Secretary’s memoranda, lot 53 D
444
The Under Secretary of State (Webb) to the President
1
[Washington,] January 5,
1951.
Memorandum for the President
Subject: Congressional Debate on Foreign Policy
during the Eighty-second Congress
It is clear that your State-of-the-Union message and Senator
Taft’s announced
statement on foreign policy will precipitate the full-scale debate
on foreign policy which is brewing.2 Under the
circumstances this is both inevitable and desirable.
Although the Administration policies are sound and are consistent
with the natural inclinations of most Americans, dangerous confusion
has been created in the public mind by persistent Republican
attacks. The Republicans in Congress have been and are well
organized to conduct this debate. The Democrats in the Congress have
not been well organized to combat these attacks effectively. If they
are to make a clear and convincing statement of policy which will be
understood and supported despite Republican efforts to create
confusion, it is now imperative that they be organized by the
leadership. Your meeting with the new leadership on Monday morning
is an ideal opportunity to start this organization, and in view of
the urgency it should not be delayed beyond that time.3 Enclosed is a
memorandum of suggested points which it is recommended you take up
with the leadership at this meeting.
[Enclosure]
Notes for Conference With Leadership on
Foreign Policy Debate4
1. Impress on leadership the vital importance to country of
creating an understanding of our foreign policy and support for
it out of the confusion which the Republicans have created
during the last campaign and are still trying to create. Mention
the particular importance of public support of the policy of
collective security as contrasted with the isolationism being
preached by Hoover,
Taft, and [Joseph] Kennedy.
2. Point out that there is no common “Republican policy”—their
entire effort has been to create confusion by attacking
Administration
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efforts.
They have been able to do this with great success because they
are very well organized both in the Senate and the House and
have an effective speech-writing machine.
3. Democratic foreign policy as carried out by the President and
as enacted by the Congress during the last several years is
fundamentally sound and is consistent with the natural
sympathies of the American people. What we must do is to make it
plainly understood despite the organized Republican efforts to
spread confusion and doubt.
4. In view of the Republican organization, it is absolutely vital
that the Democratic leadership in the Senate and the House
create an even better organization to support the Democratic
program. To do this it will be necessary to arrange for a group
of able speakers to make speeches on the Floor in an organized
program which the leaders personally keep on schedule.
5. The President’s State-of-the-Union message on Monday will open
the debate. It is understood that Senator Taft is planning to make a full
statement of his views on foreign policy immediately thereafter.
The Democrats in the Senate and the House should therefore be
prepared to start their speeches in the next day or so.
6. The President will depend on the leadership to make these
arrangements with the Senators and Representatives whom the
leadership feels are most appropriate and best qualified.
7. The President has reiterated Ms standing directions to the
State Department to be available to the leadership on a
day-and-night basis to help them and any of the members who are
joining in this effort to clarify public understanding of the
issues through furnishing materials, drafting speeches, and
whatever else may be requested. They shall call upon Mr.
Webb for this.
