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HAROLD E. STASSEN:

EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION


A description of a portion of the Harold Stassen papers at the Minnesota Historical Society follows. Links to an overview of this collection and other sections of the collection appear on the left side of the screen.

ORGANIZATION:
This portion of the Harold Stassen papers is organized into the following sections.

Correspondence and Memoranda, 1952-1958

Mutual Security Agency/Foreign Operations Administration, 1952-1957

Mutual Security Agency, 1952-1954

Foreign Operations Administration, 1953-1957

Special Assistant to the President on Disarmament Policy, 1953-1958, 1963


DETAILED DESCRIPTION: EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION

This portion of the papers documents Stassen's activities as a principal participant in cold war international relations. In November 1952 Stassen accepted an appointment from President-elect Eisenhower as the director of the Mutual Security Agency (MSA). The MSA was created in 1951 to provide military, economic, and technical assistance to foreign nations. The functions of the MSA, as well as those of the Technical Assistance Division, the Institute of Inter-American Affairs, and other foreign assistance and economic operations within the executive branch, were transferred to the Foreign Operations Administration (FOA) in August 1953. This consolidation was brought about in order to centralize operations, control, and direction of all foreign and technical assistance programs and to coordinate mutual security activities. Stassen assumed directorship of the new agency and served in that post until accepting an appointment as Special Assistant to the President on disarmament policy in March 1955.

Eisenhower created the position of Special Assistant to the President on disarmament policy as a cabinet level post with responsibility for formulating and negotiating policy on disarmament. While serving as special assistant, Stassen was appointed by Eisenhower in August 1955 as Deputy United States Representative on the Disarmament Commission of the United Nations to sit in the Commission's Sub-committee meetings. The most prominent of these meetings were held in London from March 18th to September 6th 1957. In his book Harold Stassen, His Career, the Man, and the 1957 London Arms Control Negotiations Robert E. Matteson, the Director of the White House Disarmament Staff during this period, described the last ten weeks of these meetings as "the most intensive and dramatic of any negotiations in the post-war period."

Stassen's views regarding disarmament and negotiations with the Russians were strongly opposed by other members of Eisenhower's cabinet, particularly Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. The disarmament talks ended in a stalemate and in February 1958 Stassen left the Eisenhower administration. In a letter to Eisenhower (February 14, 1958) Stassen wrote, "It is my belief that I may now make a larger contribution to your objective of a durable peace, which I share, by reentering the active political field in the Pennsylvania governorship campaign."

Correspondence and Memoranda, 1952-1958

The correspondence consists primarily of incoming materials arranged alphabetically by correspondent and thereunder in approximate chronological order comprised of sets for 1952-1954, 1954-1957, and 1958. Parts of the first set of correspondence were either missing or damaged by water. The carbons of Stassen's outgoing correspondence are also arranged alphabetically by recipient and are filed in two sets for 1953-1955 and 1955-1958. Some overlap exists between the file sets. The memoranda are filed chronologically by month and include telephone messages, meeting reminders, schedule changes, appointments, copies of outgoing telegrams, and internal office memoranda.
Location Box
142.A.19.3B126
Correspondence:
Bl-E, 1952-1954.
Correspondents A-Bk are missing. Salvageable items from correspondents Bl-Br have been photocopied and preserved in this collection.
Location Box
142.A.19.4F127
F-H, 1952-1954.
Location Box
142.A.19.5B128
I-Mc, 1952-1954.
Location Box
142.A.19.6F129
Me-Ri, 1952-1954.
Location Box
142.A.19.7B130
Ro-Wh, 1952-1954.
Location Box
142.A.19.8F131
Wi-Z, 1952-1954.
A-Z, 1953-1955.
A, 1954-1957.
Location Box
142.A.20.1B132
B-Ce, 1954-1957.
Location Box
142.A.20.2F133
Ch-Fl, 1954-1957.
Location Box
142.A.20.3B134
Fo-Ho, 1954-1957.
Location Box
142.A.20.4F135
Hu-Lo, 1954-1957.
Location Box
142.A.20.5B136
Lu-N, 1954-1957.
Location Box
142.A.20.6F137
O-R, 1954-1957.
Location Box
142.A.20.7B138
S-To, 1954-1957.
Location Box
142.A.20.8F139
Tr-Z, 1954-1957.
A-Z, December 1957-February 1958.
Location Box
142.B.9.1B140
Carbons:
Location Box
142.B.9.1B140
A-G, 1953-June 1955.
Location Box
142.B.9.2F141
H-O, 1953-June 1955.
Location Box
142.B.9.3B142
P-Z, 1953-June 1955.
A-Am, 1955-1958.
Location Box
142.B.9.4F143
An-Mc, 1955-1958.
Location Box
142.B.9.5B144
Me-Z, 1955-1958.
Location Box
142.B.9.6F145
Memoranda:
October 1952-May 1953.
Location Box
142.B.9.7B146
June-September 1953.
Location Box
142.B.9.8F147
October 1953-March 1954.
Location Box
142.B.9.9B148
April-September 1954.
Location Box
142.B.9.10F149
October 1954-March 1955.
Location Box
142.B.9.11B150
April-October 1955.
Location Box
142.B.9.12F151
October 1955-August 1956.
Location Box
142.B.9.13B152
September 1956-December 1957.
Location Box
142.B.9.14F153
January-February 1958.

Mutual Security Agency/Foreign Operations Administration, 1952-1957

Location Box
142.B.9.15B154
Correspondence:
Additional correspondence with cabinet members and key persons is also filed within the correspondence.
Benson, Ezra Taft (Secretary of Agriculture), 1953-1954.
Blachly, Fred, 1953.
Caldwell, William E.: Memorandum, speaking engagements, 1953-1954.
Dulles, Allen W., 1953-1954.
Dulles, John Foster (Secretary of State), 1953-1954.
Durkin, Martin P. (Secretary of Labor), 1953.
Eisenhower, Dwight D.:
Correspondence:
Prior to January 1953.
1953-1954.
News clippings, 1952-1954. 2 folders
Press releases, 1953.
Speeches:
"The Chance for Peace," April 16, 1953.
"Atomic Power for Peace," December 8, 1953.
1st and 2nd State of the Union messages: Drafts, 1953-1954. 2 folders
Eisenhower, Dr. Milton, 1953.
Hagerty, James C., 1953, 1955.
Location Box
142.B.9.15B154
Harriman, Averill, 1952-1953.
Hauge, Dr. Gabriel, 1953.
Hobby, Mrs. Oveta Culp (Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare), 1952-1954.
Hoover, J. Edgar, 1952-1953.
Houghton, Mrs. Hiram C. Houghton, 1953.
Humphrey, George (Secretary of Treasury), 1952-1954.
Matteson, Robert E., 1952-1954.
Naughten, Thomas, 1953.
Nixon, Richard M., 1952-1953.
Rand, William Mcnear, 1953.
Riley, General William E., 1953-1954.
Schweitzer, Albert, 1953.
Stephens, Thomas P., 1953.
Wallace, DeWitt, 1953.
Wilson, Charles E. (Secretary of Defense), 1952-1954.
Location Box
142.G.8.4F-12
Citations, 1953, [1955].
Location Box
142.A.14.2F82
Contact cards, 1953-1955. 1 file box.
Miscellaneous contacts; cabinet, military, agency, and White House personnel; evaluation groups; and committees.
FOA personnel file, [1953].
Location Box
142.B.9.15B154
Office of Personnel Security and Integrity (P.S. & I.):
On March 5, 1953 Stassen issued an announcement (Office Announcement 60) that a new position, the Assistant Director of Personnel Security and Integrity, within the Mutual Security Agency had been established for the purpose of managing the agency's employment functions. Appointed to the position was Thomas E. Naughten. Stassen created this position with the expectation that President Eisenhower would issue an order replacing the federal loyalty program with a federal employee security program and, indeed, Executive Order 10450 was issued April 27, 1953 which vested each department head internal responsibility for "establishing and maintaining within his department or agency an effective program to insure that the employment and retention in employment of any civilian officer or employee within the department or agency is clearly consistent with the interests of national security" (Sec. 2, Executive Order 10450). Due to the security risks involved in the nation's foreign aid operations, Naughten's office conducted personnel investigations using F.B.I. and other sources to determine the loyalty and integrity of not only current employees, but also of prospective employees, as well as private companies and organizations involved with the agency's missions. When the Mutual Security Agency was transformed into the Foreign Operations Administration, the Office of Personnel Security and Integrity was also transferred under the new administration. Stassen continued to use the services of this office when he was named Special Assistant to the President on Disarmament.
Location Box
142.B.9.15B154
General, undated and January-August 1953. 2 folders
Employee Security Program, 1953-1955.
Fraud matters handled, April 1955.
General political, 1954.
General security information, 1953-1954.
Location Box
142.B.9.14F153
Individual cases handled involving fraud and related matters, January 27, 1953-April 15, 1955. 1 partial file box.
Location Box
142.B.9.15B154
Loyalty and non-membership certification, 1953-1954. 2 folders
Location Box
142.B.9.16F155
Investigations:
Access to these files is restricted until 2020.
Checks for Tom E. Naughten, 1953-1957.
A-P, 1953-1955.
LocationBox
142.B.10.1B156
Q-Z, 1953-1955.
Investigations and security checks:
Access to these files is restricted until 2020.
A-Z, 1955-1957.
Location Box
143.E.9.6F3
Photographs:
Portraits:
Harold E. Stassen in his White House office and the Stassen family, [1953-1957].
President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Doud Eisenhower, undated and 1955.
LocationBox
+Res.16
President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Doud Eisenhower (autographed), undated.
Location Box
142.G.8.4F-12
Group Portrait: Eisenhower cabinet and staff, [1953-1955].

Mutual Security Agency, 1952-1954

Location Box
142.B.10.2F157
Appointment and nominations as Director of Mutual Security, January 1953.
Bill to amend Mutual Security Act, June-July 1954.
Crusade for Freedom, 1953.
Evaluation report, March 24, 1953.
Location Box
142.B.10.2F157
"Frigorest": A plan for an inter-railway refrigerated transport cooperative for the shipment of perishables from Eastern Europe to the markets of Central and Western Europe, 1953.
Mutual Security Evaluators Program, 1953.
National Security Council, 1953.
News clippings:
General, 1952-1953.
MSA appointment, 1952.
Stassen-McCarthy, March-June 1953.
Petty cash: Office, 1953.
Location Box
143.E.9.6F3
Photographs:
Some original photographs have been placed in the Minnesota Historical Society reserve collection (Res. 62, Box 214). Photocopies of these photographs remain in the collection.
Engagements and speaking events, 1953.
Western European capitals tour, January-February 1953.
Middle East and South Asia trip, May 1953. 2 folders
Location Box
142.B.10.2F157
Psychological Strategy Council, 1953.
Report to Congress, June 30, 1953.
Senate Judiciary Committee statement, April 9, 1953.
University of Pennsylvania, 1953.
Washington Office Evaluation Team (Fink, Moore, Gravlin), 1953.
Personnel:
Domestic, 1953-1954.
Foreign, 1953.
Vacancy report, July 24, 1953.

Foreign Operations Administration, 1953-1957

Location Box
142.B.10.2F157
Study of Selected African Countries: Preparatory to the FOA Submission to the Bureau of the Budget for Fiscal Year 1956, September 16, 1954.
Biographical sketch, 1955.
Chart Room data, 1953-1954.
Location Box
+257212
Citation from the Pakistan USOM, 1955.
Location Box
142.B.10.2F157
Crank and anonymous letters, 1954-1955.
Location Box
142.G.8.4F-212
Facts Forum #26: "Harold Stassen Interviewed by Cabell Phillips," November 18, 1953. 1 film reel (ca. 45 minutes): sound, b&w; 16 mm + 1 text.
Location Box
142.B.10.2F157
FBI: Current intelligence summary, March 1954-1955. 4 folders
1955 FOA Bill: Congressional and senatorial hearings, 1954. 2 folders
Location Box
142.B.10.2F157
Foundation for American Research, 1955.
French/Italian Women's Project, March-December 1954. 4 folders
In September 1954 Stassen appointed Alice K. Leopold, Director of the Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor, as chair of a special survey group to review the FOA programs and their relationship to the economic interests and problems of women as they affected family life in cooperating European countries.
Leopold and seven United States women leaders visited Italy and France from October 4th to November 1st, 1954 and interviewed nearly 200 women community leaders in the two countries with the objective of selecting 40 from each country to make a two month visit to the United States. The papers related to the creation of the survey group and the European trip include correspondence, memoranda, reports, itineraries, and news clippings. The final report was submitted to Stassen by Leopold on November 22, 1954.
The remainder of the papers (December 1954-December 1955) primarily document the process employed in selecting the women to visit the United States and the personal background of each woman selected, as well as the programs they participated in. A report of this phase of the project, entitled Women Community Leaders from France and Italy (December 1955), is also included.
Location Box
142.B.10.3B158
French/Italian Women's Project, 1955. 4 folders
Labor, 1954-1955. 3 folders
Latin America Regional Conference of the FOA, January 14-19, 1954.
Miscellaneous unfiled, 1952-1957.
News clippings, 1953-1955. 4 folders
Notes, 1953-1956. 4 folders
Operation Reindeer, November 1953-March 1954. 2 folders
Correspondence, memoranda, telegrams, and news clippings related to a special food program administered by the FOA in Western Europe which involved the delivery of four million packages of appropriate assorted United States surplus foods direct to families in need before the Christmas holidays.
Location Box
142.B.10.4F159
Pamphlets and fact sheets:
Background information and public reports, 1953-1954.
Country series, [1952]-1955.
Location Box
142.B.10.4F159
Miscellaneous, [1953-1955].
Includes five pamphlets describing the FOA's technical cooperation and escapee programs, as well as reports of mission operations in Formosa and Iran.
Location Box
143.E.9.6F3
Photographs:
Engagements and speaking events, 1954-1955. 3 folders
Original photographs of Stassen meeting with Yugoslavian officials, including Marshall Tito, in October of 1954 have been placed in the Minnesota Historical Society reserve collection. Photocopies of these photographs remain in the collection.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, January 15-17, 1954.
Far East trip, February 12-18, 1954.
Taiwan, February 1954. 2 folders
Location Box
142.G.8.4F-12
Political cartoon, 1955.
Location Box
142.B.10.4F159
Presidential message regarding Mutual Security Program, 1955.
Press releases, 1953-1955. 5 folders
Missing FOA numbers 3, 9, 118, and 208.
Public relations: Riley, etc., 1953-1954.
Reports:
Semi-annual report to Congress on the Mutual Security Program, December 31, 1953.
Randall Report (President's Commission on Federal Economic Policy), January-March 1954.
East-West Trade Trends: Mutual Defense Assistance Control Act of 1951 (The Battle Act): Fourth Report to Congress, Second Half of 1953, May 17, 1954.
Semi-annual report to Congress on the Mutual Security Program, December 31, 1954.
The Mutual Security Program Fiscal Year 1956: A Summary Statement, May 1955.
Report to the President on the Foreign Operations Administration, January 1953 to June 1955, June 30, 1955.
Soviet Bloc Economic Activities in the Free World: Mutual Defense Assistance Control Act of 1951: Sixth Report to Congress, Second Half of 1954, June 30, 1955.
Secretarial help (Saturdays), 1953-1954.
The Shield: FOA social organization, December 1953.
Stassen, Harold E.:
Addresses, messages, etc., 1953-1954.
Memberships: Clubs, organizations, etc., 1953-1954.
Personal, 1953-1954.
Location Box
142.B.10.4F159
Travel memoranda, 1953.
Steuben Glass project, 1955.
Location Box
+257212
Wash list (staff meeting), 1955.
Location Box
142.B.10.4F159
White House:
Achievements of the Eisenhower administration:
Administrative and legislative, 1953-1954.
Miscellaneous, 1953.
Personnel:
Correspondence, 1953-1956.
Applicants sponsored by senators/members of Congress.
Applicants sponsored by key persons.
Applications: A-W, 1953-1955. 3 folders
Retention and termination:
Lists, 1953-1954. 3 folders
Appraisal summaries, 1953.
Termination appeals, 1953.
Special security committee (Donegan Committee on Personnel Security), 1955.
Telephone directory and supplements, 1953.
Location Box
142.B.10.5B160
Vacancy report, October 26, 1953.
Firm vacancies in Recruitment Branch, February 3, 1954.
White House liaison, 1953-1954.

Special Assistant to the President on Disarmament Policy, 1953-1958, 1963

Location Box
142.B.10.5B160
Correspondence and memoranda:
Adams, Sherman, 1955-1957.
Cabinet members and key persons, 1955-1958. 3 folders
Dulles, John Foster, 1955-1956.
Eisenhower, Dwight D., 1953-1958.
Humphrey, Hubert H., undated and 1956.
London Arms Control Negotiations:
General public, March-September 1957. 7 folders
Stassen, Harold and staff, March-September 1957. 4 folders
Stassen, Esther G., February-September 1957.
U.S. Informal memorandum and U.S.S.R. aide mémoire, May 31 and June 7, 1957.
Personal, 1956-1957.
Appointment as Deputy U.S. Representative on the Disarmament Commission of the United Nations, August 5, 1955.
Appointment books, 1956-1957. 2 volumes.
Background conferences, 1955-1956.
Background material:
Location Box
142.B.10.5B160
Basic Documents of U.S. Position on Disarmament, December 1955.
Chronology of events bearing on disarmament: January 1955-September 1957, December 16, 1957.
Digest history of major disarmament efforts, April 1955.
Eisenhower-Bulganin letters, 1956.
Geneva conference of heads of government, July 8-23, 1955.
Geneva meeting of foreign ministers, October 27-November 16, 1955.
Printed materials, 1955-1958.
Significant documents of past disarmament negotiations.
Location Box
142.B.10.6F161
Soviet disarmament proposals: 1945-1955, [1955].
Location Box
142.E.7.4215
Citation, 1956.
Location Box
142.B.10.6F161
Committee membership and White House lists, 1955-1957.
Delegation passes, 1955-1956.
Location Box
142.G.8.4F-212
"Face the Nation," July 29, 1956. 1 film reel: sound, b&w; 16 mm + 1 transcript.
Location Box
142.B.10.6F161
News clippings, 1955-1957. 4 folders
Personnel:
White House clearances, Pending, 1955-1956.
P.S. & I file check data and R.S. & R data regarding engineer shortage, 1956-1957.
Old P.S. & I. filing from Foreign Operations Administration days, 1953-1955.
Location Box
143.E.9.6F3
Photographs, 1955-1957.
Two original photographs of Stassen with Pope Pius XII have been placed in the Minnesota Historical Society reserve collection. Photocopies of these photographs remain in the collection.
Location Box
142.G.8.4F-12
Political cartoons, 1955-1957.
Location Box
142.B.10.6F161
Press conference (London), April 5, 1957.
Siboney Iron & Steel Co. (Glen P. Bevan), 1957-1958.
Statements by Eisenhower, 1955.
Statements by Stassen, 1955-1957.
UN Disarmament Subcommittee:
2nd-5th reports, 1955-1957. 2 folders
White House Disarmament Staff Secretariat Notes: No. 159 and addenda, April 11-October.11, 1957.
Index to verbatim daily meeting records.
Verbatim daily meeting records, March 18-June 17, 1957. 4 folders
Location Box
142.B.10.7B162
Verbatim daily meeting records, June 20-September 6, 1957. 4 folders
White House Disarmament Staff:
Secretariat Notes:
No. 67, Index, April 26, 1956-October 16, 1957.
No. 7-155, August 1, 1955-March 25, 1957. 6 folders
No. 157-202(A), April 1-December 30, 1957. 3 folders
President's Special Committee on Disarmament Problems (DPC) Notes:
No. 61, Index, April 26, 1956-October 9, 1957.
No. 19, 73, 80-81, March 6-August 20, 1956.
No. 116-129, January 30-March 19, 1957.
No. 140-146, May 1-June 12, 1957.
No. 158-171, July 23-September 10, 1957.
No. 183-200 and 14R-5, October 4-December 20, 1957.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Testimony, August 22, 1963.

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