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THE PRESIDENT:
Please sit down.
go right to questions.
Q.
Good morning.
Mr. President, Smith of the United Press.
munist leader Khrushchev, in London,
We will
The Com-
says that Russia will
soon have guided missiles with H-bomb warheads capable of
hitting every point, or any point in the world.
Governor
Stassen last night in London talked with Mr. Khrushchev on
disarmament issues and Mr. Stassen said he was sending you
an immediate report. I wonder if you could tell us first,
sir, how you evaluate the Khrushchev statement, and second
have you heard from Governor Stassen‘’
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I will answer it in reverse order,
because I know the exact answer. Yes, I heard from Governor
Stassen -- had his report this morning, which is long enough
to require more study than I would -- than I have been able
weet
Now I know of no reason why the Soviets should be making
-
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me
ae
ne
a.
mis-statements in this field, and I certainly don't accuse **-~
them of any such thing. But I do want to point out:
there
is a very, very long distance between a laboratory capacity
or capability of doing something and making an instrument
a really efficient, effective instrument of war.
These
instruments are, of course, very expensive, require elaborate
guiding equipment, and we know how expensive these things are
when you put them on airplanes. So it is not a simple matter
that we are talking about, when you talk about these things
as useful in the event of war.
Q. Mr. President, Scherer, NBC. Could you give us any
specific views on how NATO might be broadened politically
and economically‘
TH PRESIDENT: Well, no I couldn't give you specific views,
Mr. Scherer, for this reason. Here is something that I have
been interested in for the past four or five years, and I
have always believed that greater usefulness was inherent in
REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHT D.
EISENHOWER LIBRARY
the organization that was established by the NATO nations
than was to be represented merely in its usefulness as a
military organization.
Now the Secretary of State at the meeting this coming -within a few days -- the NATO meeting -- is going to make
certain proposals, and they will be there discussed; and
when they -- if there is any answer and agreement, rather,
among the NATO nations, why then it will be published.
Q.
Mr. President, ---
+
to give it before I would want to comment on it at any
length,