Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VIII, Public Diplomacy, 1969–1972

51. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Eliot) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹

Washington, November 25, 1969

SUBJECT

• Comments on Letter of November 18 to the President from Hubert H. Humphrey, as Chairman of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Regarding Funding for FY 1971²

In response to Mr. Cole’s request of November 20,³ the Department’s comments follow. In October of 1961 President Kennedy, in response to a joint resolution of the Congress, appointed the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Commission to consider and to make plans for a national memorial to the 28th President.⁴ In 1966, following hearings, the commission filed its report recommending establishment of a Center for Scholars in downtown Washington.⁵ The Secretary of State, appearing in a personal capacity, had testified before the Commission in 1966 in support of such a center to be a place for scholars from all parts of the world.⁶ The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars was established by Act of Congress approved October 24, 1968.⁷

The Act specified that the Secretary of State would be a statutory member of the Center’s Board of Trustees. Pursuant to that appointment the Secretary has been represented at the Assistant Secretary level at Board meetings and kept informed of Board actions.

Through the Board and Executive Committee meetings so far held, and extensive staff work, progress has been made in delineating functions of the Center and planning an opening in the Fall of 1970 in temporary space offered to the Center in the original Smithsonian Institution building.⁸ This progress can continue only as funds can be made available.

The Department believes the consideration of funding for FY 1971 needs to take careful account of the opportunity this project, already well begun, provides to contribute to our foreign relations, to wit:

1. A national memorial to Woodrow Wilson can appropriately serve the interests of international scholars. Wilson’s memory is most closely identified with international peace and scholarship.

2. International scholarly efforts, encouraged through such a center, can contribute to new cooperative approaches to human problems common to more than one continent—among them, the basic issues raised by illiteracy, hunger, overpopulation, urban problems, et al.—as well as in fields of lesser urgency but nonetheless affording the basis for significant scholarly cooperation and communication.

In view of the plans so far made and already given wide circulation, and the Executive endorsement given last April to this memorial,⁹ it is strongly recommended that funding to continue the progress now under way be provided.

Theodore L. Eliot, Jr.¹⁰

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 409, Subject Files, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Vol. III [Nov 69–Jan 70]. No classification marking. Kissinger sent a copy of the memorandum to Cole under a December 3 memorandum, indicating that he supported the “recommendation that the funds for this memorial project be restored.” (Ibid.) The Wilson Center hosted its first group of scholars in October 1970. For additional information, see Paul Hodge, “Wilson Center to Open Monday,” Washington Post, October 18, 1970, p. A18.
2. See Document 48.
3. Not found and not further identified.
4. Reference is to P.L. 87–364, which Kennedy signed into law on October 4, 1961. For the text of his statement made at the signing ceremony, see Public Papers: Kennedy, 1961, pp. 638–639.
5. The Report of the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Commission to the President and the Congress, October 27, 1966, is printed as House Document 123, 89th Cong., 2d sess.
6. Rusk testified before the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Commission on March 10, 1966. On March 11, Washington Post reporter Wolf Von Eckardt wrote: “Rusk said such a center where foreign and American scholars could live, meet, exchange ideas and find research assistance, ‘would not be dark in the evening’ and would help ‘the organization of a reliable peace.’” (“Living Memorial to Wilson: Rusk Favors Study Center,” p. B2)
7. See footnote 2, Document 48.
8. Reference is to the Smithsonian Institution building known as the “Castle,” designed by architect James Renwick Jr. and completed in 1855.
9. See footnote 3, Document 48.
10. Curran signed for Eliot above Eliot’s typed signature.