LETTER TO J. C. KING FROM (DELETED) RE GUATEMALA 1954 COUP

Created: 3/12/1954

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

latter froa C. Sing hand-carried

tf.fron Caracas.

pk HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM

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Dear

I begin this noteoint somewhat historical by now whichintonded to include in my previous communication. ecall thatpeople had prepared some suggestions for action againstduring the Conference. Of course these notes were only intendedfor our consideration. As it turned out,did not

have the capabilities to executelan, and if it aaa oeen in thatould have counselled strongly againat any such action. ake this point not in criticism of the suggestions but simply to transmit my impression of the atmosphere here. To have tried any monkey-business here would have been grossly counterproductive. It would have made the Venezuelan's look like Hooligans and would have dividedoint of good taste the democracies from the dictatorships. Moreover, it would have made martyrs of the Guatemalans and vastly Improved their show of injured innocence.

Yesterday's proceedings in'committee were most interesting. o not pretend to interpret them accurately on the basis of my short acquaintance with this area,hink oneeasily say that the Argentina-Guateraala-Hexico chorus was certainly pre-coordinated. What does this mean' One possible explanation is that Mexico looks upon Guatemala as being within her sphere of influence andaternal attitude toward the 'Ui revolution which was patterned somewhat after her own. Perhaps Argentina is by way ofsychological alliance with Mexico in order totronger balance of Latin American leadership in face of United Statesm quite inclined to believe that there may bs some sincerity on their side In this "liberal" apprehension of United States attitudes. Ithingave seen in recent months In Italy. Of course these people do not go as far as NKNNI has, but thereeal concern of ultimate Jnited States intentions. There is no need here to discuss the international liberal attitude towards its interpretation of the Republican Party andoldier-led government. We can, however, see with certainty that these apprehensions have been confirmed ln people's minds by McCARTHY. There is no doubt in my mind that something of this kind affected strongly the course of events here with regard to Item 5. It cannot be said that this wasommie trick into which Mexico has been drawn.

Tou are probably asking yourselfave asked myself these past days, namely: What role has PBSPCCSSS played in theescribed above? eelm still too close to the smoke of diplomacy and froth and foam of cross-currents tolear opinion on this. My stomach, however, tells me that Mexico's frequent allusion to interference stated in the context it was. Indicated in all probability conviction on Mexico's part of United States complicity. Whether one could go so far as to say that this presumed knowledge was the key that threatened to lock the door ont Is too soon to say. m inclined to believe that we would have faced difficulties withn any case,hare the

opinionave heardhat the principal use of this Conference has been to expose to the Americas the meaning of Communism and to reveal to us, or at least to ae, the really great task that lies before us. These people on the one hand approach Communism from the attitude of tne extreme right. efer to repression, police measures, and fiat) tnis works tho wrong way in the long run. 3ut on the other hand, the more Liberal forces believe in the social economic solution! this is not the answer either, for we nave seen in Italy that theory disproved. Until we realise the "struggle for men's Binds" that is tho challenge of Communism and the fact of its appeal (albeit false) to tha highest aspirations of man (be hee are not able to address oursslves in the full sense to the problem. The three great outlets for men's spiritual, physical, snd political aspirations in the modern era havo boon Christianity, conquest and taming of the world, and the spirit of tho Aaerlcan and French Revolutions. These no longer existay to satisfy the dreams, and Communism, although false, is the only force addressing itself to those dreams today.

Needless toave not and do not intend to specilate with anyone here on PBSUCCESS* relation to this Conference. No onem glad to say, discussed the matter with me, and frcsa our point of view ithought that we most devoutly desire not to sew.

Discussion of amendments will continue thiaontinue to hope that there will be no unpleasantness. annot tell you howave been with the Secretary's handling of the Guatemala situation. We shall boood position to go to work on that problem but it must be done with artistry, and lt is absolutely essential that we not show up in the picture. It is equally essential that the rest of the hemisphere first be brought to the belief that Guatemala is Coamunist controlled, and tiie one way not to accomplish that la to have such charges from official United States lips or United States mouthpieces.

For what It is worth, if one takeoeasure of Koscow control over the government the extent of Corlello's dialectic and Communist postures, we may conclude that penetration and domination by Koscow is far, far down tne road.

We continue to expect the vote tomorrow,hink that we willufficiently strong resolution for our purposes. ook forward to the end of tola,ave found lttrain. Monday, unless you have called mehall go in search of some quiet committee andew hour* listen to some subject such as "Exchange of Rose Petals" before returning tondhich Incidentally should be quieter than Item 5.

riday at Conference.

things went well today. Bolivia friendly and Argentina less sticky.re in the last speeches. Ouatemala is not on the list to speak; this is hard to believe. Hy friend Dr. Alfaro told me this afternoon that Ouatemala would make another show. We observed then an hour ago working like "bears" in the consultation room. We shall see.

Original document.

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