Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume III, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament, Microfiche Supplement

40. Record of Legislative Leadership Meeting¹

Washington, April 1, 1958

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

Outer Space—Doctors Killian, Purcell and York gave a briefing similar to that at Cabinet and along the lines of the recently issued Report, elaborating somewhat on the missile requirements for carrying various payloads, showing that from any particular rocket, the heaviest payload could be had for a satellite mission, whereas the payload was sharply reduced for projects involving the moon, and still further reduced for shooting as far as Mars.

The plan for establishing the National Aviation and Space Agency was outlined. Dr. Killian emphasized that peaceful space research would long be dependent on Defense Department missiles, yet it was desirable to conduct the non-military research outside of the Defense Department. Hence, the decision to continue ARPA even while setting up NASA. Discussion was very limited, consisting mostly of Sen. Knowland’s interest in being certain that space projects would not be considered a secondary interest by the NACA people, who would be predominant in the new agency. Dr. Killian was able to assure him that the NACA was already enthusiastically pressing into the new field, and the problem would rather be one of overenthusiasm if anything.

Defense Reorganization—Mr. McElroy and Mr. Coolidge made a lengthy presentation of the changes to be recommended by the President. The plan for revising the appropriations process, so that appropriations would be made to the Secretary of Defense (rather than the services) stirred Sen. Bridges’ interest particularly. He thought this was an especially important item because it involved getting into a field that had traditionally belonged to the Congress which always had made specific appropriations to the services. Sec. McElroy pointed out that the customary specific amounts for specific items would be developed as always in the Committee hearings, but by appropriating to the Secretary, and by giving him flexibility, he could modify programs as required by new developments—but he would have to inform the Congress of any changes being made.

At the end of the presentation, the President said he wanted to put a foundation under this in terms of his own thinking. He then spoke at length and with much intensity on the importance of streamlining the security organization to meet modern requirements. Hence came the great need for looking more to the unified commanders, for giving the Secretary greater flexibility, and for eliminating and controlling the rivalries among the services in research and development. He concluded by saying that he wasn’t greatly concerned with the details of changes to be made, just so the Secretary got the authority and the flexibility that would prevent him from being hamstrung in his efforts to get the best defense for the nation.

Sen. Knowland, in response to a direct question from the President, said he had no question about the basic need which concerned the President. He felt, however, that in handling the detailed proposals, there was great need to recognize the concern that people in Congress would have about maintaining their traditional power of appropriating funds; Congress would not surrender this lightly.

The President agreed this would be of concern, then went on to stress again the need for avoiding duplication among the services, especially when the defense budget was getting to $41 billion. If just one billion could be saved through this, he pointed out, it would cover a vast amount of requirements in other places in the government.

Nuclear Test Cessation—The President told the Leaders that the Khrushchev statement on cessation of tests was something anticipated by Administration officials. He said the Administration had had many conferences as to whether we might do something like that if only as a move in the contest for world opinion; but the decision had been made, in the interests of our national security, not to end our nuclear testing.

The President saw some relationship between the Soviet announcement and their frantic search for a Summit meeting—perhaps they hoped this would obviate the need for discussing the problem.

The President asserted that Americans can properly say they want to be friendly, but certainly they must keep their powder dry. A list of all the things the United States has done is being pulled together, the President said, so the best presentation can be made of our position—which we must stick to. The President said he would welcome any new ideas on how to convince the world of our friendliness, and our desire to be decent and peaceful.

L.A. Minnich, Jr.

Copy to:

Mrs. Whitman (2)

Mr. Minnich

1. Source: Outer space; Department of Defense reorganization; nuclear test cessation. Confidential. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries.