Office of the Historian

218. Memorandum of Conference With the President, The White House, Washington, February 6, 1957, 3 p.m.1

Washington, February 6, 1957, 3 p.m.

OTHERS PRESENT

  • The Honorable Franz Etzel
  • The Honorable Louis Armand
  • The Honorable Francesco Giordani
  • Mr. Max Kohnstamm
  • Ambassador Butterworth
  • Mr. Gerard Smith, State
  • Admiral Strauss
  • Dr. Hauge
  • General Goodpaster
  • Interpreters

Mr. Etzel opened with a statement setting forth the importance of Euratom to Europe, to the United States and to the free world. He brought out the need for United States support of the undertaking and his hope that such support would be forthcoming, indicating that advantages would accrue in return to the United States.

The President said he was struck by Mr. Etzel’s statement that this is a two-way street. He felt that it was more than that. Benefits will be felt in every direction. He thought Euratom was a great hope for the whole free world. He recalled that he has strongly supported a united Europe as a third great force in the world. He had urged Jean Monnet on, as he now urges this group on in the same direction. He said that they may be sure of our cooperation, commenting that he hopes he will live long enough to see a United States of Europe come into existence. He has thought the European nations must learn the biblical precept that to save their lives they must lose them. He felt if they did not join together deterioration and ultimate disaster were inevitable. He had no hesitancy in declaring that this project would be to the benefit of the United States, of the Atlantic community, and of all the world. He then asked Admiral Strauss how long the group would be in Washington and what their further program would be. Admiral Strauss said they would leave Washington on Friday to visit our atomic installations. The President said he had been much interested in a chart showing that before many years have elapsed, the additions to energy output in Europe would come from atomic sources. He asked what the costs of energy production in Europe are expected to be. Mr. Armand said that in the United States it costs from 4–7 mills to produce a kilowatt of electricity. In Europe the cost is 10–12 mills. He said that atomic power is economically competitive at that cost.

The President asked Admiral Strauss if we had in sight all of the raw material needed to support the program the group was proposing. Admiral Strauss said that this is a considerable problem, because the needs they have stated are very large. Even on their present trip, however, we can provide assurance at this time for a very great deal of what they need. He said that raw materials are rising in volume very rapidly, and in response to a question by the President said that we are guaranteeing the price for producers until 1963 at the present [Page 518] time. The President commented that we may want to go beyond that time, in order to bring in all possible explorers.

The President concluded the meeting by telling the group they may count on his support.

A.J. Goodpaster
Brigadier General, USA
  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, DDE Diaries, Meetings with the President. Drafted by Goodpaster. In a memorandum of January 31, Dulles briefed Eisenhower on the visit of the EURATOM “Wise Men” and recommended that the President meet with them. (Department of State, Central Files, 840.1901/1–3157)↩