MSC Department of State Memorandum of Conversation
Date: January 22, 1949
Subject: (blank)
Participants: Secretary Acheson, Mr. Lovett, Mr. Webb, General Carter
Copies to: (blank)
The Secretary met with Mr. Lovett and Mr. Webb at 2:30, Friday, January 21, and discussed the following problems:
1. Mr. Lovett's status - - - it was agreed that appropriate administrative action should be taken to designate Mr. Lovett as Special Assistant to the Secretary during the remainder of his stay in the Department (S/S responsibility).
2. Mr. Lovett provided background on the "retention of plants in Germany" paper awaiting signature of the aide-memoires to France and Great Britain. The question was raised as to who was responsible for coordination and follow-up with Congress. This problem should be thoroughly analyzed and report made to the Secretary.
3. Mr. Lovett provided background on the Department press release relative to recognition of Venezuela.
4. Mr. Lovett provided background on Indonesia. In this connection, it was pointed out that the Security Council resolution was poorly drafted and assigned the proposed commission areas of responsibility which appeared to go beyond the limits of the Indonesian Republic and therefore might prove difficult.
Mention was made of a proposed bill Senator Pepper is working on to cut off all aid to the Dutch. This should be watched closely.
No mention was made of Dr. Frank Graham but his status should be clarified. Is he presently connected with the State Department? I believe he is under the impression that he is still a Special Consultant to the Secretary. Mr. Acheson is to confer with Dean Rusk, Nolte and Butterworth early next week to get thorough briefing.
5. Dr. Jessup is scheduled to leave the United Nations U.S. Mission shortly. If any action is to be taken to retain him it must be done at once. Possibilities were to replace Austin in the event Austin's resignation is accepted by the President or to create a special position such as personal representative of the President for international conferences at a salary of $25,000 or more. This seems to be the only way Jessup can be retained.
6. Mr. Lovett provided background on Israeli and Palestine developments.
7. Mr. Lovett provided background on the present status of the German problem and indicated that this was a pressing problem which was soon coming to a head through efforts of the Army Department.
8. The status of the Secretary as to membership on Hoover Commission was discussed. No decision was reached in the Secretary's conference with the President.
9. U.S. membership on the Palestine Commission was discussed. It was agreed that urgent action must be taken with Mr. Dawson at the White House to appoint a replacement for Keenan.
10. It was agreed that Mr. Webb when confirmed would be sworn in in the Secretary's office. It was also agreed that photographers, etc., would be kept in the Diplomatic Room and the participants would go there for pictures after the ceremony.
11. It was agreed that an urgent necessity existed for establishing a negotiating team to attend major conferences, in order to avoid depleting the Department of experts every time a conference arose. In this connection, the Secretary indicated that the President wanted him to stay closer to home than past Secretaries had been able to do.
12. It was agreed that if any personnel changes of top people within the Department were decided upon they should be made within the first six weeks of the Secretary's tenure.
M.S.C.