Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament, Volume III

202. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower⁰

Washington, February 23, 1959.

OTHERS PRESENT

• Secretary Herter
• General Goodpaster

The discussion centered on a draft of a proposed reply, prepared by the State Department, for the President to make to Mr. Macmillan on the subject of the Geneva negotiations for suspension of atomic testing.¹ Mr. Herter said that the British are now advancing the idea of agreeing on a certain number of allowable inspections that can be made each year.

The President indicated he did not see much merit in this proposal. He also commented that a careful reading of Macmillan’s letter shows a certain confusion as to what he means by control; his real meaning seems to be “detection.” The President recalled that he had agreed with Secretary Dulles that we do not have to have a system better than that agreed upon a year ago. We do, however, have to have the right to go in and inspect any questionable occurrence.

In further discussion, the President extensively modified the State Department proposal, in order to concentrate very directly upon the question of the veto. This is the breaking point in the negotiations, provided always that the system of stations and procedures is reasonable and satisfactory.

Mr. Herter commented that Secretary Dulles thinks there would be considerable merit, because of the complexity of this whole issue, in finding some way to break off the negotiations in Geneva—inasmuch as the Soviets apparently are not going to agree on an effective inspection system—and put the whole matter into the Disarmament Committee of the U.N. At that time we could focus on the question of atmospheric testing, and eliminate other features of the proposals. Mr. Herter said that Lord Hood is coming in to see him today, and planning to talk about the suggestion for agreeing upon a fixed number of inspections per year. He asked if he might take up this reply with Lord Hood, and The President said he could give the message to Hood for delivery.

Mr. Herter told the President that Mr. Macmillan had sent a copy of his note to the President to British negotiators in Geneva. He suggested that the President might send similarly a copy of his own reply. The President objected vehemently and said there was to be no distribution of his private correspondence with Macmillan. He said that Mr. Herter could give the substance of the position approved by the President in a separate wire but that his text must not be disseminated. He added that if ever we know that Macmillan’s letters to the President are being distributed, that will finish the use of this method of communication.

[Here follows discussion of leaks of prospective appointments within the Eisenhower administration.]

G.
Brigadier General, USA

0. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Eisenhower Diaries. Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster on February 24.
1. The draft reply, attached to a February 22 memorandum from Herter to the President, is in Department of State, Central Files, 700.5611/2–2259. See the Supplement. The draft reply was in response to a February 20 letter from Macmillan, in which Macmillan suggested that it would be worth the risk involved in accepting something less than perfect control, “if we can create a control system which involves a sufficient degree of risk to a potential violator that he cannot get away undetected.” (Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, Macmillan to Eisenhower) See the Supplement.