Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Secretary of the Treasury John Snyder, Paul Hoffman, William C. Foster, and James Webb

SCADET JLOHL 005331 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 260 Memorandum of Conversation Carkkas) 294 DATE: November 3, 1949 SUBJECT: ECA Administrator Hoffman's forthcoming trip to Europe. PARTICIPANTS: Secretary of the Treasury John W. Snyder Secretary of State Dean Acheson ECA Administrator Paul G. Hoffman ARCHIVES AND Deputy ECA Administrator William Foster BERVICE** RECORDS Under Secretary of State James E. Webb COPIES TO: G Mr. Rusk s/s-p Mr. Nitze EUR Mr. Perkins BNA Mr. Labouisse 1-1493 On October 25, at a luncheon given by Secretary Snyder, Mr. Hoffman generally outlined his views with respect to the position he should take on his forthcoming trip to Europe, and expressed the feeling that he should press with great vigor for substantial efforts and accomplishments along the lines of the unification of Europe in the economic field as a prerequisite for further ECA appropriations. He seemed to feel that he was in a position to say many difficult things which officials such as the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury could not, and that he was prepared to take the rap for such a vigorous approach. Secretary Acheson outlined the difficulties involved and par- ticularly pointed out the dangers of using terms such as "unification" without being specific as to meaning. He reviewed the various possibilities of action by the European governments and pointed out specifically that the question of surrender of sovereignty was inevitably involved in the establishment of any central banking structure. I gathered the impression that Mr. Hoffman understood the problem as expressed by Secretary Acheson and would adjust his views accordingly. DECLASSIFIED E. O, 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) Depta of State letter, Aug 21-1973 7-23-75 By NLT. HC : NARS Date 4-20-06 SECHEI