307. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State1
Dulte 32. Eyes only Hoover from Secretary. Following is for transmission to President in whole or in part at your discretion. If you or Sherman feel it is too strong meat act accordingly.
“Dear Mr. President:
I had a busy Sunday. This morning we went to the American church where the service was conducted by the same young minister whom we enjoyed last July. The rest of the day was not so agreeable, including a one hour conference with Molotov about Egyptian arms matter and then an hour and a half with Sharett on the same subject. In my talk with Molotov I referred to your exchange of correspondence with Bulganin2 and Bulganin’s statement that you “need have no concern” on account of the Egyptian arms shipment. I pointed out that in fact this shipment was making war more likely in the Near East and also creating a wave of anti-Communist sentiment in the US and that on both counts I thought not only we should have concern but that they should have concern. Molotov was entirely noncommittal. I feel he was impressed by my presentation and it may have some good consequences although we shall probably never know for sure.
I told Sharett in substance that nothing that had yet happened leads us to feel that we had to abandon our present basic policies of friendship for both Jews and Arabs and avoidance of armaments race and aggression by either side. Sharett is not happy but the stakes are too big for us to be guided by domestic political considerations. We do not want to lose Arab good will unless the Arabs themselves in conspiracy with the Soviets force this result upon us.
I am not without hope that the situation will work out.
As far as the conference is concerned we shall know this week whether the Soviets are serious or not. Yesterday I taxed Molotov very hard on the fact that he was holding back his full proposals on European security and on German reunification.3 I said this was not according to the directive. We had put our cards on the table with respect to both matters. He promised to put forward his further proposal [Page 651] at least on European security and I think we shall know where we are toward the end of the week.
I have decided to go to Madrid next Tuesday which is a holiday and our conference will not be in session. The Spanish Govt has for a long time asked me to come and since I am going to Belgrade next Sunday I thought it would be useful to go to Madrid also as somewhat of an offset.
I am delighted to hear the good news of your increasingly rapid recovery of strength. Foster Dulles”
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/10–3055. Secret; Priority. Received in Washington at 6:35 p.m. and transmitted to the Denver White House on October 31.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 304.↩
- See Document 305.↩