Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-23
Presidential Letter

This was the situation, then.
last Monday when President
Eisenhower sent off a reply to Mr.
Bulganin's latest missive on the
subject of a get-together.
The Presidents bluntly worded
letter was sprinkled with acid COM
ment on the techniqueS the Rus
slams have been using. and it took
issue with Soviet distortions of
Americas policies and motives.
Through it there was lets
stop this foolishneSs and get :
down-to-business note that
seemed to clear the atmosphere a
bit.
Stunning the antiquities of
usual diplomatic communication,
Mr.. Eisenhower told Mr.. Bull
ganin: Il begin to wonder, Mr..
Chairman. whether we shall get
anywhere by continuing to write
speeches to each other. AS l read
your successive lengthy missives
on December 10, January 8 and
February /, I cannot avoid the
feeling that if our two countries
are to move ahead to the estab-
lishment of better relations, We
must find some ways other than
mere prolongation. of repetitive
public debate"
The President went on to discus
points of differences between the
Soviet Union and the United
States, both in general and speci-
fically on what would be discussed
at a summit conference if one
were to be held.
Then he made what amounted
to a United States proposal for a
first step toward summit meet
ing:
Perhaps the impose to which we
seem TO have come con be broken by
less formal and less publieized contacts
through which we would continue to
seek to find out whether there con be
o top-IeveI meeting which. in the words
Of my letter to you Of January II, 1858,
would hold good hope for advancing the
couse Of peace and Justice in the world.
Exchanges Of views effected through
our Ambassadors or foreign ministers
moy serve better than whot Mr..
Khrushchev referred to at Minsk as
'polemics' between heods Of govern
ment.
THE United Stotes is accordingly
consulting with some other interested
notions os to the desirobiIity OF expIor-
ing, through more normal chonnels, the
prospects Of o top-leveI meeting which
would be adequate os to subjects, and
os to which preliminary exchanges
would indicate good prospect OF on &C.
cord. You will Understand, OF course,
that, whichever be the preparatory pro-
eedures. these would. os for as the
United Stotes wos concerned require
the participation Of our Secretary Of
Stote."
The specific reference to the
Secretary Of State was clearly a
pointed reioinder TO the charge
OF bias" against Mr.. Dulles in an
earlier Bulganin letter.
Another high spot of the Eisen-
hover letter was suggestion that
the two nations. so deeply engaged
in searching out the truth about
outer space. might well set about
learning more about each other.
To that end. he proposed that
leaders of thought and influential
citizens within the Soviet Union"
visit the United States Ito learn at
first hand the feeling of our peo-
pie toward peace and the working
Of our popular institutions as they
affect our conduct Of foreign re-
lations."
The President commented that
most influential Soviet citizens
appear to have totally false con-
ceptions" about this country, and
he promised that If they were to
come here they would receive
every facility to learn about our
country and our people and the
working Of our political institu-
tionS."
In addition, the President said
that present arrangements for the
exchange of 20 or 30 students a
year was a step in the right direc-
ton but "woefully inadequate,
and that Mr.. Bulganin might hear
from him further on that subject.
All In all, the Presidents letter
seemed TO go further than most