The Evening Star (December 16, 1945)
United Nations selects U.S. as permanent site
Hot battle precedes vote; city will be discussed tomorrow
LONDON (AP, Dec. 15) – The United States was chosen today as the permanent home of the United Nations Organization after a long, hard-fought battle, and the Preparatory Commission decided to meet Monday to continue discussions as to the specific city in which the world peace agency will be located.
The selection becomes final with the stamp of approval of the General Assembly, and Belgian and French delegates, who with British delegates led the fight for a European site, said the choice would not be challenged again.
The United States won out on a roll call vote of 30-14, with six nations, including the United States, abstaining. A two-thirds majority was needed. Previously the delegates voted down a motion favoring a European site by a tally of 25-23.
Canada, which cast its ballot for Europe, moved successfully to make the vote for the United States unanimous. The motion was seconded by British Minister of State Philip J. Noel Baker, who had fought throughout for a European site.
Baker said, “His Majesty’s government will do everything in their power to make the organization a great success.”
Roll call vote
Addressing the delegates, Adlai Stevenson, American representative, asked them not to harbor any feeling over the vote. He told them, “The United States is in for keeps this time.”
Voting for the United States on the roll call were Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Byelorussia, Chile, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, the Soviet Union, Turkey, the Ukrainian Republic, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia.
Voting against the United States were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Union of South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Abstaining were Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Syria and the United States.
2½-hour battle
The vote was preceded by a knock-down-and-drag-out battle during which the delegates for two and a half hours debated procedure. The delegates fought so hard that Ukrainian Delegate D. Z. Manuilsky rose to say “this is making a painful impression,” and Netherlands Delegate A. A. Pelt told his colleagues they lacked dignity.
The only surprise in the voting was when Egypt, which had been expected to vote for Europe, said no.
Emerging from the tense session delegates said they had not expected a decision so quickly. An American delegate said he expected the roll of a score or more cities seeking to become the United Nations home would be narrowed down considerably by the committee over the week end.
Secret ballot opposed
Stevenson, speaking for Edward R. Stettinius, American representative to the United Nations Organization, told the delegates: “Much has been said about the effect on American public opinion of having the organization outside the United States. But we must keep alive the vital interest of peoples everywhere.”
Britain and France sought a secret ballot, but Stevenson voted against it. He said it was not to protect American interests that he voted against the motion, but because he was against secrecy in principle.
“Secrecy is a bad policy for the United Nations,” Stevenson said. “Our decisions should be reached frankly and freely.”
The secrecy motion, which needed only a simple majority, failed by a vote of 26-24.