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Brief Notes on Conversation of 12/16/50 (Saturday) Pace-Acheson Conversation SERVICES STECURDS AND U.S. 1. Eisenhower willing to have the operation of COVERNMENT naming him Supreme Commander on basis of naming him specifically. 2. Read letter drafted by Collins for President to send to Eisenhower. released 3. The letter would be " announced the next day after original announcement of appointment. 4. Secretary said he did not think letter as drafted designated Eisenhower by President. Collins replied that he thought they agreed that Fresident would send Secretary a message designating General Eisenhower as being available and that the Council would make the announcement of the actual appointment. Secreatary said the idea was that the President would send him (the Sec. ) a message saying that, in accordance with the request of the Council, he had designated Eisenhower. Collins agreedd that this would entail changing first sentence, which he agreed to do. 5. Collins said one point which worried Lovett was that no where in the letter did it say categorically that armed forces in Europe are hereby placed under Eisenhower as Supreme Commander. But Lovett thought phrase "hereby assigned operational command, Etc." did it. Sec. agreed. 6. Collins said one point that was necessary to work out was physical means of advising General Eisenhower. This should be by telephone from the President to the General and the letter should be a confirmation rather than an immediate note from President. Secretary said he thought this was right.