567. Letter 28 from Johnson to McConaughy1
I was remiss in not letting you know that I had left Geneva and returned to Prague last week, my plans for a trip to Paris Easter having fallen through [text not declassified].
[text not declassified]
I was very disappointed to hear about Holdridge and today sent a telegram which summarizes my views. Obviously the man in Stanley’s job is fully occupied only on meeting days and I am concerned that something can be worked out that will usefully occupy the person in that job the rest of the time. As I said in my telegram, I still think that Stanley’s assignment to Geneva for consular training is a logical and efficient answer from every point of view. The pace of the meetings is of course not my choice and obviously my staff here is not [Facsimile Page 2] heavily pressed. However, when I need people, I need them and it seems to me the issues are important enough to meet my very modest requirements. Dave has assisted Stanley in keeping notes and they provide a very [Typeset Page 904] useful cross-check with each other. However, if Dave were to have full responsibility for the notes he would have to concentrate entirely on this and would be unable to offer me any advice or assistance. Even during the recent meetings I have found his advice very useful, he feeding me ideas that occur to him, providing some one with whom I can crosscheck my impressions of often very fine nuances, and searching through folders for materials that I may unexpectedly need. Wang has two men doing nothing but feeding him ideas and materials (his interpreter keeps their notes). It seems to me that I would be placed at a considerable disadvantage unless I am able to continue something comparable. All of this has, of course, not been of vital importance during recent meetings as issues have been very cut and dried. However, no one can predict when things might become more complicated and active and I cannot honestly feel I can do my best without something comparable to my present setup. Incidentally, as I mentioned in my telegram, although Ekvall is a splendid interpreter it is still very useful to have someone in the room with Stanley’s knowledge of Chinese and by comparing impressions and discussing the matter he and Ekvall are often able to clarify subtle and obscure points often made by Wang and which come out only very imperfectly from his interpreter. Also, incidentally, it is entirely out of the question for Ekvall to keep full notes of the meeting.
In this regard, Ekvall’s time will be up in June and we may well be having to persuade Defense for a new extension. I hope that you can pave the way on this so that there will not be too much trouble, as he is, of course, absolutely essential.
Also, Miss King’s time will be up May 27. I will be very happy to have her stay and she is entirely willing to do so, although she naturally hopes to and should have her home leave before too much more time has passed. If she cannot be extended I would, of course, very much hope that some way could be worked out to send Helenka back here. This would be ideal from the standpoint of both Dave and myself. Incidentally, Dave is making very good use of his time studying Russian at his own expense. I have told him to write to the Department and see whether something could not be worked out that would pay for his lessons and give him credit for the work.
[Facsimile Page 3]Spring is as slow in coming here as the Chinese Communists are in thawing with regard to the release of Americans. It is still very cold here in Geneva and we were having a really heavy snowstorm in Prague as I was leaving.
All the best to everyone.
Sincerely yours,
American Ambassador
- Source: Department of State, Geneva Talks Files, Lot 72D415. Confidential; Official–Informal. Johnson signed the original “Alex.”↩