895–01/2–2847
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Hilldring) and the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Vincent) to the Secretary of State
Assistant Secretary of War Petersen, Mr. Weldon Jones of the Budget, General Hodge, General Hilldring, and Mr. Vincent met with Ambassador Grew this morning to discuss the preliminary report of the Special State-War Committee on Korea. There is attached memorandum signed by the three principal members of the Special Committee35 which contains a brief summary of its conclusions and recommendations. There is also attached the preliminary report.36
Ambassador Grew expressed himself as being in full accord with the argument and conclusions of the Committee. He was, of course, aware of the difficulties of getting the Congress to appropriate the amount desired ($250,000,000 the first year, $200,000,000 the second year, and $150,000,000 the third year). All others present also approved [Page 619] the report with the possible exception of Mr. Petersen, who raised general questions with regard to the practicability of the program but did not disapprove it.
We (General Hilldring and Mr. Vincent) approve the recommendation that you approach the Soviet Government prior to the close of the Moscow Conference, but we continue to be of the opinion that it would be good tactics to allow the Soviet Government ample opportunity to take the initiative in discussing Korea and to come forward with concrete suggestions for administrative unification; and we believe that there is better than a 50–50 chance that they will at least initiate discussions.
With regard to the idea of coordinating the timing of an approach to the Russians with Presidential submission to Congress of proposed special legislation for a grant to Korea, we can see the advantages of such action but are not as impressed as the Committee seems to be with its vital importance. We say this because of our feeling that, whereas Congress is going to require a lot of convincing in order for us to get the grant we want, they will not require additional evidence that “all possible efforts” have been made “to achieve a Korean settlement”.
We recommend a meeting with you on this subject before your departure. Secretary Patterson and Mr. Petersen desire to attend the meeting.