CFM files, lot M–88, box 253, miscellaneous memoranda
Memorandum by Lincoln Gordon, Economic Adviser to the Special Assistant to the President, to W. Averell Harriman, Special Assistant to the President
Subject: Initiation of “Operation Wise Men”
In view of the very short time available for the comprehensive review of NATO military programs in relation to political-economic capabilities agreed on in the Council on Wednesday, it would appear desirable for the temporary Council committee (“the Wise Men”) to be organized and its plan of action laid out at the earliest possible moment. If the nomination of members and the organization meeting fail to take place within the next few days, there may well be a loss of as much as two weeks, with an even more serious loss of the momentum and sense of urgency generated by the present Council session.
The alternatives appear to be a preliminary meeting in Washington at the beginning of next week (perhaps Monday, September 24) or a meeting in Europe during the first week of October. If the latter course is chosen, a great deal of informal planning would doubtless be done on the assumption that the U.S. member would be elected [Page 280] Chairman, but this would clearly be a source of some embarrassment which should be avoided if possible.
It is therefore suggested that you mention this problem to the Council Chairman and see if he would be prepared to state the problem at tomorrow morning’s Council meeting. He might suggest that, if governments could designate their representatives promptly, or at least representatives who might serve for the purpose of an organization meeting, and considering that many of the persons concerned are now in North America, the U.S. would be glad to serve as host for an organization meeting to be held in Washington at the beginning of next week. If this were done, the persons most actively involved in the work of the NATO Joint Working Group might also wish to be at the new Committee’s disposal to help bring them up to date on the work already done and to join with the Executive Bureau, when it is constituted, in planning the general course of action, especially the various tasks sketched in paragraph (4) of the approved Council resolution.
If there is considerable resistance to this proposal, it should not be so vigorously pressed as to create resentment, but a short statement on your part, stressing the urgency of getting on with the job, would be in order. If favorably received, this step might considerably expedite the work to be done.