330.13/4–1552
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Hickerson) to the Secretary of State
confidential
[Washington,] April 17, 1952.
- Subject:
- Disarmament: Memorandum of April 15, 1952 from Mr. Cohen1
I have the following comments on the five points mentioned in the attached memorandum from Mr. Cohen to you:
- Point 1. I agree with Mr. Cohen that it would be helpful if the President should indicate to the Secretary of Defense and probably also to General Bradley his continued interest in the development of a constructive and comprehensive program of disarmament. I believe that such an indication would be more effective if it were on an informal and confidential basis. For example, it might be desirable for the President to bring the matter up informally at a meeting of the National Security Council. It should be stressed that operating relationships between the Department of State and the Department of Defense on this subject are on a cordial and cooperative basis. We need to ensure that the officers of the Department of Defense adopt a more positive attitude despite the fact that they are participating in an activity which, in general, is unpopular in Defense.
- Points 2, 3 and 4. Mr. Cohen has been informed of the steps that have been taken and that we plan to take on these matters, and which generally parallel his recommendations.
- Point 5. We have explored these ideas both in the Department and with other Agencies but nothing has yet materialized.
- See the annex below.↩
- See the minutes of the meeting between the Secretary of State and the Panel of Consultants on disarmament, Apr. 28, p. 896.↩
- Reference is to the proposals advanced by Bernard M. Baruch, the U.S. representative, at the first meeting of the UN Atomic Energy Commission, June 14, 1946, as subsequently adopted by the UN General Assembly. For documentation on U.S. proposals during 1946 regarding the international control of atomic energy, see Foreign Relations, 1946, vol. i, pp. 712 ff.↩