Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume V, Microfiche Supplement, American Republics

GT–4. Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom)¹

Washington, February 25, 1958

SUBJECT

• President Eisenhower’s Breakfast for President-Elect Ydígoras

PARTICIPANTS

• The President
• President-Elect Ydígoras of Guatemala
• The Secretary of State
• The Secretary of Defense
• Chargé d’Affaires Asensio-Wunderlich of Guatemala
• Señor García Bauer
• Dr. Mariano López Herrarte
• Assistant Secretary of State Roy R. Rubottom, Jr.
• Ambassador Edward J. Sparks
• Dr. Milton Eisenhower
• Mr. Samuel Waugh, President of Export-Import Bank
• Mr. George Allen, USIA

The guests gathered in one of the drawing rooms. The President entered and, following introductions and greetings, led the guests into the family dining room.

Secretary Dulles invited the attention of the President to the fact that he (the Secretary) and President-Elect Ydígoras had both attended the Versailles Conference in 1919. The President during the course of the conversation recalled that he had known some of our military officers who had been connected with the Guatemalan Military Academy which had always maintained a high standard. The President also recalled several of his experiences while serving in Panama and later in the Philippines.

The President-Elect took the occasion to mention several of the problems which he faces in assuming office in Guatemala, including that of raising the health standard of his people. The Secretary also engaged in conversation on the same subject with Dr. Mariano López Herrarte, an outstanding Guatemalan physician who was trained in the United States. Attention was called to the very serious problem of parasites, especially hookworm, which affects most of the Guatemalan population, reducing the blood count of the individuals affected on the average by 40 to 50 percent. Both the President and the Secretary asked that prompt attention be given to this problem through the Health Servicio under the Technical Cooperation program, since it seemed to be something that could be attacked vigorously with our assistance. Dr. Lopez acknowledged the great progress that had been made in overcoming the effects of malaria in his country and elsewhere in the world. Despite progress made against yellow fever, he said he understood that the disease was creeping up through the Americas again, primarily due to the infection of monkeys in the Brazilian jungle.

The Secretary and Dr. García Bauer, the prospective Foreign Minister in the new government, engaged briefly in conversation regarding the Law of the Sea Conference scheduled in Geneva. (Mr. Rubottom had discussed the subject with Dr. García Bauer and the President-Elect on the previous afternoon.)² Dr. García Bauer stated that Guatemala was interested in trying to cut down on Mexican encroachment on Guatemalan fishing beds. The Secretary referred to fishing problems which we had had with Mexico.

The President and the Secretary, as well as the Secretary of Defense, referred briefly to the program taking place in Washington today to inform the public regarding the Mutual Security Program. The Secretary indicated that he was speaking on this subject this morning at 9:15, and the Secretary of Defense added that he would be speaking later this morning. The President mentioned that “mutual security” was a proper term with respect to the military aid portion of the program, but that “economic aid”, which speaks for itself, should not be referred to as part of “mutual security”. While engaged in this subject, the President gave general assurances to General Ydígoras regarding the desire of the United States to assist Guatemala where possible.

Dr. García Bauer told the President that they were looking forward to the planned visit of Dr. Milton Eisenhower and Mr. Rubottom to Guatemala later this year. The President acknowledged that this trip was in prospect and requested his brother to obtain first-hand information regarding the health program and what the United States might do to be of assistance to Guatemala.

Mr. Rubottom and Ambassador Sparks engaged Secretary McElroy in discussion regarding the oil problem, particularly the matter of off-shore procurement of certain types of fuel for the Defense Department needs. Mr. Rubottom told the Secretary that he was going to Venezuela tomorrow to consult with the Government there on the oil problem.

The Chargé d’Affaires, Dr. Julio Asensio-Wunderlich, expressed to the President appreciation on behalf of the Government of Guatemala for the invitation to General Ydígoras to come to the United States with his party. He also thanked the President for making the President’s Guest House available as the group’s residence while here and expressed their appreciation for the cordial reception given them by the President at breakfast this morning.

At the conclusion of the breakfast, the President led his guests to the portico of the White House where photographs were taken by assembled newsmen.

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Confidential.
2. No memorandum of President Ydígoras’ conversation with Assistant Secretary Rubottom on February 24 was found in Department of State files. At the Secretary of State’s staff meeting on February 25, the following note was taken: “Mr. Snow reported on a two-hour meeting yesterday with the Guatemalan President-elect during which Ydígoras stressed: 1) the need for additional electric power in his underdeveloped country; 2) his belief that Communists should be allowed to return to Guatemala where they could be kept under surveillance; 3) his desire for naval craft to prevent poaching by Mexican shrimp boats; and 4) his fear that Mexico might revive its territorial claim against British Honduras. Mr. Snow said that $10 million in grant aid for Guatemala from FY 56 is still in the pipeline, that an additional $10 million is now being programmed, and that Ydígoras seemed satisfied with this level of assistance.” (Secretary’s Staff Meetings, Lot 63 D 75, SM N–613, February 25, 1958) In his description of the meeting with Rubottom, Ydígoras wrote that he raised certain subjects but got no positive response. The subjects included the possibility of U.S. import quotas for coffee; a request for Guatemalan purchase of two frigates; establishment of a Central American defense organization with U.S. membership to defend the Caribbean; and a suggestion for U.S. support of the Guatemalan claim to Belize. See Ydígoras, (Englewood Cliffs, n.[illegible in the original], 1963) My War with Communism, pp. 61–63. A memorandum on British Honduras handed to Assistant Secretary Rubottom by President-elect Ydígoras on February 24 is in ARA/OAP Files, Lot 60 D 647, “British Honduras (Belize).”