MSA telegram files, FRC Acc. No. 54 A 298, “Paris Repto”: Telegram
No. 39
The United States Special Representative
in Europe (Draper) to the Mutual Security
Agency
priority
Repto 2172. Eyes only Kenney from Draper, please pass Harriman and Perkins.
Porter and I, in close consultation with Marjolin, have been giving active consideration to chairmanship of OEEC for next year. Feeling of most delegations seems to be that selection shld be made before ministerial council mtg end of June. This wld preclude reelection of Stikker, whose position in new Dutch Govt after elections will not be known until some time in July. Norwegians have indicated they wld be prepared to put forward Lange, and Itals Pella, but major sentiment now developing for Butler, partly to avoid prospective rivalry between Lange and Pella and partly belief that British support for OEEC wld be stronger if Butler in chair. We also intend to urge Butler to accept though recognizing that apart from ministerial council mtgs he will not be able to give as much time to OEEC affairs as Stikker and also that there may be risk Brit might use chairmanship to restrain OEEC initiative. On other hand, there is strong possibility that given responsibility for leadership, Brit role may be distinctly more positive. On balance we believe advantage lies with encouraging Butler to accept.
Marjolin had talks with Eden and Butler in London recently and while Butler was unwilling to make commitment as to his availability, Marjolin believes prospects of his acceptance are good. Schuman, Van Zeeland and Hammarskjold favor Butler as first choice and we believe Norwegians wld willingly defer. If Butler willing to accept, unanimous support probable.
We believe best approach to Butler wld be request by Mins from major countries including US on occasion of next ministerial council mtg now set for May 29–30 (postponement until fol week possible). [Page 77] We understand from Marjolin that Schuman wld probably be willing to take initiative of arranging dinner party of principal Mins to agree on proposal to Butler.
In event Brit have chairmanship of council, Itals (Cattani) or Norwegians (Skaug) probable as chairman of executive comite.