396.1 GE/5–2754: Telegram

The United States Delegation to the Department of State

secret
priority

Dulte 123. Eyes only Secretary. Reference Tedul 127.1 I would like to reserve final recommendation till Monday or Tuesday of next week. Believe it very likely that following ten days will be the critical period. As your own departure caused some comment here, and as Molotov, Eden and Bidault apparently intend to stay on through next ten days or so, my own view and that of Phleger, to whom I have talked privately, is that I should also remain. I don’t imply that Murphy and others could not do quite as good or even a better job.

The probability is that general interpretation, no matter what was said, would be that we had written off the conference and were pulling out by degrees, or even that we were sabotaging at critical moment.

If you were leaving the US, it would, of course, be different. On the other hand, I do not think you should cancel out this very important trip. If you feel you cannot maintain adequate direction by phone, et cetera, and that I should be there, possibly I could come home for period of your trip with understanding that I was returning in few days, leaving Robertson to carry on. Trouble is that Phleger, whose judgment is very valuable, will be leaving at same time. I have reasonable excuse for short trip home as I was scheduled to receive honorary degree at New York University June 9.

Smith
  1. Dated May 26, p. 935.