Office of the Historian

396.1 GE/10–2154: Telegram

No. 358
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in France1

top secret
priority
Washington, October 21, 1954—7:43 p.m.

Tedul 10. Eyes only for Secretary. Reference Dulte 6.2 We agree with your conclusion public announcement of negotiations should precede contemplated action by NZ. We further agree it essential that other Democratic committee members be consulted before public announcement.

Learning Mansfield to be in town today for few hours then leaving for Oregon to be gone until after elections Robertson was authorized to discuss situation with him. Mansfield’s attitude sympathetic and reaction favorable assuming of course proper safeguards be taken to ensure pact truly defensive. It is Mansfield’s opinion that both announcement of negotiations and NZ action be postponed if possible until after elections. Thinks it inevitable Democratic candidates for office would seek to capitalize for political advantage to detriment of bipartisan foreign policy he strongly advocates.

Hoover
  1. Drafted by Robertson and approved by Hoover.↩
  2. Supra.↩