790.5/8–752: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Department of State
priority
Actel 3. Please deliver following message to President from Secretary.
“Dear Mr. President:
“I am happy to report that this conference has been a most successful one. We have been able to carry out our program just as it was worked out in Washington and at the same time leave the Australians and New Zealanders happy and contented with the three days of meetings. The only real problem which existed was the Australian desire to get themselves into the machinery of NATO and into that of our own Joint Chiefs of Staff. There was a lesser problem springing from the desire of both the other countries and Great Britain to have the latter added to our council as an observer. You were clear in my last talk with you that neither of these desires could be gratified.
“It seemed to me that both the countries suffered from the knowledge that they had little knowledge of what was going on and of our attitude toward and appraisal of current situations. They felt remote, uninformed and worried by the unknown.
“So Admiral Radford—who has been the greatest possible help to us and has contributed in an outstanding way to the success of this conference—and I decided that instead of starving the Australians and New Zealanders we would give them indigestion. For two days we went over every situation in the world, political and military, with the utmost frankness and fullness. At the end they were happy as clams with political liaison through the Council and military liaison through Admiral Radford.
“We have also had time for swimming in the pool at Kaneohe and in the ocean at the officers club which they believe here made a great hit with you. Alice1 has gotten some good sketches and innumerable leis.
“I hope to see you next Monday and report fully.2 The papers tell me that you look rested and in top form. Your word for it, they say, is chipper. That is good news.
“Respectfully, Dean.”