700.5611/6–1451
Memorandum for the Record by the Special Assistant to the Secretary of State (Arneson)
Subject: Letter from Secretary of State to the Secretary of Defense, dated June 14, 1951, re Atomic Activities in Canada1
The Secretary told me this afternoon that when he saw Secretary Marshall at lunch the latter had not yet seen the letter. The Secretary, however, had talked with Mr. Lovett about it. Mr. Lovett said he would discuss the matter promptly with Secretary Marshall and that he, Lovett, would keep the problem closely in his own hands making certain that no Lieutenant Colonels in the Air Forces came back at the Department with impossible requests to put to the Canadians. The Secretary said that the reason he had fussed a little about agreeing to Mr. Pearson’s minute on procedures was that he had not yet been able to get Marshall’s own personal views. He felt that he was able, however, to agree with the procedures outlined by Pearson because he was confident that the matter had been taken care of satisfactorily, certainly that Lovett was agreeable and he was confident that Secretary Marshall would be. In the event that any change is required in the procedures we will of course go ahead and have them changed.