Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Regulation of Armaments; Atomic Energy, Volume XX

190. Memorandum From the Acting Secretary of State to the President¹

Washington, May 1, 1957.

SUBJECT

• Senatorial Support for Ratification of the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency

It is our judgment that the International Atomic Energy Agency Treaty is bogged down badly. Hearings before the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate are tentatively scheduled to start on May 10.² It is reported that there is a general lack of enthusiasm in the Senate. Lewis Strauss and I have talked to Senators Hickenlooper and Knowland who appear to be not very sympathetic. Apparently, a number of Senators have been persuaded by a former employee of the Atomic Energy Commission that there are substantial objections to the Treaty. The Department of State and Atomic Energy Commission believe there are solid answers to the objections which have been raised and they are being supplied to all members of the Senate.³

However, as things now stand, the Treaty seems to have a poor chance of obtaining the necessary two-thirds vote—in the absence of a strong intervention on your part.

In view of the urgency of this matter and the shortness of time before the Hearings start, it is recommended that you call in Senators Knowland, Hickenlooper and Bridges to impress upon them the vital significance of prompt ratification in the International Agency and to urge them to take up the cudgels for this Treaty. I believe they would respond.

Senator Bricker has expressed the idea that if the Treaty is to be ratified, certain reservations should be attached. He has not advised us of the nature of these reservations. You may want to include Senator Bricker in this meeting.

Against the possibility that these Senators may want to raise specific objections, it is suggested that Lewis Strauss and I participate in such meeting. Ambassador J. J. Wadsworth, who was the U.S. Representative at the conference in New York last fall which adopted this Treaty, would also be available.

Christian A. Herter

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series.
2. The hearings began on May 10 and continued throughout the month.
3. Hickenlooper submitted 48 questions to Herter regarding the IAEA statute on April 29. Herter responded to Hickenlooper with detailed answers to the questions on May 3. (Department of State, Atomic Energy Files: Lot 57 D 688, IAEA—General)