Presidential Papers, Doc#412 Memorandum To Paul Thomas Carroll, 11 September 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower
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Doc #413

Document #412; September 11, 1953
To Paul Thomas Carroll
Series: EM, AWF, Administration Series ; Category: Memorandum
The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIV - The Presidency: The Middle Way
Part III: The Space Age Begins; October 1957 to January 1958
Chapter 6: Building strength when there is "no perfect answer"

 

It seems to me that the next to the last paragraph of the letter drafted by the Bureau of the Budget is not well drafted.1 Under our policies we are striving to get state, local and private interest into these projects, and I think that we should so state. Instead of this the original draft intimates that we are not particularly concerned in conferring with state authorities, but would not publicly object to this if we could not help ourselves.

Please discuss this point with the Bureau of the Budget, and then dispatch to Governor Murray either draft that seems to you proper in the circumstances.2

I am handling it this way because it is possible that there is something in the whole affair that I do not sense.

1 On August 21 Johnston Murray (LL.B. Oklahoma City College of Law 1946), a Democrat and Oklahoma's Governor since 1951, had sent Eisenhower a statement from the Oklahoma Planning and Resources Board (WHCF/OF 155). Both the board and Murray were alarmed because two federal agencies (the Interior and Agriculture departments) had formulated conflicting plans for the development of the Washita River basin, plans they feared would fail to provide adequate water supplies to certain areas. Murray had requested an independent investigation by the Bureau of the Budget. On September 8 Deputy Budget Director Rowland Hughes had sent Eisenhower a draft reply to Murray for the President's signature.

2 On this same day Eisenhower would send Governor Murray a staff-drafted letter assuring him that the matter was still under review: "Responsible Federal officials will, of course, be glad to discuss all these matters with State officials, in line with this Administration's policy of striving to recognize, in this type of project, proper division of interest, authority and responsibility between localities and the Federal government." Murray would repeat his concern in a letter of September 22, and Eisenhower would reassure him on October 20. On October 20 Eisenhower would also direct Secretary of Agriculture Benson to reexamine the plans for the Washita basin: "It seems to me that it would only be proper for the State to determine how the best beneficial use of its water resources can be achieved." Murray would thank Eisenhower in a letter of October 28, and on November 25 Benson would write Eisenhower that his field offices were "working with the local people and with the State to arrive at a solution to this problem which will be in the interest of everyone concerned" (all papers in WHCF/OF 155).

Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. Memorandum To Paul Thomas Carroll, 11 September 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 412. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/412.cfm

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