396.1 LO/5–1050: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, at London1
Tosec 164. For Sec from Webb. Rep Vorys2 is pressing in House Senate Conference on Foreign Aid Bill for provision which wld state that “encouragement of political federation” in Eur is objective of US policy. We have opposed inclusion on ground that under provisions of Act participating countries must adhere to purposes and policies of Act in bilateral agreements and that it wld not be feasible for most of them at this time formally to accept political federation as their policy especially where it appeared to be under compulsion from us. After considerable argument Vorys proposal was defeated yesterday. However Vorys using Schuman proposal on steel and coal3 as argument that French prepared to accept such policy and has reopened question today. Believe tel to me on this point wld be most helpful in resolving this issue in Conference since several members wished have ur views before final action.4 Expect Conference to conclude on Fri.
- Secretary of State Acheson was in London participating in preliminary talks prior to the opening of the Foreign Ministers Meetings on May 13. For documentation on the preliminary talks and on the Foreign Ministers Meetings, May 13–19, see pp. 828 ff.↩
- John M. Vorys, Representative from Ohio.↩
- For documentation, see pp. 691 ff.↩
- Secretary of State Acheson, in telegram Secto 219 from London, May 11, not printed, answered in part as follows: “In discussion with the members of Congress most concerned with this problem, you may wish to emphasize my view that US influence is strong in West Europe today because we have so clearly demonstrated our belief in a joint approach to common problems of recovery. I believe we would seriously weaken that influence if we were to attach political conditions to our assistance and strongly urge that the conference committee oppose the inclusion of a provision encouraging political federation in Europe.” (396.1 LO/5–1150)↩