A/MS files, lot 54 D 291, “Org. and Admin, of For. Aid Program”
Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by the Personal Secretary to the Secretary of State (Evans)
Secretary Acheson telephoned, first to Mr. Harriman who was in Florida and therefore the Secretary did not speak to him, then to Mr. Kenney. He said he had told Mr. Harriman he would reconsider the wording of the executive order applying to MSA operations abroad, with reference to whether he would be willing to have “general supervision” substituted, as Mr. Harriman wished, for the standard wording “general direction and leadership”. He said he had reviewed the matter now and felt he could not change the wording which he had so strongly advocated in past instances, and that he could not see any reason why it should be changed in this instance.
The Secretary said he proposed to let the draft go to the President, asking the Budget Bureau to inform the President that there had been some criticism of the language as it stood, but that he, the Secretary, would not send a memorandum along arguing his side of the matter.
Mr. Kenney said he thought that was all right. His concern arose because he had encountered difficulties due to these two words. The Secretary said he felt sure that there was no chance of difficulty arising, except in possibly one or two specific cases. If it did, he would take charge and see that it did not develop.