Cabinet Meeting Minutes

CABINET MEETING, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1951 Acheson Snyder Absent Harriman AND Webb for State REGORDS Foley for Treasury COMMANDER - Briefed Cabinet on Korea. WEBB NATO meeting at Ottawa was a success. Turkey and Greece are be- ing admitted to the Western Europe Defense group. This is a real ac- complishment. The other significant development is the desire of European nations to make the North Atlantic Pact more than a mere military assis- tance pact. In Iran the situation is still critical. VICE PRESIDENT Tax bill has been reported out to Senate floor where it will now be debated. Asked for policy on ratification of Japanese Peace Treaty. THE PRESIDENT The Treaty will not be sent to Congress this session. It will probably be sent to Congress in January. LOVETT There is no "push button" war in sight. We are experimenting with guided missles but we have not had them reach a state of perfection. They may reach a stage of perfection by 1954 but until then the conventional methods of waging war will be continued. It is vital to our own protection to keep Iranian oil out of Rus- sian hands. If they get this oil they will be able to prolong a war twice as long as they could without this source of supply. THE PRESIDENT Told Wilson that he wanted him to crack down on rent gouging of GI's in Alaska (one room shack with no water facilities renting for $ $100 a month.)