Dear
Bob:1 I am completely puzzled today by the evidence I find of a misunderstanding developing out of our conversation of last evening.2 I have just had talks with Mr. Hagerty, with Secretary Dulles and with one or two others, and I feel I had better put down on paper at once exactly what my understanding of our conversation was and is.
In summary, the story is as follows as I understood it:
(a). I confirmed that the Secretary of State and I wanted you to take over the direction of the Voice of America.
(b). You stated that you felt it impossible to do a good job in this position unless it were organized as a separate agency of government. You thought that the proper place for it to fit in was as an agency reporting to the N.S.C., and through the N.S.C. to me.
(c). I stated that any final decision as to the proper organization of the Voice of America had not yet been made, but I confirmed that the general feeling of administration officials was that the Voice of America should be removed from under the direct supervision of the State Department.3
(d). You stated that there were a number of other details that you would have to clear up before you could make your acceptance positive and that in the meantime, you were being plagued by press people who realized that "something was in the wind" due to the fact that you were in Washington conferring with the administration officials.
(e). To give some immediate answers to press inquiries, I suggested that you say you had been down here conferring with the President and the Secretary of State about these matters, and for the moment you were studying the proposition to determine whether or not you believed you could be helpful.
(f). This arrangement I stated would give you a couple of days to clear up private affairs at the University, and to make up your mind as to whether or not you could accept the post, always subject to the general understanding that as soon as feasible, the agency would be transferred outside of the State Department.
On all these subjects I thought we had a firm and clear common understanding. Now it appears that you thought I meant that you should stay on some indefinite, indeterminate status for a matter of months. This would be entirely impossible because what the Voice of America needs above all else is firm and quick direction.4 Moreover, you emphasized that only as the head of an independent agency would you be able to get the kind of help you needed--men of stature and qualifications that you deemed necessary. To this I agreed, but again such an arrangement would have no validity except under the condition that you would assume responsibility of active direction at an early date.
I most certainly regret, deeply regret, any misunderstanding that could have come about because of lack of clarity of expression on my part. I repeat that I am more than ready to see you take a couple of days to clear up everything before you take the plunge into such a tough job as this. But I am forced to say also that we cannot have the anomalous situation of the Voice of America attempting to carry on its functions without specific direction.
I forgot to say that we also agreed that to state your immediate function to be that of studying this subject would prevent embarrassment in the event that you found in a couple of days that you could not accept. Thus no one that I might later request to take the post would have to feel that he was a "second choice." The point is, however, that the study function was to be a matter of days only--not of months.
If there is any particular in which this statement is not in conformity with your own understanding, won't you please let me know? In any event, it was fine to see you, and of course, I am very hopeful that you can promptly get to work on this important position.5
With warm personal regard, Sincerely
