Memorandum for James Webb

626 182 CONFIDENTITAL July 7, 1949. S. RECORDS AND MEMORANDUM FOR MR. WEBB Military Commander in Germany After my conversation with the President this morning, a.s reported in a previous memorandum, I saw Secretary Gray preceding the NSC meeting. I apolo- gized for not having called him sooner and said that I have given the matter further consideration. My mature judgment was the one I first expressed to him over the telephone, which vas that, in view of Mr. McCloy's confidence that he could work well with any of the three men mentioned, I thought that the matter was primarily one for decision by the military authorities in the light of all of their necessities, and I was prepared to accept their judgment as to the man they had in mind. Secretary Gray then said, "However, you do have some misgivings, don't you?" I said that it was true that I did have misgivings on account of certain of the quali- ties of the man in question. I was not in so good a position as Mr. McCloy to evaluate these misgivings; and, since he did not appear to share them, I was willing to forget them. DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) 7.15.25 Dept. of State letter, CONFIDLATIOL Bg NLT- HC NARS Date 4.26.76