Papers, 1953-61 _
(Ann:whi tran file)
Sisenhower!
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my _wOP SECKET
provide additional help to France, because of the transcendent importance of that country.
The President then pointed out that in less than six weeks
the legis’ative leaders of Congress would be coming to this very room
in order to be briefed on what the Administration proposes to do in
the way of military assistance and other national security programs.
If at that time we are unable to tell them anything in detail about
whet we are proposing to do for the French, whet are we then expected
to say to these leaders?
Director Brundage stated that the Budget Bureau felt the
same ebout essistence to France as it had eerlier felt ebout assistance to Taiwan--in short, the Budget wished to pin down the assistence more closely even iP it proved to be necessary to change our
views later on.
Mr. Cutler sugsested that a possible solution would be to
omit the bracketed langunce in paragraph 41, but state elsewhere that
this lensuege should be considered as one of the factors in developing our programs for France.
The President observed that he seemed to hold a position
sonewhet different from that of anyone else. Thus he asread with the
views of the Planning Board majority on the need for greater detailed
guidance for FY 1959; but he agreed with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on
the undesirability of too detsiled guidance to cover our essistance to
France in subsequent fiscel years. Thereafter, there ensued a discussion between Secretery Dulles end Mr. Cutler as to precisely what, on
the assumption thet the brecketed language of paragraph 41 were in-_
cluded, the United States wes prerared to do to assist France in FY
1959
As far es he could see, said Secretsry Dulles, we would be do-
ing’nothing whetever for the French. Hr. Cutler pointed out that we
should try to do eas much es we could for France without resort to
grent aid, althouch that wes not excluded if it proved essential.
Secretary Dulles then re-emphesized the view thatthe stakeswareso
eere
great for tne United States in France ‘+weccecetaeeee tenes en enene
a a a a ed
Thereupon Mr. Cutler reverted to the suggestion he had earlier made, that we were going in eny csse to have to examine our policy toward France in a year's tima, and if the bracketed languege were
deleted, account might be taken elsewhere of the considerations in it.
Secretary Dulles agreed vith this propossl, and said, for exemple, that
the deleted lengusce eculd be Pleced in en eppendix. He arreed with
the general statement on this matter made by Secretary Quarles.
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REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHTD. BESENHOWER LIBRARY
France only with reimbursable aidin FY 1959.
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