Office of the Historian

69. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Director of Central Intelligence (Dulles), Washington, June 29, 1956, 3:28 p.m.1

Washington, June 29, 1956, 3:28 p.m.

TELEPHONE CALL FROM ALLEN DULLES

Secretary returned the call. AWD said he is sending messages off on the matter discussed yesterday.2 He did not know if the Sec. would have the chance to get a letter off to A, [?] and was adjusting the cable accordingly. The Sec. said he will probably. On the food matter, AWD thinks it is pretty important to set it up so it does not look like propaganda. He wondered about the possibility of us making an inquiry. Sec. read his draft cable.3 AWD thinks that is the way to do it. He read Elbrick’s memorandum4 and said he was not sure he agrees with it. AWD said we do not have intelligence that there was much of a food shortage. It was in the slogan. Sec. said he could suggest wheat or other food stuffs in the cable. AWD said he would rather do it tomorrow than wait. He asked if we had the legal right. Sec. thinks so if it is an emergency. We have to check to see if the International Red [Page 185] Cross is willing.5 They agreed they would not like the American Red Cross.

  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Phyllis D. Bernau.↩
  2. The reference is unclear. They briefly discussed the Poznań riots; see Document 66.↩
  3. The reference is unclear. It apparently refers to a draft of telegram 2237 to Geneva, June 30, enclosing the letter from Hoover to Starr, June 30, and confirming to the League of Red Cross Societies the American offer of food to Poland. (Department of State, Central Files, 848.49/6–3056)↩
  4. Not found in Department of State files.↩
  5. According to a memorandum of telephone conversation between Dulles and Smith of the American Red Cross, June 29, 4:05 p.m., Dulles made such an inquiry. (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations)↩