Presidential Papers, Doc#865 Cable. Confidential To Bernhard, Prince Consort of the Netherlands, 7 May 1954. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower
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Document #865; May 7, 1954
To Bernhard, Prince Consort of the Netherlands
Series: EM, AWF, International Series: Bernhard ; Category: Cable. Confidential
The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XV - The Presidency: The Middle Way
Part V: Maintaining "a united defense"; April 1954 to August 1954
Chapter 10: Losing the war "they could not win"

 

Sorry for delay in answering your letter.1 State Department believes it inadvisable to include Dr. Conant and Mr. Hughes in discussion as they feel it impossible for them to attend in "private" capacity and believe that anything they might say would be interpreted as an official statement of our government.2 I concur in your suggestion that political and labor representatives be included and tentatively offer the following as possibilities. For labor I would suggest David J. McDonald, President of the United Steel Workers, and a member of the American Federation of Labor to be designated by George Meany.3 For political leaders I would suggest that at least two members of Congress be invited, and would suggest a Republican and a Democrat from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. If you wish, I will be glad to put out feelers in both directions, with the official invitations to be extended by you later. Please let me know what we should do about all this.4

With warm regard, As ever

1 Prince Bernhard had written about a non-governmental conference he had arranged. Representatives from nine Western European countries and the United States would discuss issues that had caused friction between Europe and the United States--issues that had been identified through an eighteen-month confidential and unofficial study (Apr. 27, 1954, AWF/I: Bernhard; for background on the Prince Consort see Galambos, NATO and the Campaign of 1952, no. 541). The study had cited such problems as failure by the United States to consult with the governments involved before announcing policies (Bernhard to Jackson, Mar. 26, 1954, AWF/I: Bernhard; for more on the conference held in the Netherlands see Cook, The Declassified Eisenhower, p. 342).

2 "Another thing is," Bernhard had written, "that personally I do not see why Mr. Conant [James B. Conant, High Commissioner for Germany] or Mr. Hughes [John C. Hughes, U.S. Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council] could not perhaps attend--as private individuals!" (Bernhard to Eisenhower, Apr. 27, 1954, ibid.). Deputy Under Secretary of State Robert Daniel Murphy advised the President that "it would appear undesirable" for the two ambassadors to attend the meeting. . . . Such topics as the hydrogen bomb and `McCarthyism' may be discussed . . . and I believe that our Ambassadors, who could hardly divest themselves of their official capacities, might be placed in a difficult situation (Murphy to Whitman, May [10?], 1954, ibid.). For background on Murphy see Galambos, NATO and the Campaign of 1952, no. 16.

3 The representatives from Europe were more diversified than those from the United States, Bernhard had written. "From the U.S. we have no politicians of actual high rating from either party, nor Science, nor--Trade Unions!!" He was concerned that influential businessmen would "not be a really good counterpart for the purpose of our discussions."

4 Bernhard would ask Eisenhower to suggest two members of Congress (Bernhard to Eisenhower, May 10, 1954, ibid.). On the advice of House Majority Leader Halleck, however, Eisenhower would reply that "the Legislative program is at such a critical point in the Congress that it would be extremely detrimental to its successful enactment to have any appropriate members of the Congress leave the country" (Eisenhower to Bernhard, May 13, 1954, ibid.). For developments see no. 1169.

Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. Cable. Confidential To Bernhard, Prince Consort of the Netherlands, 7 May 1954. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 865. 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/865.cfm

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