Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Africa, Volume XVIII

140. Memorandum of a Conversation, U.S. Embassy, Monrovia, March 8, 1957¹

Monrovia, March 8, 1957

SUBJECT

• Visit of Vice President Richard M. Nixon

PARTICIPANTS

• Liberian:
  • His Excellency William V. S. Tubman, President of Liberia
  • His Excellency Momolu Dukuly, Secretary of State of Liberia
  • His Excellency George A. Padmore, Liberian Ambassador to the United States
• American:
  • Vice President of the United States Richard M. Nixon
  • Richard Lee Jones, United States Ambassador to Liberia
  • Joseph Palmer 2nd, Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs

After Ambassador Jones’ dinner at the Embassy, the above mentioned officials adjourned for a private discussion of matters of mutual concern to Liberia and the United States.

The Vice President asked if there were any matters which President Tubman particularly wished to draw to his attention. President Tubman replied that there were two main matters which he had on his mind:

1. Military Assistance.

President Tubman spoke about Liberia’s vulnerability to external attack, tracing the history of British and French detachment of Liberian territory which he ascribed to the fact that Liberia has in the past been incapable of defending itself and unable to depend on other powers, particularly the United States, to protect it. He also cited, in this connection, the German submarine attack on Monrovia during World War I and the fact that it took allied vessels eight days to reach Liberian waters after the incident took place. He said that the United States and Liberia are now joined in a defense effort, since the United States retains the right to utilize Roberts Field and the Port of Monrovia in the event of war. This cooperation, he maintained, increases Liberia’s vulnerability. What Liberia basically needs is the capability to hold off any enemy attack until assistance can come from the United States. He hoped that the United States could help Liberia in developing this capability. He then went on to speak about difficulties which Liberia has encountered in connection with reimbursable military assistance, mentioning that last year Liberia was granted over $200,000 in reimbursable aid. Although only about one-half of this equipment has been delivered, Liberia was asked a few months ago to pay for the entire amount. It did so, but is still awaiting the remaining deliveries. Vice President Nixon said that we would look into this matter as soon as possible with a view toward expediting delivery.

2. Roads.

President Tubman said that Liberia needs many things: public buildings, advice on public administration, et cetera. Many foreign interests are seeking to extend help to Liberia. For example, both Italian and German interests have expressed willingness to advance money for roads and housing construction and British interests have offered to do the same with respect to ore carrying vessels which would eventually become Liberian-owned if the Liberian Government can work out a suitable arrangement for the employment of these vessels by the Liberian Mining Company. The President said that he was reluctant to do business with these foreign interests and desired instead to look primarily to the United States. He indicated that Liberia does not desire grant assistance but is capable of proceeding on a loan basis. He went on to emphasize that Liberia’s greatest need is for roads and that these are of higher priority than the other items mentioned. The United States has been helpful in this regard, the Exim Bank having extended two loans—one for $5 million and the other for $15 million.² He understood that the Exim Bank felt that this was all that Liberia’s credit status would permit it to extend at the present time, but maintained that the Exim Bank’s analysis of the Liberian financial position had been predicated on annual revenues of about $9 million a year whereas those revenues are now approximately $18 million a year. The present road program would still leave a substantial gap in what is needed to open up the country and Liberia therefore strongly hopes that an additional $10 million can be authorized to complete the road program—particularly the link from Bomi Hills to Kolahun. Mr. Palmer said that we agree with the high priority which Liberia ascribes to its road program. He thought that we should get on with the present program and see how that went and then, perhaps, we could consider whether further assistance might be required and possible. Ambassador Jones pointed out that the Raymond Concrete Pile Company would have extensive equipment and personnel here in connection with the $15 million road program which should permit it to tender a lower bid for any additional work. The Vice President confirmed United States sympathy for the Liberian road program and said that we would watch the situation carefully.³

The Vice President then turned to the future of West Africa. He spoke of his appraisal of recent events in Ghana and the great possibilities which they hold for encouraging political and economic evolution in this area in a peaceful and democratic way. At the same time, he expressed concern at the potential for Communist subversion which will exist in the period immediately ahead while Ghana is formulating its domestic and foreign policies. He said that he felt that Liberia as the oldest independent state in West Africa and Ghana as the newest have important and unique responsibilities in this area. The independence of Ghana has focused world attention on West Africa and the success which both Ghana and Liberia have in orderly development will have a profound effect on the future of the dependent areas of Africa South of the Sahara, on the so-called colonial powers and on the world in general. He said that he thought that Liberia, and President Tubman in particular, had much experience and wisdom which could be used to good effect in Ghana. He asked President Tubman what his estimate was of Nkrumah and the Ghana Government.

President Tubman recalled various exchanges which he had had with Nkrumah in the past. He said that in the earlier days of Nkrumah’s struggle for independence he had attempted to persuade Nkrumah to take a more moderate line in his relations with the British. He said that he had pointed out at that time that Ghana had profited greatly from its association with Britain and had told Nkrumah that he thought he would do well to think in terms of continuing that tie through membership in the British Commonwealth. He said that Nkrumah had taken this advice in the spirit in which it had been offered and he felt that he had considerable influence with him. He went on to say that Nkrumah has, of course, something of a Marxist background. He agreed with the Vice President’s statement of the dangers of Communism in West Africa and said that he had urged Nkrumah not to permit the Communists to gain a foothold in that area. He said that Liberia would soon be opening an Embassy at Accra and that he would send a strong Ambassador there who could help in developing the sort of relations between Ghana and Liberia of which the Vice President had spoken.

The Vice President then spoke of the importance of the West Africans working out their own policies in accordance with their own requirements as independent states and not just following the Arab-Asian bloc or other interests which do not necessarily coincide with their own. He suggested that perhaps an African bloc which viewed African interests on their merits would be salutory. President Tubman signified his agreement with these thoughts.

The Vice President suggested that there was much that President Tubman could do himself. He thought that if, at an appropriate time, President Tubman could indicate to Nkrumah his desire to visit Accra, it might provide an opportunity for an exchange of views on these important subjects and that perhaps President Tubman could be influential in encouraging Nkrumah to undertake policies which would be in the interest of the Free World. He said that he did not think that he could expect Ghana to adopt the same attitudes in its foreign policy as the United States, but the important thing is that Ghana should be alive to the dangers of Communism and the importance of maintaining its independence. President Tubman said that he agreed and that he would try to find a way of paying an early visit to Accra. He mentioned, in this connection, that he was disturbed by Nkrumah’s decision to retain the portfolios both of Foreign Affairs and of the Interior, which smacked to him of a dictatorship.⁴

The Vice President then asked President Tubman how he foresaw the evolution of dependent peoples of West Africa and whether he had any advice for the United States. President Tubman said that there could be no doubt that the dependent people had a right to their own independence. However, he thought that they should be conscious of the advantages which their ties with Britain and France gave them in terms of developing their economies. He said that they had an enormous advantage over Liberia in this respect, since Liberia virtually had to start from scratch and, although there had been some United States assistance in recent years, has had to do everything for itself. With respect to United States attitudes, he had nothing specific to suggest except that we might find it in our interest to extend some economic assistance at Ghana in due course.

There followed a short discussion on the role of private enterprise in developing Liberia, during the course of which President Tubman indicated his awareness of the importance of this factor in the evolution of the country. He mentioned that he was concerned at the number of irresponsible investors who are anxious to obtain a foothold in Liberia and said that he was particularly suspicious of the Germans in this respect. He said he could not forget that during the Hitler regime, Britain and France had suggested that the Germans might find satisfaction of their colonial ambitions in Liberia. He said that he was thinking of introducing new legislation which would require potential investors in Liberia to put up a deposit which would be forfeited in the event that no agreement were reached with respect to concessionary arrangements. He thought that this would serve as a deterrent to irresponsible investors.

Note: On March 9, President Tubman informed Vice President Nixon that he had had a reply from Nkrumah in response to the personal message which he had sent him through Vice President Tolbert upon the occasion of Ghana’s independence.⁵ In his reply, Nkrumah had indicated that he was appreciative of President Tubman’s message, that he intended to follow the President’s leadership on matters of policy, including that towards Communism, and that he had felt great revulsion at the events in Hungary and did not want the same thing to happen to Ghana.

1. Source: Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, NSC 5614, 5614/1). Secret. No drafting information is given on the source text. Attached as Tab C to Document 19.
2. The first loan was approved on January 11, 1951; the second on January 20, 1955.
3. Documents on this subject are in Department of State, Central File 876.2612.
4. Krobo Edusei became Ghanaian Minister of the Interior.
5. In one of the messages to Nkrumah, Tubman implored him to take all measures necessary to prevent the introduction into West Africa of any harmful ideology. (Telegram 183 from Monrovia, February 28; Department of State, Central Files, 645K.61/2–2857)