FOREIGN RELATIONS, 19 50, VOLUME I


         Department of Defense
         Secretary Johnson
         General Omar Bradley
         Major General James H. Burns
         Major General T. H. Landon
           Najeeb Halaby
         National Security Council
           James Lay
           S. Everett Gleason
         Executive Office of-the President
           Admiral S. W. Souers 2
  As Secretary Acheson started to explain the purpose of the meeting,
'Secretary Johnson asked if Mr. Acheson had read the paper.3 Mr.
Acheson said that he read most of it yesterday. Mr. Johnson said that
lhe had not read it nor had General Bradley, and that neither one of
them was going to agree to anything which he had not read. He said
that the paper was brought to his attention at 10: 00 this morning and
that there had, therefore, been no time for him or for General Brad-
ley, who is extremely busy with other matters in connection with his
trip to Europe, to read the paper. He said, further, that he did not like
being called to conferences without having had an opportunity to read
the appropriate material, that this was the fourth time the Depart-
-ment of State had done this to him, and that he did not want any more
.of it. Mr. Acheson asked Mr. Johnson if he would prefer to adjourn
the meeting until some later date when he would have had an oppor-
tunity to read the paper. Mr. Johnson replied that since he and General
Bradley were here they might as well continue with the meeting. He
'wanted to make it perfectly clear, however, that he was going to agree
-to nothing.
   Mr. Acheson explained that it was not intended that any decision
'should be reached at this meeting and that the purpose of the meeting
was merely for the two Secretaries to hear an interim report from the
working group so as to judge whether the subject matter the working
-group was covering was responsive to the President's directive.
Mr. Nitze said that it had been originally planned to suggest the meet-
ing for Friday; but, in view of General Bradley's departure on Thurs-
day, the suggested date had been moved up to Wednesday. Mr. John-
son then told Mr. Nitze that any arrangements for meetings should
-be made only through the Secretary of Defense, and he admonished

  'Consultant to the President on National Security Affairs; Executive Secre-
tary of the National Security Council, 1947-1949.
   For the text of the report in final form, see NSC 68, April 7, p. 235.


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