Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, National Security Affairs; Foreign Economic Policy, Volume I

600.0012/10–2451

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Howard Meyers of the Office of United Nations Political and Security Affairs

top secret

[Washington,] October 24, 1951.

Subject: Disarmament Proposals on the Basis of NSC 112

Participants: Defense—Mr. F. C. Nash
UNA—Mr. J. D. Hickerson
S/A—Mr. P. C. Jessup
S/P—Mr. J. A. Ferguson
S/AE—Mr. J. Chase
EUR—Mr. W. P. Allen
UNP—Mr. B. G. Bechhoefer
Mr. H. Meyers

Mr. Hickerson explained that the President yesterday had decided that our program for regulation of armaments should leave out any reference to any specific percentage and numeral limitations in paragraph 4 c,¹ but should retain the general concepts therein expressed without specific figures.

Drafting changes were agreed upon by those present.

Mr. Hickerson said that, regarding the tri-partite approach, he would give the United Kingdom Embassy this afternoon a copy of the paper as now revised, saying that this was a finally agreed United States paper. He would explain that the United States was not prepared to mention specific percentages in paragraph 4 c or elsewhere, this having been decided by the President. He would state that the United States was prepared to announce the program itself; that we would like the United Kingdom and France to join with us; that we realized there was no time for changes to be made in the basic paper, and were exceedingly sorry that the pressure of time has created this situation. Since the General Assembly would meet so shortly,² the United States was reluctant to invite the French to join in sponsoring the program unless the United Kingdom would wish to join. If the United Kingdom did not wish to take part in presenting this program, then the United States would not ask France to join in such presentation without United Kingdom participation.

Mr. Hickerson suggested that, if the United Kingdom would join with us in sponsoring the program, we should immediately telegraph the text of this paper to Ambassador Bruce in Paris and ask him to take up the matter with Mm. Schuman,³ Parodi and Derose. If the United Kingdom bought the program, Howard Meyers should fly to Paris immediately and go with Ambassador Bruce to see the French. If both the United Kingdom and the French wished to join in this program, then we should start drafting the tri-partite statement in Paris, based on the present paper.

Mr. Jessup suggested that the British and the French could be told that joining in sponsoring this program did not mean a commitment to the program, and that there would be no limitation on them in future amplification of the program. Thus, the British and French could join with the United States in saying that this was a program the details of which obviously should be left to the new unified commission which should be created as a result of the recommendations of the Committee of Twelve. The United Kingdom and France could say that the program seemed to be a good idea, without saying that they supported it in all details.

Mr. Allen expressed his support for Ambassador Jessup’s idea and added that he thought that there was too little time left to follow in all details the approach suggested above by Mr. Hickerson. He thought that we should give copies of this paper almost simultaneously to the British and French, and say to the French that we had just given our paper to the British. This would be a truthful statement, since the present paper was a considerable change from the one which the British had last seen and worked on informally with us. We could say to the French that we would like both France and the United Kingdom to join with us in sponsoring these proposals; that if we cannot do this, the United States will go ahead itself.

Mr. Hickerson thought that this was a good alternative.

Mr. Ferguson added that the British would be unable to give an answer⁴ to this paper tomorrow, as October 25 was the day of their general election. Consequently, he supported Mr. Allen’s suggestion.

It was agreed that a determined effort should be made to obtain formal clearance from Mr. Acheson and Mr. Lovett by this afternoon. The texts would then be handed to the United Kingdom Embassy and telegraphed to Ambassador Bruce in Paris. Howard Meyers would leave tomorrow by plane for Paris to be present and aid Ambassador Bruce when the program was discussed with the French.

1. See the “Outline of Program” contained in telegram 2418 to Paris, October 24, p. 559.
2. The Sixth Session of the United Nations General Assembly opened in Paris on November 6.
3. Robert Schuman, French Minister of Foreign Affairs.
4. The British general election of October 25, 1951, was won by the Conservative Party. As a result, Winston S. Churchill succeeded Clement R. Attlee as Prime Minister, and Anthony Eden replaced Herbert S. Morrison as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.