REGULATION OF 'ARMAMEVINTS4


feeler on the atomic energy problem or to press reports ofa Ifresh ap-
proach on this subject by the United States.
   Mr. Hickerson said that he knew of no feeler by the Russians; cer-
tainly Malik had not approached him. As regards a new approach by
the United States, Mr., Hickerson cited the President's press con-
ference staitment of February 26 and gave Sir Derick a copy of the
statement made by the Secretary on January 18 on this suibject [at that
press conference the Secretary stated that we would continue to con-
,sider the problem "But I see no reason why we should change, and
there is nothing in the works, as far (as I know, which would lead us
to change,"],.7 Sir Derick noted that the President's statement was
cven more categorical .than that "of the Secretary, and Mr. Hickerson
explained that the Secretary had spoken with the thought in mind
that the P resident would shortly make this statement.
   Mr. Hickerson said that he was seeking to nail down even omore
-explicitly the thought contained in the Secretary's statement. He felt
that the control plan would apply to hydrogen bombs ,as well as to
vconventional atomic bombs since iafter all uranium was an essential
component of the hydrogen bomb,
   The discussion turned to Walter Lippman's 8 article of this morn"
ing. Sir Derick ,agreed with Mr. Hickerson -hat-the control plan had
not beco'me obsolete simply becaus8e the Soviets now had the bomb.
A control plan, Mr,6Hickersorirfelt., was as necessary as ever; we did
not think that our plan was necessarily perfeta and were willing to
consider Soviet suggestions, butt not to accept any which iould make
ýthe plan ineffective. Sir Derick agreed that there was no ,possibility
ýof progress if the Soviets would not accept an effectiva tplan, He
hoped we would keep the British informed if anything new developed.
                                                JOHN D. ,ItCK   SON
  The following exchange occurred at the President's press conference of
February 2:
  "Q. Mr. President, Senator Vandenberg [Arthur H. Vandenberg of IMichigan]
,yesterfday said that he Wished that VYou would followu your directive on
the
superbomb With a formal notification to the United Nationls, fir-t'that You
have
-ordered work to proceed on it; s 9confd, that the United States- stands
ready to
:suspend the project at the n-oment Soviet Russia-permits adequate international
control.
  "The President: I have no comment on Senator Vandenberg's statement,
but
for your information we have urged constantly that international control
be
accepted by all the nations of the world. Hardly a week goes by that that
matter
is not brought up, at my suggestion, in the United Nations." (Public
Papers of
the Presidents of the United States: Harry S. Truman, 1950 (Washington: Gov-
,ernment Printing Office, 1965), pp. 142-143)
  For the President's statement on the hydrogen bomb, January 31, see footnote
1, p. 513.
  'Brackets appear in the source text.
  "' Syndicated newspaper columnist.


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