229. Editorial Note
At a meeting of the National Security Council on May 17, Allen Dulles commented on developments in Indonesia as follows:
“The Director of Central Intelligence commented that the situation in Indonesia was moving close to the point of no return, although it had not quite reached this point. The position of the dissident leaders was becoming increasingly rigid. The Sumatrans were intensely angry, particularly over the decree published by Sukarno putting into effect the system of ‘guided democracy’ and over the arrest of the Sumatran officials in Java. Former Vice President Hatta and Natsir, the leader of the Masjumi Party, were both now in Sumatra, and the reports have it that other prominent officials will soon join them there. The new Prime Minister was in Macassar trying to pull the situation together in that area. Meanwhile, the Central Government was maintaining its previous stiff position, and the Cabinet proposed to refuse to submit to any vote of confidence in the Indonesian Parliament. Finally, Voroshilov’s tour had not been a complete success. There had been many demonstrations against him.
“The President inquired whether Sukarno’s complete self-confidence in the face of the revolt implied that he had a promise of outside help from some source. Mr. Dulles replied that it was hard to [Page 381] see how and where Sukarno could secure the requisite help quickly. …” (Memorandum of discussion by Gleason, May 17; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)