132. Memorandum From the Director of the U.S. Information Agency (Murrow) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)1

Ambassador Tuthill, our permanent representative to the OECD, has come up with a proposal which I believe will have great impact not only among the Western European countries but more particularly in the uncommitted countries of the world. It is an idea which I believe will interest the President.

As you know, the OECD will hold its first meeting on the Ministerial level in Paris on November 16–17. This will give Western European nations the opportunity to review the economic success they have achieved over the last 12 years as a result of the cooperative efforts symbolized by the OEEC, the Marshall Plan, the Common Market, Steel and Coal Community, the European Payments Union, etc. In summarizing these achievements, it can be shown that the economic vitality of the West is far greater under our capitalistic system than any like achievements which can be boasted by the Soviet bloc.

The second part of this proposal, which I find even more important, is that the representatives of the OECD nations would outline a vigorous economic plan for the future. They should set goals for the next five [Page 250] or ten years not only for their own countries but also for the aid in the development and economic progress of the less favored nations of the world.2 Details of this plan are contained in the telegram from Ambassador Tuthill which I attach to this memorandum.3

The time is short for obtaining the approval of all the nations involved in this plan but I think it can be done if Ambassador Tuthill is given the go ahead signal right away. He has in his hands in Paris all the necessary elements. USIA would of course be prepared to bring this story to all parts of the world as soon as the Ministerial conference had approved the plan.

Edward R. Murrow
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Departments and Agencies Series, USIA, Box 290. A handwritten note on the memorandum by Bromley Smith reads: “Kaysen’s views attached.” Another handwritten note by Bundy reads: “I told him on phone OK.” The memorandum was passed to Bundy under cover of a November 2 memorandum from Kaysen. (Ibid.)
  2. Kaysen’s November 2 memorandum included the following comments regarding economic goals: “Murrow is right; it would be an excellent idea to get something agreed on this. . . . The general line we [the Council of Economic Advisers, including participation by officials from the Departments of State and Treasury and Kaysen] have discussed is to set growth goals in absolute terms for the whole OECD community by the end of the decade. The numbers involved are something on the order of 50% increase in the combined gross product of the whole area by 1970.” Such an agreement was reached at the OECD’s opening Ministerial meeting.
  3. Cedto 295 from Paris, October 27. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Departments and Agencies Series, Department of State, 11/1/61-11/5/61) For additional information on this OECD Ministerial Meeting, see Foreign Relations, 1961–1963, vol. IX, Document 127.