COMPOSITION OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL
 
PRESENT PROPOSAL
 
        The Dumbarton Oaks Proposals provide that the 
Security Council should be composed of eleven members, 
of which the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet 
Union,China and, in due course, France, would have 
permanent seats. Six other states would be elected by 
the General Assembly for two-year terms, which states 
would not be immedtately eligible for reelection.
 
CHANGED STATUS OF FRANCE
 
        The condition attached to French tenure of a 
permanent seat has been met by virtue of recognition of 
the French Provisional Government, of that Government's 
having become a full member of the European Advisory 
Commission, and of its having signed the United Nations 
Declaration. The other permanent members should, 
accordingly, reach prompt agreement that hereafter they 
will treat France as one of the powers sponsoring the 
Dumbarton Oaks Proposals if France so desires.
 
POSSIBILITY OF OTHER GOVERN-
MENTS PROPOSING CHANGES
 
        It is not believed that the Soviet Union will raise 
questions about the present Proposals for the composition 
of the Security Council.
 
        It is considered more likely that Great Britain may 
advance recommended changes in the present Proposals 
which would recognize the right of the medium-sized powers 
to something akin to semi-permanent seats, based on their 
greater ability to assist in the maintenance of inter-
national peace and security through military action. It 
is believed that any such proposal should be resisted.