CABINET MEETING, MARCH *, 1951
McGrath - absent
Perlman for Justice
GEN BRADLEY
Briefed Cabinet on Korea.
THE PRESIDENT
Had a very pleasant meeting with the President of France.
ACHESON
Auriol had two main points —
(1) The French people will resist any aggression by the Soviet.
(2) The French have an inflation problem. Price rises and strikes are troublesome.
(3) In Indo-China replacements are required to take the offensive. Troops will be provided. Expects that French troops will be returned to France in about 6 months or no later than 1952.
THE PRESIDENT
Is not as optimistic as Auriol about Indo-China. Debate is going forward in Paris between Russia and our allies. The Russians have made some concessions but still not enough to be acceptable to the U.S.
MARSHALL
In March we will get 23,000 men trained as compared with the expected 12,000 for combat duty. We have been able to get 8,000 this month into Korea for replacements. We are now able to place Korean units at full strength. This has not been possible heretofore.
TOBIN
The bill now being considered in House and Senate on migratory labor is just terrible. It will allocate power to State or Regional Directors. This will result in chaos due to local farm pressure groups. This is particularly true with respect to Mexican labor.
V.P.
Senate is still debating troops to Europe issue. It is in an awful mess.
TOBIN
We will have slight increase in prices in April - however anticipates that May will show material increase.
BRANNAN
This does not mean that all food items will increase in price. Cotton is now down 5 points on threat of expanded crop next year.
*Date not otherwise indicated by Mr. Connelly. (written on report "Probably March 29 or 30".)
10:50