151. Memorandum for the President’s Personal Secretary (Whitman)0
This morning in the Mansion the President was breakfast host to a group of Republican Senators. A list of those attending is attached.1 The President joined his guests at 7:45, and the meeting concluded with press photos on the North Portico steps at 9:00.
The discussions revolved entirely around world affairs, with the emphasis on the coming Summit meeting. The President said that, while no one should expect great or far-reaching achievements, he was nonetheless hopeful that some useful progress could be made. He indicated that, at the least, we could probably expect agreement to meet again in another year. He thought most of the Summit discussions would relate to disarmament, inspection, and the elimination of nuclear tests; and in that general context we might try to have the basic Berlin question discussed. He also thought we might get something done by way of a joint investigation into the matter of nuclear explosions under the 4.75 level.
The President said this would be a fairly long meeting. He reminded the group that the language barrier, and the accompanying need for continuous translations, literally multiplied the time normally consumed on the same subject matter in English. In this connection, the President again brought up the possibility that he might have to return to Washington “for a day or two” should major legislation decisions confront him. He specified that approval of routine bills would be no trouble, but that close questions of veto always require extensive consultations with interested Executive Branch officials.
On the Summit Conference itself, in a response to a question by Senator Javits, he said he did not think the recent theatrical behavior of Mr. Khrushchev would set the tone of the meeting; that the United States would not be encumbered by the U–2 incident; and that Khrushchev is much too smart to believe this was the first time such a flight has occurred. Senator Cotton asked if Khrushchev is more a “front man” and less a ruler than was Stalin. The President said Khrushchev is a “strong man” and as close to an absolute dictator as current conditions in Russia will permit. He said Menshikov and Gromyko exert strong influence over Mr. K, and that on some items discussed while here, [Page 390] Khrushchev felt he had to check with some one or some group back in Moscow.
Senator Javits asked about relationships among our allies, and the President indicated they are first-rate; Adenauer and De Gaulle get along very well, De Gaulle recognizing that Adenauer must constantly speak for a united Germany; Macmillan is sincere, and not politically motivated, in urging greater flexibility in Western dealings with the Soviets. On De Gaulle, the President said he and the French President are personal friends—a relationship dating back to World War II when Roosevelt and Churchill despaired of getting along with De Gaulle and assigned General Eisenhower the task of working with him. In that task, the President recalled that one of his first acts after the liberation of Paris was to call on De Gaulle—taking it on himself at the time to hail De Gaulle publicly as the “Provisional President of France”. This, he said, is an action De Gaulle appreciated enormously, and one he repeatedly recalls in his talks with the President.
[Here follows discussion of unrelated matters.]
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. No classification marking. No drafting information appears on the source text.↩
- Not printed. Attending were Senators Dirksen, Aiken, Bushel, Schlepped, Carlson, Bennett, Case, Bush, Ball, Cotton, Hruska, Allot, Martin, Cooper, Javits, Prouty, and Brunsdale.↩