11. Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting, White House, Washington, March 21, 1958, 8:30–10:05 a.m.1
[Here follow a list of participants and discussion of unrelated subjects.]
Far East Situation—Sec. Dulles touched quickly on the SEATO meeting, then explained the current crisis between the National Chinese Government and the Japanese Government, resulting from the former’s inability to acquiesce in the right recently gained by the Chinese Communists in a particular agreement with the Japanese allowing the Communist flag to fly on Japanese territory.
In reporting on his Far East travels, Sec. Dulles believed most significant the fact that in that part of the world the news relating to the United States is all bad. In contrast to the careful control of all news out of Russia so as to show the Soviets off to good advantage, the United States is seriously hurt by the great play given to any statement of any US official that can be used to show the United States as being militaristic. The Secretary did not know what could be done, even though he had talked to some press people. He thought the situation almost beyond repair and an extremely unfortunate state of affairs. It had impressed him even more this time than on previous trips.
There was some discussion as to the type of information sent to the Far East by the wire services. It was appreciated that responsibilities are divided but that in any event the hard news originating in the United States and sent out by the wires provides great material for exploitation by journalists and commentators in the Far East who seek to serve the Russian interests by highlighting things adverse to the United States and ignoring things favorable to the United States.
The Vice President suggested that Cabinet officers go out of their way to receive foreign editors when they visit Washington under the Exchange Program. It was also noted that the State Department is giving attention to providing materials and encouragement to our Ambassadors towards having background chats with local influential people.
Gen. Persons2 and the President noted the similar usefulness of background conferences within the United States, although the President made clear that he could not himself have such conferences in his present office.
[Page 26][Here follows discussion of unrelated subjects.]
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Cabinet Papers. Confidential. Drafted by Minnich. A list of persons present (27) is included in the microfiche supplement.↩
- Major General Wilton B. Persons, Deputy Assistant to the President.↩