Secretary’s Memoranda: Lot 53 D 444: Secretary’s Memoranda—October 1950

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

secret

Food for Yugoslavia

Following the Cabinet meeting this morning, the President held a meeting attended by Secretary Snyder, Secretary Marshall,1 Mr. Harriman, Mr. Foster, the Under Secretary of Agriculture,2 Mr. Gaston of the Export-Import Bank, and Mr. Steelman.3

The President asked me to present the problem and the recommendations. This I did, following the memorandum of October 25.4 [Page 1485] After some discussion, the President directed that we should go ahead with recommendations 1 and 2 of Part A and recommendation 1 of Part B. In the event that paragraph 1 of Part B is not feasible because of the unwillingness of the Yugoslavs to sign a unilateral agreement under MDAP, we should proceed under recommendation 2 of Part B. It was his view that the Secretary of Agriculture could find a way to do this.

The President also directed that we prepare and submit to the Budget and to him as early as possible the recommended legislation to be presented to the November session of the Congress. In our talk it seemed to be the view of all that this legislation should reimburse the funds which were used under the emergency program as well as provide for the completion of the program. Mr. Harriman has some thoughts about these, and the proposals should be particularly cleared with him as well as with the other members of the group.

We are therefore in a position to proceed promptly and vigorously with both aspects of the Yugoslav program. I presume that this includes consultation with the Yugoslav Ambassador, consultation with Congressional leaders, and consideration of what should be said to the press next week.

D[ean] A[cheson]
  1. George C. Marshall took office as Secretary of Defense on September 21, 1950.
  2. Albert J. Loveland.
  3. John R. Steelman, Assistant to the President.
  4. Ante, p. 1480.