Memorandum of Telephone Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson and Secretary of Defense Robert Lovett

502 DECLASSIFTED the a 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or - Dept. of State letter, 5-62-24 SECRET 181 HC NARS Date 7-16-36 SECURIT s. : ARCHIVES SERVICE" RECORDa NATIONAL AND June 6, 1952 conf s/s Mr. Lovett olled Mr. Acheson this morning and said he had two or three problems in connection with his preas conference which he wished to discusa with the Secretary. He said that he had et his last two conferences called the biological warfare and poison gas propaganda of the Russians a lie. He wondered whether he should go into it again. The Secretary said he thought we had to go right on denying these reports and point out the complete incon- sistency of the statements the Soviet Government puts out - that they want to relieve tensions when they are deliberately building them up. Mr. Lovett said that he would point out that to pump this stuff into the world knowing it was false was the most reckless action on the part of the Soviets, it was inconsistent and one must have a strong stomach and a weak mind to be fed such disgusting diet daily. The Secretary said this was so particularly when they refused to have an impartial inquiry. Mr. Lovett questioned the purpose of this abusive campaign and the carefully prepared POW attempts to provide retalia- tion. in the past, he seid, such efforts preceded some sort of military action as e preliminary step in military strategy. Mr. Lovett said he did not know the answer. Certainly it was the height of inconsistency for the Russians to talk of reliev- ing world tensions when they deliberately built them up. He wondered if he should brand them a lie and let it go at that. Mr. Acheson said he would be very coreful about the last thing - "that this is often preparation for military action." Just es Mr. Lovett reported was all right up to that point - but net would leave that out. Mr. Lovett wondered if the Secretary wished him to 3 say anything in connection with the situation in Western Europe which might be helpful. SECRET SEGURITY FORMATION