Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, General: Economic and Political Matters, Volume I, Part 2

Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower papers, Whitman file

Memorandum of Discussion at the 210th Meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday, August 12, 1954¹

top secret
eyes only

August 12, 1954

Present at this meeting were The President of the United States, presiding; the Vice President of the United States; the Secretary of State; the Secretary of Defense; the Director, Foreign Operations Administration; and the Director, Office of Defense Mobilization. Also present were the Acting Secretary of the Treasury; the Secretary of Commerce (for Item 1); the Director, Bureau of the Budget; the Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (for Item 4); the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force (for Items 5 and 6); General Twining for the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, Vice Admiral Gardner for the Chief of Naval Operations, and General Pate for the Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps (for Items 5 and 6); Robert R. Bowie, Department of State (for Items 1, 2 and 3); Marshall Smith, Department of Commerce (for Item 1); Walter S. Delany, Foreign Operations Administration (for Item 1); the Director of Central Intelligence; the Assistant to the President; Robert Cutler, Special Assistant to the President; the Executive Secretary, NSC; and the Coordinator, NSC Planning Board Assistants.

There follows a summary of the discussion at the meeting and the main points taken.

[Here follows discussion of economic defense policy and United States export controls.]

2. Study of Anti-Trust Laws (NSC Action No. 766–c²)

Mr. Cutler reported that the Attorney General had appointed a committee of 100 legal experts to restudy the anti-trust laws, with particular attention to provisions relating to operations by Americans wholly outside the United States. This committee was expected to conclude its work this week, and the Attorney General would be prepared, pursuant to NSC Action No. 766–c, to submit his recommendations on the subject in time for consideration by the Council at its meeting on September 30.

The National Security Council:

Noted a report by Mr. Cutler that the Attorney General, pursuant to NSC Action No. 766–c, would be prepared, before September 30, 1954, to submit his recommendations, based on a restudy of the anti-trust laws, with particular attention to existing provisions relating to operations by Americans wholly outside the United States.³

Note: The above action subsequently transmitted to the Attorney General.

[Here follow a briefing by the Director of Central Intelligence on significant world developments affecting United States security and discussion of the question of cooperation with other nations in the peaceful uses of atomic energy, of the redeployment of United States forces in Trieste, United States policy in the Far East, and the status of National Security Council projects.]

1. Prepared on Aug. 13 by the Coordinator of the NSC Planning Board Assistants, Marion W. Boggs.
2. Regarding NSC Action No. 766, see the memorandum of discussion at the 140th meeting of the National Security Council, Apr. 22, 1953, p. 1351.
3. This action was designated NSC Action No. 1200. (S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) files, lot 66 D 95, “Records of Action”)