202. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Schlesinger) to the Representative to the United Nations (Stevenson)1
Washington,
May 1,
1962.
SUBJECT
- Keeping Abreast of the United Nations
The problem is to keep the President informed about impending UN problems so that he will know well in advance when the hard ones come along.
To do this effectively will probably require more in the way of direct USUN-White House communication than we have attempted in the past. Obviously neither of us wishes to bypass IO, but I am sure that Harlan will understand the President’s desire for direct briefing. You will no doubt want to send Harlan copies of any reports that you may make directly to the President.
I would suggest the following procedure:
- 1)
- that every Monday you send the President a preview of the agonies of the week—either a short memorandum; or, if you prefer, tell them to me over the phone, and I will pass them on.
- 2)
- that, when a major issue of policy or strategy is under consideration, you plan to come to Washington and talk the matter out with the President or other interested officials.
- 3)
- that you prepare occasional memoranda on long-run problems of acute UN interest, like your recent memorandum on the Azores question (possible subjects: Communist pressure for increased representation in the Secretariat; the new stage of the China representation issue; etc.).
- 4)
- that, when you send memoranda requiring follow-up to the White House, you send me copies so that I can do something about them.
Arthur
Schlesinger
, jr.2