Diary Entry

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1954 In at 8:00 A. M. years? The first order of business was the President signing the St. Lawrence Seaway bill in ceremony held in conference room. Sound cameras on hand, and ceremony went off very well. Ferguson, Wiley and Dondero especially pleased as was Representative Kilburn from New York who was invited and who got a pen. After St. Lawrence ceremony President asked Knowland to step into his office for a while and laid down the law to him on the program. Flatly warned Knowland that unless Senate stepped up and started to pass the program more rapidly, the President would go on the air and make his own fight for it. Knwoland promised to try to get speed-up in Senate but pointed out that Democrats were engaging in deliberate slowdown. President said that if he has to go on the air he will "take care of that" - Later in day had a long talk with Gerry Persons, and we decided to recommend that the President wait until the end of May to see what progress the Senate is making. If not sufficient, then Gerry and I will recommend to the President that he take off the gloves and really go out and bang the Senate, both Republicans and Democrats on the Hill. Attended part of NSC meeting for discussion of: 1. Proposal.by Interdepartmental Commission (Treasury, Post Office, Commerce, CIA, Justice) that the Administration seek a bill which would curtail the dissemination within our country of Communist literature from abroad - Brownell outlined problem - Explained that Communist literature was coming into this country in increasing volume. President said that he was doubtful that a bill could do it - "It would be misunderstood and written that the Administration was trying to impose censorship" - After some discussion it was decided todo nothing about this at the time in the form of legislation. Instead it was left in the hands of the Post Office Department. Summerfield explainedthat his men, working in close touch with Customs were keeping very close count of this material moving through the mails and that "you'd be surprised how much of the stuff gets lost and ends up in the dead letter office. " The President approved this plan and the matter was dropped for the time being.