DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: October 12, 1952
SUBJECT: Mexican Air Negotiations
PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary of State The Under Secretary of State Mr. George P. Baker, Consultant, Department of State Mr. J. Paul Barringer, Director, Office of Transport and Communications Policy, Department of State
Suggested Distribution: U TRC E AV ARA MID
Following the meeting with the President at the White House, the above met in the Secretary's office at about noon.
Mr. Baker regretted that he must conclude that he had contributed to the Department all that he could in this matter at this time and that he did not believe that he could serve any useful purpose by representing the President in conjunction with Mr. Stowe at the anticipated meeting with President Aleman. It was his opinion that the Civil Aeronautics Act did not contemplate that determinations as to the routes to be flown in international air commerce were to be made by the Chief Executive but rather by the Civil Aeronautics Board and the State Department. However, the courts had so interpreted and had upheld the Chief Executive's power to make such determinations, even in contradiction to the advice of the Board and the Department.
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The Secretary then instructed Mr. Barringer to ascertain from the American Embassy, Mexico, if it would be possible for President Aleman to see Mr. Stowe and Mr. Barringer on Tuesday or early on Wednesday. The Secretary further requested that the results of any such meeting should be transmitted to him in New York.
TRC:JPBarringer; vk 10-13-52