Lot 65 D 238: Secretary’s Meetings with the President
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
Mr. Dulles accompanied me today on my visit to the President and talked with the President for about twenty minutes on his mission to London and Paris. The President was much interested in Mr. Dulles’s report, followed it closely, and spoke warmly of the importance of the mission.
[Page 1051]Three points in particular were mentioned in our discussion with the President.
The first was that our instructions were not to enter into final commitments on behalf of the United States. Both Mr. Dulles and I assured the President that we had no intention of doing this. However, it was pointed out that—and the President agreed—as these conversations went on, it inevitably became more difficult for the United States to change its position: We went over the various matters which would come under consideration. I assured the President that they were all matters on which there was complete concurrence within the Government and in his instructions. I assured the President that Mr. Dulles would keep me fully informed of his talks and that I, in turn, would keep the President fully informed.
The second point related to our present thinking in regard to any signature on the treaty on behalf of China. It was our recommendation that neither the Nationalist Government nor the Communist Government should be included as a signatory of the treaty. This was a problem primarily for the Japanese and the inclusion of either Government at this point would raise very grave problems as to whether any treaty could be brought to the point of signature. The President thought that this was the wisest course to pursue.
Third. Mr. Dulles asked the President to think over the question of a delegation to undertake the final drafting and signature of the treaty, since this decision might have to be made before very long. The President will give this matter consideration, and we will discuss it with him again.