Memorandum from Secretary of State Dean Acheson to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachments

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SECRET DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON February 2, 1950 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT TROMAN LATE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND LETTER RECORDS SERVICE" Subject: Topics which may be discussed by President Quirino during his visit to the United States for medical attention. President Quirino comes to the United States at a time in his development when it will be difficult to persuade him to that action which the United States believes may reverse the current trend of economic and financial deterioration. There is doubt that he yet understands fully the difficult dilemma in which his country finds itself. He is also surrounded by advisers who, for the most part, are little more understanding than he is. Furthermore, he has just won a presidential election which, despite known corruption and instances of dishonesty, has filled him with confidence that he has the internal Philippine situation well under control. His not unnatural pride in his accomplishment of having risen to the Presidency from humble origins sometimes obscures in his mind the heavy responsibilities with which he is charged. Typical of his political mistakes have been his ill- considered meeting last summer with Chiang Kai-shek largely for internal political reasons, his manipulation of the Presidential election, his excessive concern with his own political position, DECLASSIFIED PROJECT 78.71 his BYART-HL NARS, Date 3-24-79