Conversations: 1951

April 8, 1951

MEMORANDUM FOR THE FILE

SUBJECT: Telephone conversation with Dr. Oliver E. Buckley

I had a long telephone conversation with Oliver Buckley this Sunday morning [April 8].

He said that Conant's view is essentially the same as Oppenheimer's with respect to the Science Advisory Committee (new name for the Advisory Committee on Defense Scientific Research). Conant agreed to serve on the Committee. Buckley spent an hour-and-a-half with Bush on Friday afternoon [April 6] and Bush this time was thoroughly objective, dispassionate and helpful. Bush and Wilson are scheduled to meet this coming Tuesday afternoon [April 10].

On Tuesday morning [April 10] Buckley would like to meet with me and Stauffacher to go over questions, drafts, etc. He, Buckley, does not want to talk to Wilson and Weinberg until after he has talked with Bush after Bush has talked with Wilson.

He has virtually decided now to undertake the Chairmanship in view of the encouragement he has had from Bush and more enthusiastic, or something approaching enthusiastic, encouragement from Conant.

His ideas now on the Committee are, in addition to him self as Chairman, Bronk, Waterman, [Hugh] Dryden [Administrator, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics] and Webster as the ex officio members, and then Oppenheimer, Conant, Killian, DuBridge and Bayard Hastings [Harvard University]. This is not yet crystallized as final. In addition he wants to put on about four or five young scientist to be selected carefully and added later.

William T. Golden