384. Editorial Note

The covering memorandum from Assistant Secretary Rubottom to Under Secretary Murphy of October 23 (Document 376) underwent further revision at the request of Secretary Herter and the President.

In a memorandum of October 27 to Rubottom’s Special Assistant, Frank Devine, Frank A. Mau of the Executive Secretariat indicated that Herter had requested that the memorandum be rewritten for transmission to the President for his approval. (Department of State, Central Files, 611.37/10–3159)

Under date of October 31, Herter sent to the President a revised and substantially shortened covering memorandum, along with the policy statement on Cuba that was identical to the one that had accompanied the earlier draft. (ibid.)

On November 2, John A. Calhoun, Director of the Executive Secretariat, sent the following memorandum to the Reports and Operations Staff of the Executive Secretariat regarding the memorandum to the President:

“General Goodpaster telephoned this afternoon regarding the above memorandum. He said that the President in considering the matter had indicated that he had no difficulty with the proposed policy statement as such, but that he would like to have a brief additional statement indicating in concrete terms the facts which require the establishment of such a policy. His assumption is that the extremist attitude of the Cuban Government lies at the base of this policy but he would like to know in what manner this has been manifested, i.e., in propaganda, trade and other fields.

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“General Goodpaster stated that he would return the memorandum for the addition of this desired information. He suggested that a few sentences be added to the covering memorandum incorporating the information desired by the President. Please ask ARA to undertake urgently the revision of the memorandum from the Secretary to the President along the above lines.” (ibid., 737.00/11–259)

For the revised memorandum sent to the President on November 5, see Document 387.

Another factor in the revision of the memorandum originally submitted to Murphy may be that the White House announced on October 28 that Murphy was retiring from the Department of State.