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

315. Record of Telephone Conversation Between Lodge and John Foster Dulles¹

April 20, 1958, 12:07 p.m.

The Sec. said he was having a meeting on the Soviet item. He said we are disposed to feel here that we ought to follow this up by positive action of our own which would involve a resolution by the SC calling on the parties to accept the principle of an Arctic zone along the lines of our proposal of last fall and to have the US, the Soviet Union and others involved designate technical people to study how to carry it out. Sec. said it seemed quite obvious that the SU was launching a new major propaganda theme. The Soviets may not have anticipated the rapidity of their defeat but they knew, they were not that stupid, that their resolution would be defeated in the SC. The Sec. said the theme would constantly reappear. It was present in Khrushchev’s latest note—how we were sending these planes, etc. The Sec. said they can make big propaganda out of it. The Sec. said we could say surely this is a dangerous situation and the only sensible thing to do is to follow the President’s “Open Skies” proposal. It was a grave situation caused by the fact that we both have the capacity for massive surprise attack. The Sec. said if we got a resolution along these lines and the Soviets vetoed it, that would permanently spike their propaganda. Lodge asked what the Sec. wanted done about the Disarmament Commission. The Sec. said he wouldn’t go there. The Soviets by bringing this case themselves have accepted the jurisdiction of the SC but not the jurisdiction of the Disarmament Commission. Sec. said we should have a meeting of the Disarmament Commission (they agreed any time) but not on this particular item. Lodge said he would arrange a pro forma meeting in the DC.

The Sec. said he would see the President today about the proposed resolution and would like to move on this by Monday. The Sec. said we would be having consultation and would be in touch with Lodge.

Lodge said they could do their business in the Security Council on Tuesday rather than Monday. It was difficult to get anyone to work over the week end. The Secretary said let us make Tuesday our target date. The Sec. said that the resolution which had been sent up was on a contingent basis. We would be working on a revised one. Sec. said he wanted to pin the Soviets down.

1. Source: Follow-on to defeat of Soviet resolution. No classification marking. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations.