Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower papers, Whitman file
Memorandum of Discussion at the 153d Meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday, July 9, 19531
eyes only
The following were present at the 153rd meeting of the Council: The President of the United States, Presiding; the Vice President of the United States; the Secretary of State; the Secretary of Defense; the Deputy Director for Mutual Security; the Director, Office of Defense Mobilization. Also present were the Secretary of the Treasury; the Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (for Item 1); General Collins for the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Director of Central Intelligence; Robert Cutler, Special Assistant to [Page 1463] the President; C. D. Jackson, Special Assistant to the President; Colonel Paul T. Carroll, Acting White House Staff Secretary; Ralph Clark, Central Intelligence Agency (for Item 1); Commander Perry Johnson, USN, Central Intelligence Agency (for Item 1); J. J. Hitchcock, Central Intelligence Agency (for Items 1 and 2); the Acting Executive Secretary, NSC: and Hugh D. Farley, NSC Special Staff Member.
There follows a summary of the discussion at the meeting and the main points taken.
[Here follow agenda items 1–8: “Electro-Magnetic Communications,” “Significant World Developments Affecting U.S. Security,” “The Situation in Korea,” “United States Objectives and Policies with Respect to the Near East,” “Security of Strategically Important Industrial Operations in Foreign Countries,” “Possibilities of Reducing U.S. Civilian Population in Sensitive Areas Abroad,” “Continental Defense,” and “Volunteer Freedom Corps.”]
9. Foreign Reactions to Administration Policies
The President then informed the Council that he was much disturbed and concerned that so many of our allies seemed frightened of what they imagine the United States Government is up to. It is a sad fact, said the President, that every returning traveller whom he talked to stated that the people of Europe were vastly confused about the objectives and programs of the Republican Administration. The name of McCarthy was on everyone’s lips and he was constantly compared to Adolf Hitler. How, asked the President, could we combat the notion that the Republican Party was isolationist and irresponsible? He hoped that Mr. C. D. Jackson would give the most careful thought to ways and means by which we could restore the waning faith in our good will among our friends.
Secretary Dulles expressed hearty agreement with the view expressed by the President, and said that many European leaders seemed to believe that we were moving into an American fascism, under McCarthy as a leader.
The President inquired as to whether any use could be made of the covert radio to attack and ridicule McCarthy.
Thereafter the discussion centered on the problem of Senator McCarthy from a domestic rather than a national security point of view.
The National Security Council:
Noted the President’s concern about current reports regarding uneasiness in friendly foreign countries as to the objectives and purposes of the Administration.
[Here follows agenda item 10, a one-sentence notation of the status of NSC projects as of July 6, 1953.]
- Drafted on July 10 by the Acting Executive Secretary of the NSC S. Everett Gleason.↩