Editorial Note
In a memorandum of conversation summarizing the Secretary’s staff meeting, held on June 23, 1954, at 9:15 a.m. in the Secretary’s office, the Director of the Executive Secretariat, Walter K. Scott, recorded the following statement on Guatemala:
“Mr. Holland reported that the revolution in Guatemala was having serious anti-American consequences in a number of Latin American states. He was certain that it would affect our ability to secure a suitable resolution at the Montevideo Conference, if held. He stated further that it was our desire to maintain any consideration of this item before the Inter-American Peace Committee. He felt that this was pro forma; that its inability to act was so obvious that our support for using it would engender unfavorable opinion in the other States. He saw no action from this body adequate to arrest anti-U.S. feelings and thus help us at Montevideo. The tenor of his report was pessimistic. He felt that some strong statement or action on our part would be required to recoup the goodwill we had built up for our resolution. He had no specific recommendations to make at this time but his staff was devoting their continued attention to the matter.” (Secretary’s Staff Meetings, lot 63 D 75)
The Under Secretary of State for Administration presided at the meeting, which was attended by 15 other participants.