Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower papers, Whitman file
No. 792
Minutes of Cabinet Meeting
[Extract]
1. . . . . . .
Japanese Trade Negotiations—Dr. Hauge2 reported on the review made in regard to the timing of announcements for these negotiations. He set forth a proposed plan for giving informal notice, about September 1st, to the Tariff Commission of the intent to open negotiations, for sending a secret tentative list of items to the Commission about September 15th, and for issuing a public list of items in November. He noted that this procedure, if approved, would carry out the earlier recommendation of the Secretary of Commerce and still allow completion of negotiations by the deadline of June 12th.
The President questioned the advisability of this approach in preference to delaying initiation and pressing Congress in January for immediate action to extend the authority given in the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act which expires in June. Dr. Hauge reported the State Department’s unwillingness to rely on Congress to extend the Act. Messrs. Wilson, Brownell3 and Stassen voiced disapproval of resorting to a secret list. Mr. Stassen believed publication of the list would be beneficial by eliminating uncertainty as to items concerned and that the question would not become an election issue in any event for the Democrats would not want to make it one. Mr. Wilson believed the list would not be kept secret. Dr. Hauge suggested the possibility of having the Trade Agreements Committee rather than the President transmit the list to the Tariff Commission.
The President commented that he did not want to endanger the possibility of obtaining a reasonable agreement on Japanese trade by depending on extension of the Act, and he recognized the possible adverse effect publication of the list would have in regard to securing an extension of the Act.
(Secretary Dulles joined the meeting at this point.)
Secretary Weeks stated that Congressional leaders would not at all like having this matter injected into the campaign. The President [Page 1709] replied concerning his dislike of any failure by Congressmen to live up to their responsibilities in a matter as essential to the national interest as this. The President then recounted parts of the preceding discussion to Secretary Dulles.
It was agreed that Dr. Hauge would again have the subject reviewed to devise a procedure not involving transmission of the list by the President.
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