eget Tae o SHGHASSIFIED OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WASHINGTON 25, D.C. é fen 20 August 1954 MEMCRANDUM FOR MR. BUTTON SUBJECT: Meeting at Atomio Energy Commission Regarding Proposed Press Release 1. tenfae Mr. Heslep's meeting (scheduled for 15 minutes), hitting a snag or two, lasted for hours and a half. Present were representatives of AEC, USIA, the weather Bureau, and myself, representing Defense and OCB. 2. As expected, the purpose of the meeting was to chew over the proposed press statement, copy attached. with regard to the indicated portion on page S$. y ‘ XL ins > 3. Two difficulties still exist on page 2 of the release. There were some objections from USIA on the paragraph indicated, on the grounds that it was a little weak. This paragraph will be redrafted by the Weather Bureau people without the quotes and phrased somewhat differently. Other more serious problems arose ‘ This statement cannot be madetsifliiiliiiiiiiiiiiiinciiciiisee: eoeeerceeeee The Weather Bureau people will also rephrase or somehow get around this hooker. ; 4. The Weather Bureau people are apparently already reluctant to make this statement on their own, and would have preferred a f . joint Weather Bureau-ARC statement. <IIflIiiiliicli illicit! IPLILLLELDInlIl2Liiiiiil Theage “people, however, were successful in persuading the feather Bureau that the latter should make the release, based on the argument that a release ooming from AEC would give the appearance of an alibi. 5. Iwas assured by Mr. Heslep that this draft release had already been cleared by Defense and the AEC. On that basis I raised no objection, and stated that as far as Defense and OCB were concerned, we would readily agree to whatever solution AEC and the ER LIBRARY Weather Bureau could work out regarding the two points described above. 6. Suggest you forward this draft release and the ccpy ofmy memorandim to Pete Craig for his information. _ “IFIED WITH DELETIONS REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHT D. * 12356, SEC. 3.4(b) «cae ERROINS! -VKELLEHER, oR. +berGebaitasiFRED REPOSITORY wo eek “ te od. COLLECTION Beet ela fees Der ret BOX No. FOLDER c OLE pop?IE( fk * f4e wo Aegal754 )