FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1949, VOLUME VI


Committees and the omission .was approved by the Secretary and the
Secretary of Defense since it was considered that insistence on its-
inclusion mi ghtjeopardize-the entire bill.
   At the request"of 5s/OFA, this office is currently preparingr defini-
 tive statements as to the need for military assistance by certain NEA
 countries to be used as a basis for preliminary wOrk with the Con-
 gress to assure hat supplementarylegis"lation,-When requested, will
 not again be the subj ect'ofmisunderstanding.
 As indicated in the attached memorandum        of August 16 to Dr.
 Be]rkner, itsiS extremely important that' supplementary legislationr
 be obtained in 1950 both as regards'our foreign relations with certain
 of the NEA countries and as to certain US strategic objectives we
 are seeking in these countries.
   In connection with action which NEA       is urgently planning, it
 would be appreciated if you!will advise this office whether the Secre-
 tary's agreement to eliminate the above mentioned provision from
 MAP. legislation currently being considered in; the'Congress has any-
 bearing on the Department's plans to seek supplementary legislation,
 in 1950.'

 'Mr. Gross replied 'to Mr.' MeGhee "in a memorandum of Oetober 3, in
which
 he stated: "It does not seem to -me 'that the decision of the, Administration,
 to restrict the reimbuIrsable 'aid provision ,in the Military Assistance
Bill this-,
 year precludes the Department from proposing an amendment to the Military
 Assistance Legislation when it is submitted next-year for a new authorization.
 ",Before'the Department goes back next year for a further authorization
fofr
 the Military Assistaance Program careful consideration must be given -as-toý
 whether -any"additional countries should be added to the Program -and,
if so, on
 what basis.ý Any such d6termination would need ,to: -be bated upon
a careful
 analysis of specific pr6posed programs 'of -the type-which NEA is presumably
 preparing." (840.20/8-1649)
 A marginal notation by Carl Marcy, the Assistant Legislative Counsel, states,
 that Mr. Gross': memorandum was."Not-sent formally but copy given Robertson
 as setting forth 'our views." David A. Robertson-was Politico-Military
Adviser
 in the Bureau of Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs..


                           Editorial Note

  The Staff of the National Security Council, _on December 23, pre-
pared.a draft report entitled "The Position of the United States with,
Respect to Asia-". The report, numbered-NSC 48/1,' was prepared with
the advice and assistance of representatives of the Secretaries of State
and- Defense and of:other high officials of the United States Gov-
ernment. Parts of the p.aper dealt with the political, economic, and
security interests of the United States in South Asia. Thetext of the
reportis printed in Department of Defense, United -States-IVie tnam
Relatiolns, 1945-1967   (Washington, Government Printing       Office,
1971), Book 8, page 226.


48