620. Memorandum of telephone conversation between Hilsman and Ball, February 201
GB: The Secretary had a call from McCone last night saying that what Lipscomb objected to in my testimony was not apparently covered in your discussion with him, which is absolute nonsense.
RH: That’s right.
GB: And indicated, as I understood it, that he disagreed with you, nor discussed with you the numbers of things that were down there.
RH: That is not correct. What is correct and where he is vulnerable on is that he is going all over town saying that he told everybody again and again and again and he never once mentioned it to us.
GB: You mean about his doubts?
RH: Yes, that’s right. He discussed numbers with me. I read him the whole damn statement and I specifically said to him that I talked to him and he said “Well that was just everything else and doesn’t mention missiles.” But I said its title is as I read to you “Summary of weapons in Cuba”. If you thought there were missiles there, you are agreeing to something that doesn’t make sense for you to agree to something that leaves out the single most most important fact. He thought it over between calls and is starting to back out.
GB: The next time I tell him anything, I’m going to get it signed in writing and notarized.
RH: By the way, I had dinner last night at the Netherlands Embassy and Frances Bolton, who I have considered a good friend of mine for a number of years, she said: “You know, John McCone testified before our Committee and I was just so pleased because several times he volunteered his view point on developments in Cuba, agreeing with those of us on the Republican side who are dissenting, and it was so refreshing.” This was only yesterday. I’m trying to get that testimony now.
GB: We should have it.
[Facsimile Page 2]RH: I think we should, too.
GB: I rather think they are going to centralize all testimony over in Bundy’s shop. I think I’ll write John a letter and say I would assume that you will have no objection to my sending the following letter to the Committee; that I find it . . . and let it go at that, don’t you think so?
[Typeset Page 1613]RH: I think it’s a good idea.
GB: Because he’s not going to do a thing.
RH: No, he’s not. This thing is really weird. I would like to sit down with you and Alex on this problem, because something happened this morning that if I am to protect you and the State Department and get our views in—McCone had this memorandum, aide memoire, from the Bolshevicks, you see. You know I had never seen it. I tried to fake it, but nevertheless it puts me in a position where I can’t be effective. I would like to talk with you and Alex for about a half-hour.
GB: All right, let’s see if we can do it tomorrow.
RH: Very good. I’d like Tom Hughes in on it, too.
GB: OK.
- Numbers of weapons in Cuba. No classification marking. 2 pp. Kennedy Library, Ball Papers, Telephone Conversations, Cuba.↩