Office of the Historian

772.00/8–2852

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Deputy Director, Office of Western European Affairs (Knight)

secret
[Washington,] August 28, 1952.

Subject:

  • Further US statement regarding Tunisia

Participants:

  • The Acting Secretary
  • Mr. Jean Daridan, Acting French Chargé d’Affaires
  • Mr. Ridgway Knight

Mr. Daridan availed himself of an appointment with Mr. Bruce in connection with another matter to raise briefly the question of a further official US statement in connection with the Tunisian reform program proposed by the French, etc. He explained that according to information which the Embassy had received, the Bey and Prime Minister Baccouche are apparently falling increasingly under the influence of the more extreme Nationalists. In particular Ferhat Hached and other Tunisian labor leaders felt that their hand was being considerably strengthened by the strong sympathy and support which they were receiving from American labor. According to Mr. Daridan the French Government believes that a US statement urging moderation, bilateral negotiations, etc., would serve to deprive the Nationalists of their current best argument derived from this alleged American labor support.

Mr. Bruce briefly pointed out that the US Government did not and could not have any control over the actions and statements of American labor unions, and referred Mr. Daridan to their past conversations on the subject. Without any commitment, he said that the French request would be presented to the Secretary for his consideration upon his return next week.1

  1. A memorandum by Bruce to the Secretary, dated Aug. 28, informed him that Daridan had been in three times that month with instructions to ask if the Secretary would be willing to make a statement in support of the French reform program. After summarizing his three meetings with Daridan, the Under Secretary reported he believed Daridan seemed to feel lukewarm about the idea. But the Ambassador was coming to see the Secretary on Sept. 5, and the Under Secretary suggested the Secretary discuss the matter with various members of EUR before that date. (772.00/8–2852)↩