610.1131/309½
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Duggan) to the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
Mr. Welles: In connection with Mr. Collado’s memorandum of June 10 entitled “An Economic Program for the Americas”, may I suggest that the time has come to head up consideration of this matter with some high-ranking officer of the Department.
Practically every governmental agency is at work on plans for hemisphere economic defense. In addition, there are a number of private groups at work, including one headed by Nelson Rockefeller. Within the Department, Messrs. Berle, Feis and Pasvolsky18 all seem to be working on this question without consultation or collaboration between them. This Division is endeavoring to help them and all others.
In order that the efforts on this important subject can be coordinated and disciplined, I think that one of the higher officers in this Department should be authorized to take this under his control, parceling out the work as he sees fit in order to prevent duplication. Moreover, in order to head off some of the half-baked ideas which are now circulating, I think that this Department should take the initiative in rounding out a program.
- Leo Pasvolsky, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State.↩