CABINET MEETING, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1951
Acheson - Absent
Snyder - Absent
Harriman - Absent
Webb for State
Foley for Treasury
COMMANDER
Briefed Cabinet on Korea
WEBB
NATO meeting at Ottawa was a success. Turkey and Greece are being admitted to the Western Europe Defense group. This is a real accomplishment. The other significant development is the desire of European nations to make the North Atlantic Pact more than a mere military assistance pact.
In Iran the situation is still critical.
VICE PRESIDENT
Tax bill has been reported out to Senate floor where it will now be debated. Asked for policy on ratification of Japanese Peace Treaty.
THE PRESIDENT
The Treaty will not be sent to Congress this session. It will probably be sent to Congress in January.
LOVETT
There is no "push button" war in sight. We are experimenting with guided missiles but we have not had them reach a state of perfection. They may reach a stage of perfection by 1954 but until then the conventional methods of waging war will be continued.
It is vital to our own protection to keep Iranian oil out of Russian hands. If they get this oil they will be able to prolong a war twice as long as they could without this source of supply.
THE PRESIDENT
Told Wilson that he wanted him to crack down on rent gouging of GI's in Alaska (one room shack with no water facilities renting for $100 a month.)
WILSON
Military demands for materials for 1st quarter of 1952 have increased sharply. If we go through with it we will have to curtail even more civilian production with attendant effect of a dislocation of labor.
TOBIN
Detroit is the hardest hit city on unemployment with present trend we will have 150,000 unemployed in 1952. We have other serious areas in New England and the South. Allocation of new defense plants should be reviewed to put them into areas where we have a labor surplus not in areas where there is now a labor shortage.
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