122. Editorial Note
During Anderson’s conversation with King Saud on August 23 (see the memorandum of conversation, supra), Anderson handed the King a personal message from President Eisenhower. It reads as follows:
“Your Majesty:
“I have learned from Acting Secretary of State Herbert Hoover, Jr., of Your Majesty’s desire to send a delegation headed by a member of your family to discuss with representatives of the United States Government the present situation in the Near East.
“In view of my expected absence from Washington this week and the presence of Secretary Dulles in London, I have taken the liberty of suggesting through Ambassador Wadsworth that Your Majesty agree to receive from me a personal and confidential emissary for preliminary discussions. I am very pleased that you have agreed to this proposal, and I am sending to you the Honorable Robert Anderson, a distinguished United States citizen and a former Deputy Secretary of Defense, who enjoys my complete confidence. Mr. Anderson has worked closely with me for a long time and I believe Your Majesty will find that he enjoys a very extensive knowledge of the problems which are of mutual interest. I have every confidence in his wisdom and discretion.
[Page 276]“I feel strongly that consultation and collaboration between Your Majesty and the United States Government has in the past contributed greatly to peace and stability in the Near East. In these unsettled times the importance of such consultation and collaboration is even greater. Your Majesty may be confident that Mr. Anderson will faithfully report to me your views regarding the state of affairs in the Near East, and I believe his discussions with you will be most useful in any subsequent conversations we may consider desirable.
“May God have Your Majesty in His safekeeping.
“Your sincere friend, Dwight D. Eisenhower” (A copy of the message is in Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, King Saud–Eisenhower Vol. I)