483. Memorandum From Ulric Haynes of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Komer)1
RWK
FYI. Wayne Fredericks tells me that this morning George Ball took the position that the US has nothing to worry about in the event of a Rhodesian UDI. Wayne and Joe Sisco argued to the contrary and pressed again for the public release of our message to Smith.
Ball’s initial reaction was that UDI is inevitable and there is no point in releasing our statement to coincide with it. Fredericks and Sisco insisted; Ball then agreed to refer the whole matter to the Secretary.2 AF is, therefore, preparing a telegram to Salisbury for the Secretary to sign off on authorizing the release of our message.
Already UK Embassy officials here are wondering why we seem so reluctant to release the statement. I presume the same concern is growing in London. Time is running short and the release of the statement is our last remaining deterrent trump card. Is there any chance that Bundy might give the Secretary a gentle nudge on this one?3
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Rhodesia, Vol. I, Memos and Miscellaneous, 12/63–1/66. Secret. “To McGB.,” with a question mark, appears in Komer’s handwriting on the source text.↩
- A memorandum from Haynes to Bundy later on October 19 stated that Ball had referred the matter to the Secretary, who refused to clear release of the statement. (Ibid.)↩
- The following sentence is added in Komer’s handwriting: “After all, the President did tell Wilson we’d make appropriate public noises.”↩