26. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State1
Dulte 10. Eyes only Hoover from Secretary. For President.
“Dear Mr. President:
“First, I thank you for your birthday greeting which was on my breakfast tray. I am very grateful that your thoughts have come to me from so far away despite your many heavy preoccupations.
“Yesterday conference proceeded normally except for a hassle which the French staged primarily I think to remind us that France was present. It was quickly suppressed by unanimous disapproval by others of French attempt rewrite one of agreed working papers with reference to terms of reference of military advisers.
“The economic matter has been postponed until today, and will probably raise some complications particularly as Asian members are seeking to make their participation in the pact a basis for preferential economic aid without regard to welfare of area as a whole. Stassen is here and working helpfully on that aspect of problem.
“We expect conclude tonight in what I believe will be an atmosphere of general satisfaction, although Filipinos somewhat disappointed that Bangkok, rather than Manila, was chosen as permanent site of Council representatives and secretariat. However, their disappointment is relieved by fact that we hope hold some of meetings of military advisers at Manila.”
[Here follows discussion of the Taiwan Straits; for text, see volume II, page 311.]
“Faithfully yours, FOSTER.”
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–BA/2–2555. Top Secret; Priority.↩