Memorandum from Under Secretary of State James Webb to President Harry S. Truman

DLCLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) D.p. of State letter, Aug.9,1973 7-15-55 Bz. NLT- HL , NARS Date 2.2.26 DEPARTMENT OF STATE Secreta WASHINGTON state June 18,1949 CONT IDENTIAL MEMOR ANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT Subject: Your meeting with Acting Chairman Richards SERVIGE'S and Congressman Eaton. and The House Foreign Affairs Committee is now considering the Korean Aid Program. As you know, Judge Kee has been ill for several weeks and is still in the hospital. Mr. Richards, as Acting Chair- man, is having some difficulty in getting the Committee to take action because the Committee has expressed the desire to have Secre- tary Acheson appear before them to discuss the whole Far Eastern situation, and several members desire this prior to final action by the Committee on the Korean Aid Program. I have told them that I will recommend to the Secretary that he appear before the Committee as soon as possible after his return, which in all probability would be before the bill reaches the floor, and have urged the Acting Chairman to try to have the bill reported without awaiting the Secretary's appearance. I believe that Mr. Richards can do this if he can say that he has been urged to do so by you and the House leaders. The present appropriation for Korea expires on June 30, 1949 and unless the present bill, which is an authorization bill with an RFC advance clause, is passed by that date or within a few days thereafter, the program in Korea will be seriously prejudiced. I believe that a statement by you of the urgent necessity of action on the Korean Aid bill by June 30, 1949 is essential and that it might enable Mr. Richards, with Mr. Eaton's support, to obtain early committee action. For your information, the Committee has before it the Institute of Inter-American Affairs extension, the removal of Ceilings on con- tributions to certain UN agencies, and the Agreement on Conflicting Claims to Enemy Assets. I hope it will be able to take action on as many of them as possible before it begins hearings on the Mili- tary Assistance Program. Recommendations: (a) That you stress the urgency of the Korean Aid legislation and ask their assistance and support for early action by the Com- mittee without awaiting an appearance by Secretary Acheson. (b) That CON