[Handwritten] Notes on Taft speech on Sat or Sun Feb 10 or 11, 1951
Agreed in Washington American Sea & air strength Aid to allies American sea & air assistance
Taft says 3 million men as much as we can stand
Size of forces most vital decision - Economic burden Drafting 18 & 19 year olds
Pres says he has unlimited power to ? unlimited number of men
Korean land battles have drawn all our army
Pres says he can commit as to this without Congress Congress has only power to declare war Congress has only power to government Senate can only ratify treaties Pres can delegate authority to international commander
Congress under UN Art. 43 requires Cong. Approval. Any other decision means Pres has authority to send our boys anywhere 1848 Lincoln wrote about Polk sending army to Mexico Pres may have power but not right People do not have confidence in his judgment -
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goes into personal letters - RFC comments etc.
Report of Gen Eisenhower Doesn't know whether committed on the unified army 5 or 6 divisions of U.S. discussed Our contribution might be a 1 million men 5 or 6 in 1951 and wait. He says Germans are out Uncertain what his authority is - from whom does he take orders. Is it an international army. No one can set it up without Congress
We should have an agreement. If there isn't one there should be one - only Congress can make one.
Promises faithfully made should be carried out. But promises not faithfully made do not bind Taft.
No one proposing to run out on Europe - we have done much.
We have entered Atlantic Treaty to go to war if any one attacks one of members.
Does not follow that because we want freedom
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of every country we can send armies there.
Intends to propose limitation 1 US to 9 - only 10% of Army & air force in Europe.
USSR presents menace - no panic - doesn't worry about Russian military success.
US arsenal of democracy Bastian of same.