<--PREV Doc #901  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #903 Document #902; May 28, 1954 To John Foster Dulles Series: EM, AWF, Dulles-Herter Series ; Category: Personal and 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"   Memorandum for the Secretary of State: There are three individuals--all of them strong Republicans--who make continuing verbal and written reports to me that our government is missing a great opportunity in Mexico; that through our "blundering" we are losing the country which could do more than any other to help us in building a solid Pan-American organization.1 The allegations go even further than this. These people even voice the opinion to me that Mexico is acquiring arms from the Soviet and as a result, there is building up on our borders a real local danger.2 Underneath all of this is an implied, though never directly stated, bitter criticism of the qualifications of Ambassador White.3 For my part I have developed a very strong admiration for and confidence in your new Assistant Secretary, Mr. Holland. I would certainly trust his judgment in such matters, if he could have an opportunity to survey the situation carefully.4 What would you think of finding some excuse for him to go to Mexico City for a while, after talking with the three men to whom I refer? They are: Ralph Cake, Robert Burroughs and Ed Bermingham.5 Incidentally, one of these men has forwarded to me a letter from still another individual, who recommends that we designate either General Patrick Hurley or General Crittenberger as our Ambassador to Mexico.6 1 See no. 900 for Edward J. Bermingham's report. For background on U.S.-Mexican relations see State, Foreign Relations, 1952-1954, vol. IV, The American Republics, pp. 1350-52. 2 One of the reports had come from Bermingham, who had written, "I have reason to believe that the shipment of arms into Guatemala is relatively insignificant compared with shipments into Mexico from Spain and Italy" and that activities in the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City paralleled those practiced in Guatemala "prior to the time International Communism became so openly active in that country" (Bermingham to Eisenhower, May 22, 1954, AWF/N; for background on the Guatemalan situation see no. 870). 3 Francis White, a career foreign service officer, had been Ambassador to Mexico since March 1953. 4 Henry F. Holland had become Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs in March 1954. For background on his qualifications see no. 653. Dulles would answer on June 11 that he had discussed the Mexican issue with Holland "in some detail . . . and he already has clear views in the matter which I think you would like to hear personally" (AWF/D-H). Holland, in a meeting with Eisenhower on June 15, would characterize the opinions of the three informants as "Ritz Bar gossip." He assured the President that the Mexican businessmen he knew "admired Ambassador White and thought he was doing a splendid job" (Ann Whitman memorandum, June 15, 1954, AWF/AWD). Meanwhile, Mexican President Ruiz Cortines would organize a campaign to better U.S.-Mexican relations by easing visa restrictions for potential U.S. investors, technicians, and managerial personnel. He would also remove an alleged Communist sympathizer from his staff of advisers and take a more pro-American view of the Communist threat in Guatemala (New York Times, June 9, 1954; State, Foreign Relations, 1952-1954, vol. IV, The American Republics, pp. 1361-67; and U.S. Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, 27 vols. [Washington, D.C., 1985-92], vol. VI, American Republics: Multilateral Relations; Mexico; the Caribbean [1987], pp. 680-97). 5 For Oregon lawyer and Republican National Committeeman Ralph Cake's earlier comments on Eisenhower Administration policy see no. 649; for insurance executive Robert Burroughs's interest in the international community see no. 779. 6 Bermingham had enclosed a letter from Rex Applegate, an American businessman with headquarters in Mexico, who had recommended that the two generals be considered for the post. For background on Hurley, who had previously written to Eisenhower denying any personal interest in the ambassadorship, see Galambos, Chief of Staff, no. 520, and Hurley to Eisenhower, April 26, 1954, Hurley Papers. Crittenberger, retired and living in Texas, had been travelling abroad to gain support for the Volunteer Freedom Corps (see no. 62). For developments see no. 1222. Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. Personal and confidential To John Foster Dulles, 28 May 1954. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 902. 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/902.cfm <--PREV Doc #901  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #903

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