69. Editorial Note
On April 24, at 2:40 p.m., President Eisenhower, then vacationing in Augusta, Georgia, telephoned Secretary Dulles in Washington. The transcript of the telephone conversation reads as follows:
“The Pres returned the call.
“The Sec said we just had a message … from Hussein of Jordan. He has a program which is a good tough program and if it works it will be wonderful for us. The Sec read it and said he is planning to send a message back at once and get in contact with Israel and warn them … if any overt Soviet intervention we would consider it fell under the ME Res…. The Pres agreed with the above action—and said ‘I think this is right.’ The Sec said Radford suggested sending vessels to Beirut. The Pres suggested getting the Pres of Lebanon to ask for this. The Sec said he may decide to let it leak that they talked. If so, he will call Hagerty. The Pres said he would just put on the bulletin board: ‘The President and the Secretary of State conferred at some length today about the Jordan situation. They are watching the situation with the greatest care.’ The Pres said for the Sec to do whatever he wants.” (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations)