Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, President Harry S. Truman, and Secretary of Defense Robert Lovett

NLT 830 DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) SECRE Depr. of State letter, 5-12-76 OSD LTR 12-19-77 By NLT- HC 9 NARS Date/-1f.7f SECURITY INFORMATION PROJECT NLT 77-84 51 February 8, 1952 S/S This morning after the Cabinet Mr. Lovett and I met with the President to discuss the attached memorandum of February 8, recommening maintenance of the present United States position regarding return of prisoners of war. I presented the matter to the President and informed him of the series of conferences which we had had with Mr. Lovett, the Service Secretaries and the Joint Chiefs. The President went over the memorandum. Mr. Lovett then said to the President that he did not oppose the President's approval of this memorandum. He said that the position presented by the State Department was very persuasive and he said that there was not unanimity of opinion between the three Service Secretaries or between the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He asked that the memorandum should not be regarded as "definitive", by which he meant, as indicated by his remarks, final and irrevocable. He re- ported his conversation with some of the Senators who were signatories to the proposed resolution on non-forcible return of prisoners, stating that he had persuaded them that the present resolution was not properly drafted, and that any resolution at this time would be harmiful. He assured them that they would be informed prior to any change in present policy, and he stated to the President and me that he thought that at some time a properly drafted resolution on this subject might be very helpful in the negotiations. He thought that we could go ahead at once in implementing the memorandum. When he concluded, the President stated his approval of the memorandum and noted his approval on the attached copy and upon a duplicate original which he gave to Mr. Lovett. Carlos Es: TRUMAN AND SERVICE" CURDS After we had left the President I spoke with Mr. Lovett about the suggestion made yesterday that perhaps an officer of this Department should accompany a representative of the Joint Chiefs SECURITY INFORMATION