Letter from President Dwight D. Eisenhower to Senator Alexander Wiley

SUBIEGT HILL O.F. 155-W01 February 6, 1953 FEQZ 1953 My dear Senator: It gave me a great deal of pleasure to have you present at the luncheon last Tuesday, an d I an indeed gratified that you found it enjoyable. Gertainly I can appreciate your desire for early and definitive comments respecting the St. Laxrenca As you say in your letter, the subject was not included in my Message - and frankly, the omission was intention- al, not because of any inclination to slight this project, XOF99-9-1 but because I have not yet had full opportunity to anale yae thoroughly its complicated and vast ranifications. As you know so well, the Seaway project involves not only our relations with our neighbor, Candida, and large areas of our nation from the econosdo standpoint, but also the XOF183-P national defenso and the fiscal policy of our government with which I am particularly concerned at this time. talad I have requested that all of the interested government x0 F 103 pistles, agencies report fully to ma about this project, and I OF shall see that these various reports are given the prompt and thorough consideration they varrant. Until then I know you will agree that I should not and must not comment publicly on this matter. I should like, however, to reiterate my comments of last June and July in the empaign, that if the project does proceed, I should regret very much to see the United States ex- cluded. Thank you very much for writing to ne. Sinceraly, Presidentaring Honorable Alexander miley United Senate x Washington, D. G. bh/rh