740.5/2–2652

The Secretary of State to the President 1
secret

Dear Mr. President: Our last meeting—one with Eden and Schuman—has just ended and I send you this brief report. Details will follow.2 [Page 176] Recalling my midnight note of 2 days ago, I can report that we have something pretty close to a grand slam. Only 2 questions remained after yesterday afternoon. The first was to get German agreement on their financial contribution to defense. Work here nearly all last night and in Bonn all this morning has secured that agreement. The other question was to get tripartite agreement on a proposal to the Germans on control of armament production which would not undo what has been accomplished in Germany and which has a chance of acceptance. We got that this afternoon.

That finishes the docket, I hope and believe successfully.

John and I, the last of the Four Musketeers, leave tonight and will report to you when you can see us.

Most respectfully,

Dean Acheson
  1. The source text was transmitted to Washington in telegram Actel 16, Feb. 26, 9 p.m., from Lisbon, which was received in the Department of State on Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
  2. For other accounts of the AchesonEdenSchuman meeting on the afternoon of Feb. 26, see pp. 167174.