Office of the Historian

711.61/10–948

Memorandum by the Deputy Director of the Office of European Affairs (Reber) to the Under Secretary of State (Lovett)

[Washington,] October 9, 1948.

Denis Allen, Counselor of the British Embassy telephoned me this morning on behalf of the Ambassador1 to inquire as to the status of the story carried in this morning’s press to the effect that the President had planned to send Chief Justice Vinson to Moscow on a special mission. Sir Oliver feels he must send some message to London in this connection and would be grateful if it were possible to let him know whether there is still a possibility that the special appeal might be [Page 927] made.2 I told Allen that I should have to communicate with him later in the day but wonder whether you do not wish to call Sir Oliver direct.

Samuel Reber
  1. Sir Oliver S. Franks.↩
  2. Following the premature disclosure in the press of this contemplated mission, it was decided that it would not be advisable to take this action and the prospect was dropped. For the statement by President Truman released to the press by the White House on October 9, and the statement by Secretary of State Marshall made at his press conference on that day, see the Department of State Bulletin, October 17, 1948, p. 483. For President Truman’s own account of his idea to send Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson to Moscow for an informal exchange of views with Stalin, see his Memoirs, vol. ii, Years of Trial and Hope, pp. 213–219.↩