740.00/11–2451: Telegram
The Consul at Strasbourg ( Andrews) to the Acting Secretary of State 1
61. Ref Contel 532 to Dept 20th. Benton and Keating told me this morning they hoped mtg between CE and Congressional dels would be yearly occurrence and that next year venue should be Washington (on floor assembly Humphrey stated his wish that present conf establish precedent); while former said passage enabling legislation should meet with little difficulty in Senate, latter said it might have harder going in House as evidenced by 74 opposition votes to participation mtg just ended. In Benton’s opinion Congress would want to send del composed new members but he would support appointment four or five those who attended this mtg for sake of experience and continuity of ideas.
It is believed that majority Amer del view conf as success in that (1) it gave our del much needed insight into Eur Parliamentarians’ ways of thinking, (2) it established valuable personal contacts and (3) it afforded US Congressmen unique opportunity to voice attitude Amer electorate through them individually and to express general disappointment in US over lack of progress thus far made not only by CE in unification Eur but also by West Eur in its failure to realize imminence of Sov threat and to utilize Amer aid to best advantage.
Quite apart from these general Congressional ideas re value of mtg, dels were unanimous in both public debates and private conversations in deprecating slowness of CE to take positive action for Eur unity and over-emphasis of CE dels on West Eur difficulties rather than opportunities. In fact unanimity manifested by US del in this and all other fields was in marked contrast to dissension among Eur dels which was present in debates and speeches. This contrast can be explained by obvious difference between a united US and a disunited West Eur, by the prior determination of US dels to present a united front expounded by individuals speaking for themselves and for their constituents, and by hasty but nonetheless effective briefing on the part of Emb and Dept advisers attached to del. Very little cleavage between Democrats and Republicans could be noted in their public presentation of ideas and in [Page 70] vast majority cases US interjectors supported US speakers. On other hand divergencies among Eur nationalities and polit parties came to fore.
It would be futile now to attempt predict whether forthright and critical attitude US del will spur CE to action or will result in contrary discouragement and further split in CE.
Also this morning Benton and Keating expressed sentiment which I believe to be shared by majority other dels that it might be profitable for a senior Dept official to canvass Congressional dels individually after their return to Washington and get their impressions concerning Strasbourg mtg. Riddleberger concurs with me that this is good suggestion.3