September 29, 1952
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS: Former Senator Scott Lucas Mr. Acheson
Former Senator Lucas called at his request to inform me that he had been retained by the Texas Company in connection with the current anti-trust proceedings which were now before the United States District Court in Washington on motions relating to subpoenas issued by the Government. He said he would like to talk about the matter if that would not embarrass me. I said that it would not embarrass me at all, and I should be glad to listen to him, but there was very little I could say about it.
He then said that he had been informed by his client that these proceedings if pressed by the Government might cause other companies difficulties in foreign countries which would adversely affect our national security interests and he wondered whether the State Department had given this matter attention.
I said that we were fully aware of the possibility which he mentioned. The Department of State was not charged with the duty of enforcing the anti- trust laws and could not and would not interfere with those who were so charged; that we had analyzed and informed other officers of the Government of the various possibilities including misconstructions which foreign countries might place upon these proceedings; that all of this had, I felt sure, been considered in reaching conclusions which had been reached, and beyond that I could not go. He said he wished to be sure that we had been aware of this side of the matter and I again affirmed that we were.
After an exchange of personal pleasantries the interview ended with no request of any sort on his side.
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