475. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) and Acting Secretary of State Ball1
Bundy called regarding the proposed message to the Prime Minister on Southern Rhodesia. (It was ascertained during the course of the conversation that the draft Bundy was discussing was not the final version, but one which had been sent over previous to the draft which was in the Secretary’s office.)
[Page 816]Ball questioned putting the President in the position of telling Wilson how to handle Smith. As a matter of policy, Ball felt we should say to the British, “You take the lead and we will follow to the extent we can; but we are not going to try to tell you how to do it.” Then the British can’t turn on us if there is a blowup. Ball said he has not discussed this question with Wilson, but the general problem. The British are playing a game of trying to push us out in front. Ball said he has had trouble keeping the Department in line on this. Bundy replied this was not a big issue; the White House was more in line, however, with the Bureau’s thinking than with Ball’s. Ball felt a letter from the President would not be in order and Bundy replied that he was not recommending this; he had, instead, recommended against it. Bundy’s main worry is that we have not made our views known to Smith. Ball replied the reason we have not is because the British didn’t want us to spoil the waters with Smith until after they worked on him. Bundy still felt we have not made a strong case with Smith and the British, at certain levels, agree. For Smith to go to London with the idea the Americans don’t give a damn about UDI is a mistake, Bundy felt. We have not stated it as strongly as we may want to.
Ball felt it came down to the basic question whether the President wants to weigh in with this fellow before he talks to the PM. Bundy said he was talking about the USG weighing in, rather than the President; it is agreed the USG has not done so. Bundy suggested the message from the President be changed to say we will do this promptly if you wish us to. Bundy said he was not talking about a Presidential message to Smith in either case. The differences are not substantive. Bundy said he was only sorry he did not know Ball’s feelings before-hand. Ball explained the draft had not come to the 7th floor until this morning and he had redrafted it; that Bundy did not have the latest draft. Bundy said this was the result of the time factor.
Bundy said he would send it along with the change and Ball raised no objection.
- Source: Johnson Library, Ball Papers, Britain III, 11/24/64–12/31/65. No classification marking.↩