136. Editorial Note
At a meeting of the National Security Council on March 3, in NSC Action No. 1346, the Council took note of a Progress Report by the Operations Coordinating Board on NSC 146/2, “United States Objectives and Courses of Action With Respect to Formosa and the Chinese National Government”, dated November 6, 1953. (Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, volume XIV, Part 1, page 307) (Department of State, S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95) The Progress Report, dated February 18, covered the period June 22–December 31, 1954; a copy is ibid., S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351, NSC 146 Series. Gleason’s memorandum of the NSC discussion records the following comments:
“In the course of his briefing of the Council on the contents of this Progress Report, Mr. Cutler pointed out that Formosa was experiencing economic difficulties owing to its inability to export rice. Part of this difficulty stemmed from the fact that U.S. rice exports [Page 319] had lately been competing with Formosan exports. The President commented that he had never imagined that the United States would get itself involved in the export of rice. Admiral Radford observed that our exports of rice were getting us into difficulties in other parts of Asia, notably in Burma.” (Memorandum of discussion, March 4; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)
Reference is to United States rice exports under Public Law 480.