Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume III, Microfiche Supplement, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament

241. Memorandum of Meeting with the President¹

Washington, February 17, 1960, 3 p.m.

PRESENT

• General Goodpaster

1. I presented to the President the draft Record of Actions of the Special Meeting of Friday, 12 February. The President approved it with minor amendments to paragraphs 3 and 7. I had called the President’s attention to paragraph 3 pointing out to him that the difference between the 75% and 90% assurance of deliverability made a tremendous difference in numbers of weapons required and in force levels required. I therefore wanted him to be fully conscious of what he was doing when he approved the 75% figure. I reminded him that he had withheld final approval of a portion of a Defense recommendation with respect to the atomic stockpile pending the outcome of the study. General Goodpaster explained in more detail the background.

I pointed out that the Hickey presentation indicated that for the 75% capability our forces and stockpile were now adequate, whereas for the 90% capability they were not adequate, and my purpose was to make sure that at some point attention was directed to leveling off in stockpile requirements.

2. I then reported to the President that Deputy Secretary Douglas, after having studied the matter, had informed me that retired officers were exactly like officers on active duty as far as disciplinary action was concerned. I said that as an example if it could be demonstrated that General Maxwell Taylor had committed some offense he would be just like any officer on active duty. I said that I realized that the President would probably not think of moving against General Taylor which would serve to make him a martyr. The President recalled that in earlier administrations action had been taken against military officers simply for being critical of the administration. He referred particularly to General Johnson Hagood. However, he wished to register the information which I had relayed from Deputy Secretary Douglas.

3. I then discussed with the President arrangements for, and the content of, the two meetings to take place on February 18.

4. I then discussed certain 5412 matters with the President which are the subject of a separate memorandum.

Gordon Gray
Special Assistant to the President

1. Source: Nuclear stockpile levels, possibility of disciplining Taylor. Top Secret. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, White House Office Files, Project Clean Up, Meetings With the President. Drafted on February 19.