July 7, 1949
MEMORANDUM FOR MR. WEBB
Military Commander in German
After my conversation with the President this morning, as reported in a previous memorandum, I saw Secretary Gray preceding the NSC meeting. I apologized for not having called him sooner and said that I have given the matter further consideration. My mature judgment was the one I first expressed to him over the telephone, which was that, in view of Mr. McCloy's confidence that he could work well with any of the three men mentioned. I thought that the matter was primarily one for decision by the military authorities in the light of all of their necessities, and I was prepared to accept their judgment as to the man they had in mind.
Secretary Gray then said, "However, you do have some misgivings, don't you?" I said that it was true that I did have misgivings on account of certain of the qualities of the man in question. I was not in so good a position as Mr. McCloy to evaluate these misgivings; and, since he did not appear to share them, I was willing to forget them.
Mr. Gray said that he appreciated my attitude, but, that in light of what I had said and not construing it as an objection in any way, the Military Establishment would like to reconsider the matter. He appreciated the extreme difficulty of McCloy's task. He did not wish to add in any way to his difficulties. He knew that I felt that the choice they had in mind would - or at least might - add to these difficulties. Therefore, they would go over the whole matter again and would talk to me on the subject tomorrow.
S:DA:be