S/S Files: Lot 65D238: Conversations with the President1
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
Memorandum of Conversation With the President
item no. 5—un general assembly
The President asked me to consider whether either in my opening speech or in a possible speech which he might make to the General [Page 94] Assembly later in October, it would not be wise for us to renew our offers made in connection with the atomic bombs and disarmament. He did not suggest going beyond present policy but merely making clear again that we are prepared at all times to discuss and work out something on these matters.
I told the President that various opinions had been made which went considerably beyond present policy, and indicated why I thought these were unwise at the present time. He agreed that anything along the lines of the suggestions made in the first draft outline speech for me would be most disastrous.2 However, he regards this matter as most important, and I told him that it would be given the greatest thought.
I also told the President that my speech in the General Assembly3 would be cleared with him and would reach him in ample time so that he could give it careful thought.
- Lot 65D238, memoranda of the Secretary of State’s conversations 1949–1952, maintained by the Executive Secretariat.↩
- The draft under reference has not been identified.↩
- For the text of Secretary Acheson’s address at the 279th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly, September 20, 1950 (during the general debate phase of proceedings), see United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifth Session, Plenary Meetings, pp. 23–27 (hereafter cited as GA(V), Plenary), or Department of State Bulletin, October 2, 1950, pp. 523–529. During his address, Secretary Acheson presented a program for strengthening international security, consideration of which ultimately resulted in approval by the General Assembly of the “Uniting for Peace” Resolution. For documentation on that subject, see vol. ii, pp. 303 ff.↩