July 18, 1949
MEMO OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
Participants: Senator McMahon Secretary Acheson
Senator McMahon telephoned me to say that he had had a conference with Senator Vandenberg who was considerably exercized over the Thursday night meeting at the White House. Senator Vandenberg told McMahon that Senators Knowland and Millikin had presented their resignations from the Joint Atomic Energy Committee. Senator McMahon has seen the one from Senator Millikin which was based on the ground that he did not wish to remain a member of a Committee when he could not agree with certain policies of the Committee. Senator McMahon said that he pointed out that it seemed to him juvenile for a Senator to resign from a Committee because he did not approve of certain proposed policies; that he would think the Senator could accomplish his purpose better by staying on the Committee and arguing against policies he did not approve. Senator McMahon said that he was under the impression the letters were in the nature of a stage show.
Senator McMahon said also that he was shown a resolution directed to him as Chairman of the Commission calling upon him to get in touch with the Secretary of State to say that the Committee was of the opinion that nothing should be done looking towards discussions with the British until the Joint Committee had been fully informed. Senator McMahon said this resolution was to have been presented at a 9:30 meeting this morning, which meeting the Senator has called off. I said that, of course, as he knew and as had been mentioned at the Thursday night meeting, there was no intention of proceeding until the Joint Committee had been informed.
We then discussed the question of a meeting date with the Joint Committee. I said I had been engaged in negotiations with the Under Secretary of Defense Early to find a convenient date at which both Secretary Johnson and General Eisenhower could be present. Mr. Early had just confirmed the fact that Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 or 3 o'clock would be satisfactory to these gentlemen. I have asked Mr. Arneson to get in touch with Senator McMahon to see whether this would suit the Committee.
Senator McMahon then said that he was quite willing to put this meeting off until after the vote on the Atlantic Pact. He mentioned that Senator Vandenberg was quite vehement in his talk with him this morning. Senator Vandenberg said that his attitude was that he had done so much for the English it was now up to them to do something for us. Senator Vandenberg was very much distressed by the Tris Coffin article in the Times Herald. I said to Senator McMahon that, if there was any possibility that the Pact might become tied in with atomic energy matter in this way, it was most important to straighten it out as soon as possible and that it would be advisable to do so before rather than after the vote on the Pact. Senator McMahon agreed and we left it that the meeting of the Joint Committee would be held on Wednesday afternoon at an hour between 2:30 and 4:00 according to the Committee's convenience.
Dean Acheson
S:BEvans:mlm
July 18, 1949
Senator McMahon telephoned this afternoon regarding the timing in connection with the issuance of a statement on the meeting on atomic energy. He reiterated what he had brought up this morning about the resignations of Senators Knowland and Millikin.
The Secretary inquired if the Senator had to put this statement out in the press and wondered why he as chairman couldn't write a letter. McMahon said that he could do that and added that he was particularly anxious to put an end to all the speculation that was going on with regard to the meetings being held. The Secretary said he didn't see any particular point in giving out to the press in advance the small bit of information available.
McMahon said that it was impossible to keep the fact of the meeting secret, that the past several days had demonstrated that.
The secretary and the senator discussed the pros and cons of giving out the statement, and the conversation ended with the Secretary leaving the matter to the Senator's judgment. The Senator said that he would think the matter over before he did anything.
LDB
Superseded by conversation between Senator Gross and Senator McMahon. LDB
S:LDBattle:ma