◆ SpookStack

The only explanation that can be offered for Barnes's failure to clearly recall whether he had or had not briefed on D-2, may be attributed to a person- ality problem. In discussing the nature of the mission to the USUN in New York, the following comments were made by the then COPS/WH/4 with respect to what Barnes was supposed to tell Stevenson: Knowing Tracy, I've always had severe doubt that Tracy made it very clear to the Ambassador. Now he was sent up there to make clear to him •.• the whole works ••• I think Tracy, dealing with Adlai -- in a way, they were two of a type -- dealt with him, probably the way Tracy just intuitively dealt with everybody -- very pleasantly, kind of elliptically, lots of smiling and gracious- ness, interjection of completely non- connected events, shook hands, laughed, and said what a great time he'd had; and came back and announced that he briefed the Ambassador. I wasn't there, but that was the form that Tracy would customarily employ. What Adlai Stevenson needed, not that it would necessarily have done any good, was the worst case presentation of what was going to happen. Even then, he may have wet his pants, as he did; and I have no confidence that Adlai Stevenson heard from Tracy what Tracy himself probably felt that he had told him. But Tracy just wasn't clear in that kind of a way ... I'm sure that he and Tracy had long, fruity chats with each other because, for some - 246 -