40. Editorial Note
On March 8, 1961, John McCloy, President Kennedyʼs Adviser on Disarmament, forwarded a memorandum to Kennedy in which he contended that it was “in the overall interest of the national security of the United States to make a renewed and vigorous attempt to negotiate a test ban agreement along the lines now contemplated.” Such an agreement, McCloy stated, “would be a significant step in the field of arms control” and “might well contribute to better and more stable relations between [Page 92] the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.” It could also “be helpful in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons capabilities among other countries.” Finally, a workable test ban agreement would “gain credit for the United States in responsible world opinion,” whereas “the damage to the stature of the U.S. in world affairs and the effect on U.S.-U.S.S.R. relations which might result if the U.S. were to fail to take reasonable steps necessary to reach a satisfactory test ban agreement, and then resume testing, would be serious.” For text of the memorandum, see Foreign Relations, 1961–1963, volume VII, pages 14–17.
The Geneva Conference on the Discontinuance of Nuclear Weapon Tests reconvened on March 21. For text of the opening statement by the head of the U.S. delegation, Arthur Dean, see Documents on Disarmament, 1961, pages 55-65.