July 26, 1949
PERSONAL
Dear Dave:
For the past month we have talked incessantly of you and Evangeline and your kindness to us. We have missed you much and by no means merely because of the heat and political turmoil of Washington. True enough, it has been unbearably hot, not only at the well-known Kiosk at 14th and Pennsylvania Avenue, but even in the air-conditioned Capitol. Tempers have risen and added to the exasperation of the Members of Congress at departure deferred.
The ECA legislation has dragged out interminably, with various groups trying to pursue special objectives. The Far Eastern troubles have added to the doubts and perplexities inherent in the production of a Chinese White Paper. We have become embroiled in a controversy about atomic energy, where extremists leak and the rest of us, of necessity, cannot defend ourselves. The Military Assistance bill was debated before it was ever introduced or before the debaters knew what they were talking about. And the all-or-nothing boys refuse to do what is possible in Korea, because we will not attempt what is impossible in China. All-in-all we have our troubles. But quite apart from all of that we miss the pleasure of being with you and Evangeline.
After I returned, I spoke with Jack Peurifoy about the Rothschild property in Paris, telling him how foolish I thought it was to toy with any idea of converting that into a residence. He has made an investigation of the matter and sends me the attached memorandum enclosing a memorandum from Larkin. I thought that you would like to know what I know about it. Whether or not Larkin has tempered the wind to the worn Secretary I do not know, but apparently his ideas are sensible and do not involve a grandiose scheme. Have you any comments about it? I am sending you the memorandum confidentially and suggest that you send it back to me with anything you would like to say.
Alice and I have been hoping to get away for a little while, but so far the crystal ball seems clouded. I do not see how the Congress can get away from here until Labor Day and perhaps later. Bevin and Cripps are arriving about Labor Day for discussions, and I am supposed to make some sort of a speech in the United Nations General Assembly on September 20. Perhaps toward the end of September we can get off for a couple of weeks. I shall try to remember Justice Brandeis's admonition that the two failings which have destroyed more people than any others were the inability to say "No" and the inability to take a vacation.
The MAP hearings will start the day after tomorrow. I am glad that we were able to work things out so that you did not have to return. We shall probably have considerable trouble with the bill. It may be that it will be for a shorter time and for a smaller amount than we have asked, in view of the Vandenberg-Dulles attitude, which is that we should not take definitive action until the machinery under the North Atlantic Pact has been set up and has had a chance to function. I think this attitude is founded on a misapprehension of the degree of consultation which has already taken place with the Atlantic Powers. It is largely based upon their political judgment that the bill would be more palatable if it had the blessing of the Atlantic Treaty machinery. Therefore, while we will have rough going, I am not depressed about it and believe and hope that the final outcome should not be discouraging to our friends in Europe.
Tell Ramon and Michel that I think of them often.
We both send our love to Evangeline and you.
Most sincerely,
Enclosure