Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 1

Mutual Security Affairs files, lot 57 D 567

Memorandum by the Director of Mutual Security (Stassen)¹ to Richard Johnson and Norman Paul²

confidential

[Washington,] February 14, 1953.

I have in mind that it may prove to be desirable in many ways that the Mutual Security Program in the Asiatic area in its future contemplative operations be wrapped up together as a program for Asiatic Development, Investment, Trade, and Security.

I emphasize the preliminary nature of the thought, but at the same time I have a rather strong inclination that something of this type should be done.

I would appreciate it if both of you would proceed under Mr. Johnson’s chairmanship, to draw upon such working staff assistants within the present Mutual Security Program that may be required to prepare a preliminary memorandum for me on this subject.

I have in mind these tentative questions.

1. Which nations might be included in such a program?

2. Would a payments union approach be feasible and be constructive between them?

3. Would an economic cooperation committee with representatives of each of them be feasible?

4. Would a pool of technical and scientific experts for the entire area not attached to individual countries, be feasible?

5. Would it give rise to an improved approach to the Japanese Asiatic trade program and thus strengthen Japanese currency relationships?

6. Could it give rise gradually to a cooperative approach to water resources development in the area?

7. Could the land use problem be approached on a basis minimizing the type of clash of US versus local represented by the Philippine news?

8. Could it be organized without Formosa so as to avoid the China issue of the divergent views of the individual Asiatic nations on this subject?

9. What would be its most logical relationship to the Colombo Plan?

10. What is the total amount approximately involved in the tentative program of the $7.6 budget for the countries you conclude might be within such a program?

11. What are the different departments and agencies of the US Government whose joint cooperation would be important in the success of the program?

These are intended as only exploratory questions and not to be exclusive.

I also emphasize that I do not seek a comprehensive, complete, polished report; rather a working paper in memorandum form at this stage of the consideration.³

H[arold] E. S[tassen]

1. Harold E. Stassen became Director on Jan. 20.
2. Both of the Mutual Security Agency. Johnson was Assistant Director for Resources and Requirements. Paul was Officer in Charge of Asian, African and Latin American Program Affairs. The memorandum is filed as an enclosure to a covering memorandum of Feb. 15 from Johnson to Edwin Martin, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for Mutual Security Affairs.

3. In a memorandum to Johnson of Feb. 19, Martin wrote that the Department of State would be happy to cooperate in supplying information to Stassen and went on to suggest various sources within the Department:

   “I suggest strongly that only after this material has been discussed with Mr. Stassen and he has indicated a desire to pursue the matter further should any further work be done. The general concept involved has of course been examined from many angles several times in the past few years, always with the conclusion that the time and situation were not ripe for any major new step on a regional basis.” (Lot 57 D 567)