376 Foreign Relations, 1958-1960, Volume IX



took all this in surprisingly good spirit and acknowledged the validity
of my point. At tripartite dinner later in the evening he gave no evidence
of resentment over my frankness. There is no doubt in my mind that
French intransigence at Geneva is directly related to De Gaulle's concept
of acting independently of his allies in raising at the Summit matters on
which he has acquired fixed ideas.
                                                             Herter







146. Memorandum of Conversation

                                          Washington, May 5, 1960.

SUBJECT
    Interview with Senator Hertz
PARTICIPANTS
    Douglas Dillon, Acting Secretary
    Wilhelm G. Grewe, German Ambassador
    Paul Hertz, Berlin Senator for Economic Affairs
    Alfred G. Vigderman, GER
    Senator Hertz thanked the Acting Secretary for his recent speech on
Berlin and Germany. 1 He went on to comment on the Chancellor's pro-
posal for a plebiscite in West Berlin. It was the Senat's view, said Senator
Hertz, that while a plebiscite might one day be useful, it would be wrong
to hold one now. In the first place, the voters of West Berlin had ex-
pressed themselves most forcefully on the side of the West when they
last had an opportunity to vote on December 7,1958.2 They had another
opportunity, which they took the best advantage of, in connection with
the demonstration on May 1, 1960, to show where their sentiments lay.
The Berliners know that dangerous times still lie ahead of them, and that
the forthcoming negotiations with the Russians will be difficult, but they
are quite prepared for what lies ahead.
    Senator Hertz explained that he had come to the United States at
Governing Mayor Brandt's instance. On the same mission, the Mayor


    Source: Department of State, Secretary's Memoranda of Conversation: Lot
64 D 199.
Confidential. Drafted by Vigderman and approved in U on May 11.
    l See Document 130.
    2West Berlin elections took place on December 7, 1958.