Meeting of the American Presidents in Panama, July 21–22, 1956; and the Inter-American Committee of Presidential Representatives


110. Memorandum of a Conversation, The White House, Washington, April 24, 1956

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Administration Series, Organization of American States. Confidential. Drafted and initialed by Holland on May 25. Attached to a memorandum of May 29 from Howe, this memorandum was sent to Goodpaster for approval. The source text bears Goodpaster’s handwritten notation of May 31 stating he telephoned his approval to Howe and asked that distribution be restricted.


111. Circular Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 362/5–256. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Sent to all diplomatic missions in the American Republics except Panama; repeated to Panama. Drafted by Dreier and Neal and approved in draft by Holland, whom Dulles appointed as coordinator of the Panama meeting. (Memorandum from Dulles, May 8; Ibid., 362/5–856)


113. Circular Telegram From the Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 511.00/5–1656. Confidential. Drafted by G. Richard Monsen, Foreign Affairs Officer, USIA, and approved by Hilton.


114. Circular Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 362/6–156. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted and approved by Holland.


117. Memorandum by Harold M. Randall, United States Representative to the Inter-American Economic and Social Council

Source: Department of State, OAS Files: Lot 60 D 665, President’s Committee to September 1956. Secret. This memorandum is Randall’s revision of Holland’s July 8 memorandum incorporating suggestions of ARA officers. It was sent to Holland under cover of a memorandum from Randall dated July 17 and approved by Holland on July 19. In his memorandum of July 17, Randall wrote in part as follows: “Presuming that the President will propose the formation of this Committee, the Department should undertake promptly preparation of a detailed plan of procedure and a position to guide the U.S. Representative on the Committee. “A preliminary outline for subsequent clearance with other Departments should be ready for you on your return from the present trip.” Holland’s handwritten notation under these last two sentences reads, “Fine.”


118. Circular Telegram From the Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/7–1856. Secret. Drafted by Memminger and approved by Holland.


120. Diary Entry by the President

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries.


121. Circular Telegram From the Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/8–756. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Randall and approved by Rubottom. Dulles sent the draft of this telegram to the President for approval under cover of a memorandum of August 6, in which he wrote in part as follows: “The Department proposes to send the enclosed draft note to our Latin American Embassies for immediate presentation to the respective Governments. This will serve as the first step in implementation of the proposal made by you in Panama and will clarify the nature and the scope of the Committee whose formation you suggested. As no public expression of clarification can be made prior to informing the Governments, I feel it urgent that this note, if you agree, be sent as soon as possible.” Eisenhower approved and initialed this telegram on August 6. (Ibid., 362/8–656)


122. Circular Telegram From the Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/8–1256. Confidential. Drafted by Rubottom and signed for the Secretary by Holland.


123. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, August 17, 1956, 10 a.m.

Source: Department of State, OAS Files: Lot 60 D 665, President’s Committee to September 1956. Confidential. Drafted by Conrads and initialed by Holland.


124. Circular Telegram From the Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/9–656. Confidential. Drafted by Dreier and approved by Holland. Dreier was named by Holland as coordinator of the preparations for the Inter-American Committee of Presidential Representatives.


125. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between Milton Eisenhower and the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom), September 6, 1956

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/9–656. Confidential. Drafted by Rubottom. Dr. Eisenhower was at the State College, University Park, Pennsylvania.


126. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Holland) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/9–756. Confidential. Drafted by Monsma, Krieg, Dreier, and Philip J. Farley, Deputy to the Special Assistant to the Secretary for Atomic Energy Matters, and initialed by Holland.


127. Memorandum From the Secretary of State to the President

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DullesHerter Series. Confidential. Drafted by Dreier and sent through Holland to Dulles.


129. Memorandum of Telephone Conversations, Washington, January 15, 1957

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/1–557. Official Use Only. No drafter is indicated on the source text.


130. Circular Telegram From the Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/1–1657. Official Use Only. Drafted and approved by Dreier.


131. Circular Telegram From the Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/1–1857. Official Use Only. Sent to all Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics except Buenos Aires; repeated to Buenos Aires. Drafted and approved by Dreier.


132. Circular Instruction From the Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/2–1157. Official Use Only. Drafted by Earl H. Luboeansky, Office of Inter-American Regional Political Affairs, and Dreier, and approved by Dreier.


133. Circular Instruction From the Acting Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/4–1557. Confidential. Drafted by Luboeansky and approved by Krieg.


134. Report From the Inter-American Committee of Presidential Representatives to the Chiefs of State of the American Republics

Source: Department of State, OAS Files: Lot 60 D 665, Report to the Chiefs of State of the American Republics. The third and final meeting of the Inter-American Committee of Presidential Representatives began on April 29 in Washington. The Committee considered and endorsed the 27 recommendations submitted by the Interim Committee and drafted the final report. On May 8, it announced the completion of its work and signed the letters which transmitted to the heads of state the report on the Committee’s recommendations for strengthening the Organization of American States. The minutes and documentation on this final meeting are Ibid., CPR Memos 145–223, President’s Committee (to review activities of OAS) October 1956, and CPR Summary Minutes, 2d Meeting Jan. 28–29, 1957.

The report consisted of the text of the letter addressed to each of the Presidents of the American Republics transmitting the reports, an introduction explaining the origin and purpose of the committee, a summary of the 27 recommendations, brief sections on specific programs and suggested actions with respect to them, and a budgetary summary. Only the summary of the recommendations is printed here. The complete text of the report was not published until May 25, 1957.

The recommendations are printed in Annals of the Organization of American States, vol. IX, 1957, pp. 167–178. A general summary of the recommendations is in Department of State Bulletin, June 24, 1957, pp. 1015–1016. The statement made by President Eisenhower in response to this report on May 26 is printed in Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1957 (Washington, 1958), pp. 415–416.