258. Editorial Note
On May 12, the House of Representatives and the Senate approved a compromise version of legislation authorizing Mutual Security appropriations for fiscal year 1961. H.R. 11510 thus became Public Law 86–472, the Mutual Security Act of 1960. For text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, pages 841–852. President Eisenhower signed the bill May 14, declaring it contained “essentially all of the requests I have put forward as necessary for the successful continuation of the Mutual Security Program.” For the text of his statement, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1960–61, page 421.
Vice President Nixon wrote to Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee on May 19, urging them to support the Mutual Security Program. (Press Release, May 23; Eisenhower Library, White House Office Files, OF 133–L, 1960 (2))
Eisenhower sent his own message to 15 key Republican and Democratic representatives on June 11, prior to his June 12 departure on a trip to the Philippines, China, Okinawa, and Korea:
“I understand that, in addition to other unfortunate reductions, the majority of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee has acted to cut the military assistance appropriation request by four hundred million dollars and defense support by an additional seventy-five million dollars. This cannot but jeopardize our own security and the defense of the free world. Unavoidably the military assistance cut would have to fall heavily upon force modernization. This would compel America to withhold from her allies both in NATO and in the Far East the equipment required to maintain a respectable posture of defense.” (Ibid., 1960 (4))
The House Appropriations Committee reported the Mutual Security appropriations legislation, H.R. 12619, June 13, cutting $790.5 million from the President’s request. (H. Rept. 1798, Eighty-sixth Congress, Second Session) During a noon telephone conversation the following day, Acting Secretary of State Dillon informed Secretary of Defense Gates he “was getting ready to put out quite a blast on the Mutual Security thing on his behalf as Acting Secretary. Gates said he had one in preparation also. CDD said he just wanted to let him know we are really going to town on this and that Defense would not be alone.” (Notes of telephone conversation; Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199)
Dillon’s June 15 statement described the committee’s action as “a matter of grave concern” which would “severely impair the effectiveness” of the Mutual Security Program and would “require the assumption of risks to our national security which are both unnecessary and dangerous.” It outlined the impact specific cuts would have and described [Page 502] how several amendments would affect the program. “In short,” he concluded, “the committee majority proposes insufficient funds and hamstrings these. The Department is profoundly convinced that correction of these defects is essential to the interests of the United States.” For the text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, pages 852–854. Two days later, the House passed H.R. 12169 with amendments.