July 5, 1949
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT
Item 1 - British Economic Situation
I showed the President, for his information, Ambassador Douglas' cables 2573 of July 2 and 2585 of July 4th. This President is interested in this situation and appreciates being kept up to date on developments.
Dean Acheson
S:DAcheson:mlm
July 5, 1949
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT
Item 2 - Draft Message on Economic State of the Nation
As indicated in the briefing book, I told the President that the draft message had been read in the State Department and that I had read it myself, and that we all were enthusiastic about it, both from the foreign and domestic points of view. The President said that he was having the message revised from the presentation point of view, although the substance would not be changed.
The President told me that a day or so after the message, he was going to make a radio address on the effect of the Federal budget upon the national condition of the country. I suggested to the President, as I had to Clark Clifford, that we might prepare in the Department an instruction to all American diplomatic representatives giving the substance of the President's message and speech and directing that they bring it to the attention of the government to which they are accredited and make it widely available throughout the country. I thought that the President might wish to make this instruction, if he should approve of it, public. He is interested in the idea, will make a copy of the revised message available to us as soon as it is finished, and we should keep in touch with Mr. Clark Clifford.
This information on this item should go to Mr. Webb and Mr. Thorp.
Dean Acheson
S:DAcheson:mlm