Eisenhower Library, Dulles papers, “Indochina”: Telegram

The Head of the United States Delegation (Smith) to the Secretary of State

top secret
personal and private

Dear Foster: Dag Hammarskjold came to see me this evening on pretext of courtesy call. He is leaving tonight for New York and will confer with Cabot Lodge and Dixon on Friday1 regarding the Thailand proposal. He had just been with Eden, who told him the British position which I have already given you. Dag Hammarskjold does not think the Thai proposal will weaken the U.N. if properly handled, but he is worried about tactics, not only in the Security Council but in the General Assembly, with Mrs. Pandit in the chair. He said with some hesitancy, that he found it difficult to discuss things seriously with Cabot Lodge, who did not seem to be well informed on details and who seemed unwilling to transcend U.S. internal political factors. Dag Hammarskjold said he confined himself strictly to proper channels, to avoid arousing resentment, but on this matter, the timing and impact of which is of so much importance, he would hope after his Friday conference to have a private talk directly with you in order to decide on strategy. He could come to Washington Monday afternoon, quite quietly. I told him I would pass this on to you through [Page 938] private channels and that if you were willing you could get word to him by phone Friday afternoon, or Saturday morning. I am inclined to think this would be useful and we transmit it through Allen Dulles’ channel as I do not want anyone here to know about it.2

Smith
  1. May 28.
  2. Allen W. Dulles informed the Department of State at 6:22 p.m. on May 26 that he had received the above message from Smith and that Smith wanted the Secretary to see it that night. (Eisenhower Library, Dulles papers, Telephone conversations) A notation on the source text by O’Connor indicates that the Secretary saw the letter. Concerning the DullesHammarskjold meeting, June 2, see p. 1012.