190. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower0
OTHERS PRESENT
- Dr. Killian
- Dr. Fisk
- General Goodpaster
Dr. Killian referred to the problem which Gordon Gray had discussed with the President on Saturday1—that new data on underground tests indicates that the threshold of detectability is in the order of 20 KT rather than 5 KT. He thought we should get out a statement, making clear that we are being realistic and responsible in our approach.
The President said he had no objection to giving out the facts, but he would object to tying the release exclusively to the Hardtack II series. The Soviets would instantly say “Haven’t you known this all along?” and charge us with bad faith. The President thought we could simply say that we have been refining our findings and conclusions over the years and we find them at variance with earlier data. Dr. Fisk commented that the change is in fact essentially the result of Hardtack II.
The President said he had thought two things would be involved as a result of this finding—a vastly greater number of stations, or exclusion of weapons up to 20 KT from the scope of the treaty. Dr. Killian confirmed [Page 683] that there will be a need for more stations, or more inspections, or both. He did not think the basic nature of our proposal was invalidated by this data. He did believe we would be subject to criticism if we did not relate our statement to the most recent tests. The President said we must think of our own people and those around the world, and avoid an impact on them which would tend to cause loss of confidence on their part. Referring to the point that the Hardtack II tests were necessary before we could know what the inspection requirements were, the President said that people would ask why we had not made these tests before we had started the negotiations. He referred also to the question why we did not indicate clearly the tentative nature of our findings on which the negotiations were premised. For these reasons he said he had wanted, before making the statements, to see if we couldn’t put them on the basis of refinement of analysis. At this point Dr. Killian read a proposed text which the President indicated was agreeable to him.2
Dr. Killian referred to the broad purposes to be served by an agreement on suspension of testing as establishment of the principle of monitored inspection, and breaking through the iron curtain. The President indicated agreement, and commented that he is considering severing test suspension from the requirement for progress on disarmament generally, in order to keep the focus on valid inspection.
Brigadier General, General, USA