55. Editorial Note
President Eisenhower opened the 275th meeting of the National Security Council on February 9 with the following introductory remarks on the ballistic missiles program:
“Upon joining the National Security Council at the table, the President said that the members of the Council might be interested in the advice which Bernard Baruch was lavishing on the President with respect to the problem of our ballistic missiles program. The burden of Mr. Baruch’s argument, said the President, could be summarized in three parts: (a) If the Soviet Union succeeds in achieving long-range ballistic missiles before the United States, we will at once lose all our friends and allies, (b) The U.S. can achieve a long-range ballistic missile in a year’s time if we drive hard enough toward that objective, (c) The only effective way to drive at this objective is to appoint a czar over the missiles program who will represent the President directly. The President concluded with the comment that it was surprising what large numbers of people shared these views of Mr. Baruch.” (Memorandum of discussion by Gleason; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)
Bernard M. Baruch was a civic leader and investment banker who had served as chairman of the War Industries Board during World War I, a government consultant during World War II, and United States Representative on the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission in 1946.