376. Memorandum on the Substance of Discussions at a Department of State-Joint Chiefs of Staff Meeting, Pentagon, Washington, February 10, 1956, 11:30 a.m.1
[Here follow a list of 22 persons present, including General Maxwell D. Taylor, Army Chief of Staff; Radford; Burke; Cabell; Murphy; and Robertson, and discussion of unrelated subjects.]
Turning to the Philippines, Admiral Radford reported that he had never before seen President Magsaysay so calm and self-confident. Magsaysay had told him that now for the first time he felt himself on top of the political situation in the Philippines. The President had said that on his election to the Presidency of the Philippines he had found he had not really been admitted to the political party he was leading. However, after the recent elections he is now in full control of his party. Magsaysay had raised the question of slowing down somewhat on our military aid program and using the money for “digging wells” and similar projects. Admiral Radford remarked that such projects could not be undertaken with military aid funds.
[Page 630]In a comment on the current base negotiations, Admiral Radford declared that the basic agreements should be arrived at here in Washington, away from the glare of publicity in the Philippines and involvement in local politics. Once basic understandings were reached, the agreement could be signed in Manila. General Taylor remarked that the Army wants to have the right to put troops in the Philippines, but that that does not mean it wants to put them there now. He commented that President Eisenhower does not want to put troops into the Philippines now, no matter what our legal rights may be.
[Here follows discussion of unrelated subjects.]
- Source: Department of State, State–JCS Meetings: Lot 61 D 417. Top Secret. No drafting information is given on the source text. A note on the title page reads: “State Draft. Not cleared by any of the participants.”↩