DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
February 27, 1952
MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH AMBASSADOR WRONG AND AMBASSADOR FRANKS
Subject: Selection of Secretary General for NATO
Ambassador Wrong telephoned about one o'clock today to say that he had a message from Mr. Pearson who had heard from Mr. Eden that Sir Oliver Franks would not accept the assignment as Secretary General. Mr. Wrong said that Mr. Pearson, wanted to know whether Mr. Acheson thought that Mr. Pearson, as Chairman of NATO, should put out an official statement that Sir Oliver would not accept the assignment.
Mr. Acheson said he had been considering calling Sir Oliver to talk with him and see whether this was his last word. He hesitated to do so because if Sir Oliver's mind was completely made up, he would not want to embarrass him in any way. Mr. Wrong said that he had talked with Sir Oliver and knew that he had wrestled with the matter and was quite sure that Sir Oliver would not accept but thought that Mr. Acheson could very well call him and talk with him about it.
Mr. Acheson said that he would do this before giving an answer as to Mr. Pearson's question and would call Mr. Wrong back.
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Mr. Acheson called Sir Oliver, said that he was calling timidly to find out whether an old and tried friendship had withstood the test of the last two or three days. He said that he thought it might make Sir Oliver somewhat happier to know that at the meeting in which the question of Secretary General was discussed, Sir Oliver was the only man considered and he had everyone's enthusiastic concurrence. Mr. Acheson told him the message he had from Mr. Pearson about putting out a statement and Mr. Acheson was calling to find out if this was his final judgment or if there were anything that Mr. Acheson could tell him about the general background in case there was any chance he might reconsider. But he did not want to press him to do so.
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Sir Oliver said that he had thought about it carefully and had made up his mind.
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The Secretary called Ambassador Wrong back and said that it was clear that Sir Oliver's decision was final and that there was nothing that could be done about it. Ambassador Wrong and Mr. Acheson agreed therefore that Mr. Pearson should go ahead and put out some statement that he had had official word that Sir Oliver would not accept the position.
Mr. Acheson then said that he thought that what Mr. Pearson should do was to call a deputies meeting very promptly, probably no later than Monday, but since the position would undoubtedly be offered to Mr. Pearson Mr. Acheson thought that Mr. Pearson should be prepared for that fact and should know definitely whether he was free to accept the position so far as his Prime Minister was concerned and whether he had made up his mind to do it. Mr. Acheson said that he had gotten the impression from talks in London with Mr. Pearson that, depending on a successful outcome of Lisbon, i.e. whether the job would be worth doing, Mr. Pearson was prepared to accept and had Mr. St. Laurent's approval. Mr. Acheson said that he thought that we have to proceed on the assumption that what was accomplished at Lisbon would go through. Therefore, Mr. Pearson should prepared to say a definite 'yes' or' no'. If the answer were 'no', he thought Mr. Pearson should avoid having his name put forward and that he should be very firm about not having the position offered to him, since it would be very bad if two people were offered the position and both declined. Ambassador Wrong said that he would convey this to Mr. Pearson.
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Ambassador Wrong called the Secretary again and said he had talked with Mr. Pearson who fully concurred with Mr. Acheson's ideas and would try to clarify his own status within the next two or three hours. Mr. Pearson said he thought that the Prime Minister would flatly say 'no' that he could not spare him. As soon as the matter is cleared up, Mr. Pearson will set in motion the getting together of a deputies meeting.
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Shortly after the above call, Mr. Wrong telephoned the Secretary again and said that Mr. Pearson had called him to say that he had had a good talk with the Prime Minister. Mr. Pearson said that he would not be available; that the Prime Minister did not want him to leave his present position. He will see that that is known to the deputies. Mr. Pearson had no further ideas for suggestion of names; nor did Mr. Wrong, nor Mr. Acheson
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