SPA Files
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Special Political Affairs (Hiss) to the Under Secretary of State (Acheson)
Developments With Respect to Soviet Disarmament Proposal in the General Assembly
I told Mr. Ross today, following up conversations I have had with you recently on this subject, that in view of the Secretary’s approval of your memorandum of November 7, copies of which are in Mr. Baruch’s and Senator Austin’s hands, it appeared that our Delegation in New York now have available material on which to prepare Senator Connally’s statements in Committee 1.
I made clear to Mr. Ross that the Secretary’s approval of your memorandum was subject to the proviso that the Secretary did not think it profitable to consider at this time the terms of any possible resolution.
Mr. Ross said that Senator Austin plans in the near future to talk to the Secretary about your memorandum. Mr. Ross says that he is confident that the Senator is in full agreement on the major points of the importance of safeguards, the primary significance of control of atomic energy, and the impossibility of unilateral disarmament. Mr. Ross is also confident that the Senator is aware of the dangers of getting into a consideration of the technical details of regulation of armaments. However, it is likely that the Senator may have somewhat different views as to how to accomplish the general objectives of your memorandum and wishes to discuss the question of tactics directly with the Secretary.
The foregoing is simply for your information and, so far as I can see, calls for no action on your part at this time.