August 3, 1950
Meeting with the President
Item 1.
The President approved my getting away for a while should I find it possible to do so.
He requested Mr. Webb to attend Cabinet meeting tomorrow.
S DA: ma
August 3, 1950
Meeting with the President
Item 2. Grain Shipments to India
The President will be prepared to discuss with Secretary Brannan and Mr. Webb the matter of sending the milo at below cost prices to India.
S DA: ma
August 3, 1950
Meeting with the President
Item 3. Britain's Military Program
I briefly reported the latest telegrams from London outlining the British proposals for the development of their military program.
S DA: ma
August 3, 1950
Meeting with the President
Item 4. Senatorial Action on Funds for Spain
I reported to the President the steps which we had taken with Senator Anderson as authorized by him yesterday. He approved of what we had done and said that he would find an opportunity to support our attitude at his press conference today.
S DA: ma
August 3, 1950
Meeting with the President Item 5. Formosa
I reported to the President the very difficult situation which was arising on Formosa as a result of General MacArthur's visit. I pointed out that our representative, Mr. Strong, and the Service attaches knew nothing of what had gone on. I pointed out that we had urged General MacArthur through the Defense Department not to go to Formosa himself at this time but to send a senior office for the purpose of gathering information. We thought that he should go later after a political program had been worked out so that he could use his prestige for the results this Government wished. However, the discretion had been left to him and he had exercised it. Neither the State Department nor the Pentagon nor our people on the Island knew what had been said or done.
We had a report that three squadrons of jet fighters were to be stationed on the Island and some parties had already arrived. I asked the President whether he had authorized this which had not been included in any orders which I had heard. The President said that he had not and was opposed to it. I said that I would discuss the matter further with Mr. Harriman and Secretary Johnson tonight.
S DA:ma
August 3, 1950
Meeting with the President Item 6. U.S. Position in the U.N.
I reviewed with the President the difficult situation in which we found ourselves with our Allies and in the Security Council by reason of the Russian ability to play on the Korean situation, Formosa and the Chinese Communists. I said that by keeping these matters connected they could mobilize certain nations in opposition to us, some on each issue.
I pointed out the great need for circumspection in regard to Formosa and the importance of not having the Communists seating issue arise for a vote on the merits. To seat the Chinese over our objection would whip up opinion here against our Allies. We could not meet the views of our Allies as long as the fighting in Korea continued.
I pointed out that the long-range considerations of not interfering with quarrels which were sure to arise between the Russians and the Chinese Communists was one which we shared with our Allies. The great difficulty was how to preserve our unity. It seemed to me that the best chance of this was by talking the matter out with the British and trying to have the whole thing referred to the General Assembly for discussion, first, on the general criteria to be employed in such cases, and later on for an application to this case. The discussion of the criteria would undoubtedly involve acceptance of the principles of the Charter and the decisions of the Security Council. Here we were in a strong position. The Chinese would be in a weak one. They might be tested out as to their intentions in supporting Communist revolutionary movements in Southeast Asian states. If the General Assembly could come to a decision one way or the other after full debate, it might furnish a method of preserving our unity with our Allies.
The President expressed approval of this general analysis of method and approach.
S DA: ma