF 1773)↩
  3. The Yugoslav Foreign Minister complained to Herter on September 20 about demonstrations at the Yugoslav Mission. The U.S. Mission acted quickly to rectify the situation. (SecDel/MC/4, September 20; SecDel/MC/48, September 21; SecDel/MC/49, September 21; SecDel/MC/61, September 22; ibid., CF 1766)↩
  4. On September 21, a 9-year-old Venezuelan girl was fatally shot in a New York restaurant when a fight broke out between anti-Castro and pro-Castro groups. See Department of State Bulletin, October 31, 1960, pp. 699–700.↩
  5. Herter sent a letter commending the New York City Police to the Police Commissioner on September 24. (Washington National Records Center, RG 59, Conference Files: FRC 83–0068, CF 1772)↩