Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, American Republics, Volume V

323. Memorandum of a Conversation, President Ruiz Cortines’ Home, Mexico City, December 1, 1958¹

Mexico City, December 1, 1958

SUBJECT

• U.S.-Mexican Relations

PARTICIPANTS

• President Adolfo López Mateos
• Foreign Minister Manuel Tello
• Secretary Dulles
• Dr. Milton Eisenhower
• Ambassador Hill
• Assistant Secretary Rubottom
• Minister C.W. Gray

After an exchange of amenities, the President recalled with evident pleasure that he had a photograph of Dr. Eisenhower and himself taken at Ambassador Hill’s reception in August 1957.

Secretary Dulles gave the President the letter from President Eisenhower which he had brought with him from Augusta.² The President read it and expressed thanks. He also thanked the Secretary for the latter’s letter re Senator Lyndon Johnson’s trip to Mexico (November 22–30, 1958).³

Secretary Dulles commented that President Eisenhower had an extraordinarily deep and abiding interest in Mexico. He constantly manifested this interest in what he said and did. In their discussions of foreign affairs, the President frequently brought up the subject of Mexican-United States relations, etc. Perhaps Dr. Milton Eisenhower could give an explanation of this.

Dr. Eisenhower then said he believed the reasons were two: one, President Eisenhower had been in Mexico in 1946, where he had made many friends, got to know and admire the country and people, carried away happy memories, had a thoroughly good time, etc.; and two, in the Presidential campaign of 1952, his brother had constantly talked about Canada and Mexico and the necessity for the United States to have the best possible relations with these two great neighbors. It was folly not to be the best of friends, etc. Secretary Dulles commented that perhaps there was another reason. He believed President Eisenhower had a personal feeling of “simpatía” for Mexico and things Mexican. President López Mateos seemed pleased and recalled that while he had been a Senator he had been in Washington in 1951 attending a meeting of Foreign Ministers.⁴ His “guide” at the time was his Foreign Minister Don Manuel Tello.

The Secretary referred to the President’s Inaugural address, stating that he had noted with special pleasure the passage about Mexico’s hand being extended to her northern neighbors. The Secretary assured the President that this sentiment corresponded exactly to that of the United States, and that we accepted and reciprocated their proffered handclasp. Secretary Dulles also commented that he had been impressed by what the President had said in his address about social problems, welfare, ignorance, poverty, etc. The President replied that these were real problems in Mexico; they were also world problems. Two fundamental facts in Mexico today were (a) the people were demanding a better life and (b) the population was increasing at a rapid rate. (The rate of increase is 3 per cent annually.) The Secretary commented that population increase world-wide was one of today’s major problems. It did little or no good to increase production in such and such a country if the population increased at such a rate that the amount for distribution to each inhabitant remained constant. Red China was boasting of a tremendous increase in production; her methods were cruel; male and female workers were segregated in separate barracks.

The Secretary said that it was unlikely that solutions could be found to all the problems of the world but progress consisted in solving today’s problems today with the probability of facing another kind tomorrow. If they were solved, and others appeared tomorrow, this was not failure; if they were not solved at all, then we had stagnation.

In a bantering tone, the Secretary said that when Ambassador Tello and he were saying goodbye in Washington a few days ago, Mr. Tello did not say anything at all about any new job as Foreign Minister. The President laughingly replied that at the time Ambassador Tello himself knew nothing about the appointment. The Secretary emphasized that he wanted to repeat what he had said to Ambassador Tello at their farewell meeting; namely, he had been a good Ambassador, who had always ably represented his country’s interests. Not all Ambassadors did this. Some of them acted in a way they thought would be most pleasing to the officials of the host country and thereby failed as Ambassadors. It was the function of an Ambassador to be a channel of communication; to represent the interests of his own country and advise his Government of the views and policies of the host country. The President quickly remarked that the United States had such an Ambassador in Mexico in the person of Ambassador Hill. Secretary Dulles replied that the United States was fortunate to be represented in Mexico by a man possessing the gifts and capacities of Ambassador Hill.

Dr. Eisenhower extended the good wishes of his daughter Ruth to the President, who expressed warm thanks and reciprocated her thoughtfulness. The President also referred to Secretary Dulles’ son JACK, saying he knew JACK lived in Monterrey and worked for Peñoles. The Secretary said he had not only a son and a daughter-in-law in Mexico but also four grandchildren. His son had recently been sailfishing (with good luck) at Mazatlan. Dr. Eisenhower commented that Mexican sailfishing was among the world’s best; Minister Tello could confirm this because the two of them had done well at Acapulco in August 1957. The President said that if fishing was better at Mazatlan maybe it was because there were fewer tourists there.

In taking leave Secretary Dulles said Mexico enjoyed great prestige in Latin America and the world; the relations between the United States and Mexico were close and friendly, they rested on mutual trust and respect, and he was confident they would remain so; the United States looked forward to working with the members of his Government. The President said these were his sentiments too. Then the President related that President Ruiz Cortines had often spoken with feeling of his friendship with President Eisenhower. This had occurred when the President (López Mateos) was Minister of Labor and he had never forgotten it. As a result of what President Ruiz Cortines had said about President Eisenhower, he (López Mateos) had thereafter carefully noted President Eisenhower’s actions and policies. He had been impressed by his observations of President Eisenhower and thereby felt drawn closer to him.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 712.11/12–158. Official Use Only. Drafted by Gray.
2. In this letter, December 1, Eisenhower expressed his cordial regards to the new Mexican President. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries)
3. Not further identified.
4. Reference is to the Fourth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of American States, held at Washington, March 26–April 7, 1951; for documentation, see Foreign Relations, vol. II, pp. 925 ff.