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Letter Accepting Resignation of Bernard M. Baruch as U.S. Representative on the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission

January 4th, 1947

Dear Mr. Baruch:

The Secretary of State has handed me your letter of resignation as the Representative of the United States on the Atomic Energy Commission.

At first I was reluctant to accept the resignation. However, upon reflection, I have to agree with the correctness of the conclusions stated in your letter. The recent action of the General Assembly of the United Nations placed the responsibility for the consideration of disarmament proposals primarily upon the Security Council, where Senator Austin will represent the United States. I am impressed by the fact that, with one exception, the governments represented on the Security Council have the same representatives on the Atomic Energy Commission.

I know how tremendously interested you have been in the accomplishment of the task assigned you, and when you tell me that you believe your task is completed and that the work should now be taken over by Senator Austin, I accept your decision.

I wish to congratulate you most heartily on having secured the acceptance by the Commission of the United States proposal. It is inevitable that members of the Commission representing many governments should have differences of opinion as to the best approach to a solution of this problem. That our proposal should finally be accepted by a vote of ten to nothing, with two states abstaining, is a tribute to the fairness of our proposal. At the same time, it is convincing evidence of your skill and patience in presenting the proposal.

I wish you would extend to those who have been associated with you in this most important service my sincere appreciation of their efforts. Your own efforts in this matter only furnish additional evidence of your unselfish devotion to your country.
Very sincerely yours,
HARRY S. TRUMAN

NOTE: Mr. Baruch served as U.S. Representative on the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission from April 6, 1946, to January 4, 1947. His letter of resignation, released with the President's reply, was accompanied by "The First Report of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission," dated December 31, 1946 (Government Printing Office, 101 pp.).