Editorial Note
On May 17, 1954, Assistant Secretary Holland forwarded a memorandum to Secretary Dulles recommending that the Secretary request “Congressional authorization enabling the President to put into effect [Page 1111] any or all of the measures specified in Article 8 [of the Rio Treaty] which are approved by the Organ of Consultation and with respect to which he may not now have authorization.” A handwritten notation on this memorandum, evidently by the Secretary, reads as follows: “Approve of drafting the bill—Then decide”. (362/5–1154)
On June 8, however, in another memorandum to the Secretary, Assistant Secretary Holland stated the following: “Even though such authorization apparently is no longer necessitated by the Guatemala problem, it seems highly desirable that legislation under which the U.S. could act promptly to comply with OAS action under the Rio Treaty be obtained, in order that there will be no doubt of our ability to carry out decisions important to the maintenance of peace and security of the Hemisphere under the regional security system.” He recommended that the Secretary approve submission to the National Security Council of a draft Congressional joint resolution containing an authorization similar to that in the earlier draft bill, for review prior to its presentation in Congress. (362/5–1154)
In a memorandum responding to the Assistant Secretary, dated June 11, Secretary Dulles stated that he did “not feel that a case can be made out for the necessity of Article 2 authorizing the United States” to employ its armed forces pursuant to Article 3 of the Rio Treaty, he doubted whether NSC action was required, and believed the question of timing was important, especially if the proposed joint resolution was presented in Congress before the OAS meeting. “If so,” Dulles commented, “may it not be construed as taking for granted the results of this meeting? If we wait until the meeting is over, the time for Congressional action is pretty short. This is a certain dilemma we face.” (362/5–1154) Assistant Secretary Holland pursued the question of Congressional authorization for action under the Rio Treaty through June and July, but Department of State files contain no record indicating that the Secretary ever approved submission of a bill or joint resolution requesting such authorization.