Memorandum from Secretary of State Dean Acheson to James Webb and Carlisle Humelsine

40 ARCHIVES 'NATIONAL RECORDS AMD SERVICE February 1, 1951 MEMORANDUM FOR MR. WEBB and MR. HUMELSINE: Today Dr. Alan Valentine came to see me. He had a hand- - written note from the President (the President had previously sent me a similar note). It asked me to see Dr. Valentine and added that the President thought he "had something". Dr. Valentine said that he was talking with the President a day or two ago and the President mentioned his desire to have Dr. Valentine continue to work for the Government. Dr. Valentine replied to the President that there was only one Government job which would interest him. He told the President that in his year with the ECA in Holland, he had thought that a man who had ambassadorial rank and was known to be in a position to have his recommendations listened to by the Secretary of State could be of considerable assistance by traveling around the world and, as he expressed it, straightening out minor but irritating differences in policy between the Department and other agencies abroad. He thought that this could be done simply and without ostentation and without reposing any more than investigatory authority in the individual concerned. I asked him to explain his idea further. He gave as an illustration the fact that American business- men had often come to see him in Holland trying to get his help in selling various types of goods in that country. He had explained to them the necessity for conserving dollars and having the Dutch purchase what they could in areas where they had available currency. The same individuals, he said, would discuss the same question with consular officers who would tell them, doubtless because of instructions they had received some time before, that it was the policy of the Government to assist American businessmen to sell their products abroad. I asked him if he had any other illustrations, but he did not furnish anything further. DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) 3/4/96 CONFIDENTIAL Dept. of State letter, Aug. By NLT- HC NARS Date 6-17-76