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    "localId": "148372012",
    "label": "Memorandum from Thomas C. Mann to Charles Sawyer, with Attachment",
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    "id": "148372012",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Memorandum from Thomas C. Mann to Charles Sawyer, with Attachment",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/148372012",
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    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 11,
            "logicalDate": "1952-12-11",
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            "year": 1952
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    "seq": 20,
    "pageIndex": 0,
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    "ocrText": "SECREN INN\n-19-\nto them in detail the reasons for our important decisions and actiona310/\nand it also means that we should take particular care not to subordinate\nthe OAS to a point where it loses dignity and importance as an old, proven\nand separate international body as well as a regional support of the\n11\nUnited Nations.\nWe must, in sum, recognize that we have peculiar regional\nties and obligations.\nb. More\n10/\nThroughout our historys until recently, we concentrated a large part\nof our attention on this hemisphere as the consequence of our non\nparticipation in European politics. They became accustomed to\npreferential treatment and consider that wa have a special relation\nship to them as an American state, and as a part of the new world,\nand because of our membership in the inter=American system. They\nbelieve that if the concept of hemisphere solidarity embraces the\nUnited States, and if we reap the benefits of it in Latin American\nsupport of our policies in the UN and elsewhere, they have a right\nto be consulted separately and in advance of any important change\nin our policy, particularly if the change directly affects themo\nThey also expect that in return for their support of the policies of\nthe United States on substantive issues we should support their\ncandidates for UN offices whose election they consider necessary\nfor adequate representation of the area.\n11\nOne of the consequences of the sudden shifting of our attention from\nthe hemisphere to Europe and Asia and the creation of the world\norganization is a tendency, more and more pronounced, to refer all\nimportant questions to the UN. Furthermorg, there is a tendency on\nthe part of a few Latin American states, notably Mexico, to resist\nimportant activity by the OAS for fear of derrogation of national\nsovereignty and a disposition to prefer the UN as a forum because our\ninfluence in the larger body is less predominant than in the regional\norganization. While it is desirable and inevitable that the world\norganization should occupy our principal attention, it is necessary\nthat adequate regard be also paid to the OAS if we expect it to conmo\ntimue to function as the principal instrument for creating a new world\nsolidarity in support of our policies in the UN and elsewhere. And\nparticularly we should be conscious of the fact that the Latin\nAmericans have on occasions shown a tendency to vote as a \"colonial\"\nbloc with the Arab league and other underdeveloped areas, and to\nexploit their voting strength which virtually gives them the balance\nof power between the east and the west. We should therefore con-\ntinue to semd able representatives to the OAS (and encourage other\nAmerican states to do likewise) as well as support efforts to have the\nCouncil and its various dependencies address themselves to important\nproblems, particularly those of a hemisphere charactero\nDECLASSIFIED\nB. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or ma\nINFORMATION\nDept. of State letter,\nHy NLT. HC"
}