811.0145/9–1745
Memorandum by the Acting Secretary of the Interior (Fortas) to the Acting Secretary of State
I am sending you a revised draft of the Executive order respecting resources of the continental shelf. You will note that I have added [Page 1528] a new sentence at the end of the draft.74 I hope that this sentence will serve to persuade some of the Senators that the proclamation is not designed to prejudice the claims of the States to submerged lands within or outside of the three-mile limit.75
I am also sending you the original and two copies of the revised proclamation relating to “coastal fisheries”.
I assume that you will arrange a conference with the President, and I shall await word from you.
- Executive Order 9633, 10 Federal Register 12305. The sentence reads: “Neither this Order nor the aforesaid proclamation shall be deemed to affect the determination by legislation or judicial decree of any issues between the United States and the several states, relating to the ownership or control of the subsoil and sea bed of the continental shelf within or outside of the three-mile limit.”↩
- In a letter dated September 18 to Senator Connally, the Acting Secretary of State wrote: “The matter about which you spoke with me has been explicitly cared for in the last sentence of the proposed executive order relating to the continental shelf.” (811.0125/9–1845) Mr. Acheson had met with Senator Connally on September 14.↩