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

373. Record of Telephone Conversations Between Eisenhower and Herter and John Foster Dulles¹

August 21, 1958, 8:50 a.m.

TELEPHONE CALL TO THE PRESIDENT (Washington)

Sec. told Pres. he had long talk until Midnight with Lloyd and Sec. thinks that the British are now satisfied with the testing statm. Sec. said he made one change in draft statm. which met their wants (Sec. read statm. to Pres.). Sec. said he also made phrase to meet John McCone’s wishes. Sec. now thinks it is in pretty good shape, and thinks Pres. will get approval from Macmillan today. Sec. also showed Lloyd Pres. letter to Macmillan which Sec. thinks will be all right to British. Sec. told Pres. we sent revised statm. to French but we haven’t heard from them yet. Pres. said he has Couve de Murville coming down at 5:00 p. m. today.

Pres. said papers show that Arab resolution looks pretty good—Sec. agreed. Sec. said only one thing bad and that is that it will rehabilitate and invigorate Arab League. Pres. said we can’t help that. Sec. said Israeli are very unhappy about it. Pres. said he thinks the resolution is all right. Pres. asked Sec. if he had talked to Herter re Congress. Sec. said he had tried to get him but he is at WH for NSC. Pres. said hold on he will get H.

8:56 a. m.

GOVERNOR HERTER

Sec. said he was saying to Pres. that we anticipate British will be happy about testing statm. H. asked Sec. re acceptance does he think we need Congressional action. Sec. said if it were treaty we would have to have Congressional action but merely to suspend testing it requires no action from Congress. Sec. asked H. to what degree of consultation do we have with Congress. H. said McCone is going on Hill today but will not go into substance of statm., however, if asked AEC’s view he will have to tell them.

H. asked Sec. re Arab resolution and Sec. told him same as he told Pres.

H. asked Sec. should we make statm. that US is for Arab resolution and Sec. said we would have to hold off on any such announcement for timebeing—maybe later.

H. said he noted from morning papers that at Lloyd’s backgrounder with the press last night he announced the British would give enthusiastic support to the Arab resolution.

Sec. said he is about to meet with staff and they will discuss any such announcement and will call H. back. H. said he would probably be at NSC a long time—there were a lot of items. Sec. said he would call him out.

1. Source: Statement on suspension of nuclear testing. No classification marking. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations.