406. Record of Telephone Conversation Between Wadsworth and Herter1
Ambassador Wadsworth telephoned from Geneva, saying his call was in the nature of an S.O.S.—not a panicky one but a considered one. The situation there is now one where the other people came back to focus on duration. The Ambassador has been stalling on duration and in so doing has been piling up unnecessary suspicions at a time when we should be showing movement. He emphasized the fact that they really needed help.
I said we tried to get it settled this week. The President just finished his State of the Union Message. An appointment has been set for 9:00 a.m. Monday morning and we would shoot word to him immediately after. The Ambassador did not think there was any question as to what the answer will be, and I said I didn’t think so either. I said we were having a session with the Secretary and Mr. McCone this afternoon and that I thought McCone wanted to discuss the fall-back position which he felt we are likely to be coming to. Ambassador Wadsworth felt it was important to work out something on that basis for possible later use. However, he said they have to have something that will show some movement to hold them another week or so. He added that he knew how things work but that he was really yelling for help; he would appreciate it if I would pass his request on to the people who have to make the final decisions; and that the whole point is we have to strengthen our own situation. I said we could get something to him by telephone on Monday and Wadsworth thought this was a wonderful idea.
I asked how things were otherwise and Wadsworth said that today’s session was mild and short. I said I understood that the Killian group had come up with 3 or 4 ways on what we want accomplished without increasing the number of posts too much. It is mostly scientific data. Wadsworth said that would re-establish us as bona fide. They have so much suspicion. I added that it follows pretty much their line that science will show the way, and Wadsworth thought there was something in that.
Wadsworth ended by saying that he just wanted to convey the sense of urgency there; that they can stall but it just does not look good on the record. I said we would do our best.
- Source: Need for decisions on U.S. position in cessation of nuclear testing talks. No classification marking. 1 p. NARA, RG 59, Central Files, 110.12–HE/1–959.↩