Conversation: 475-022
Prev:  475-021 Next: 475-023Start Date: 8-Apr-1971 3:03 PM
End Date: 8-Apr-1971 3:55 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Shultz, George P.; Cox, Tricia Nixon; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 04:23:35
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 05:14:06
NARA Description:
On April 8, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz, and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:03 pm to 3:55 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 475-022 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 475-22 Date: April 8, 1971 Time: 3:03 pm - 3:55 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with John D. Ehrlichman and George P. Shultz [Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr. case] -Letters from unknown contacts -[Letters from Captain Aubrey M. Daniel and unknown man] -Releases -Ehrlichman’s recommendations -Possible press reaction -Background of contacts -Referral to Stanley R. Resor 42 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Instructions for Resor -Ronald L. Ziegler -Questions -Press -Unknown people writing a book -Publicity -”Peaceniks” -Resor Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.) ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 1m 8s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ****************************************************************************** Demonstrations -Intelligence estimates -Veterans -Dates -April [1971] -Numbers -Moratoria -Dates -May [1971] -Sit-ins -Rennie Davis -Moratoria President’s message on the District of Columbia, April 7, 1971 -Last of special messages Ehrlichman’s schedule 43 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 47s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) ****************************************************************************** Shultz’s schedule ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 43s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6 ****************************************************************************** Domestic briefing for administration wives -Briefing for Congressional wives -Clark MacGregor and George W. Romney -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon -Duration -Questions -Comments Council on International Economic Policy [CIEP] meeting -Peter G. Peterson -Pace of meeting 44 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 [National Security] [Duration: 4s ] FOREIGN RELATIONS Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 ****************************************************************************** -Schedule -John B. Connally and Maurice H. Stans -Instructions for Shultz -Discussion of priorities -Peterson, Shultz, Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, and President -Discussion of priorities -Possible action -Peterson ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 3m 8s ] [The President talked with Tricia Nixon at an unknown time between 3:03 pm and 3:55 pm] [Conversation No. 475-22A] [See Conversation No. 1-47] [End of telephone conversation] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 ****************************************************************************** 45 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) Peterson Anti-trust -Cartelization -Need for decisions -Agriculture -Franchise Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) -Stans -Need for decision US economic goals -Peterson -Imports and exports -Markets -High technology -Balance of payments -Investment in industrial research -Defense and space -National Science Foundation [NSF] -Defense Department -Problem -Peterson’s view -Breeder reactor -Possible reaction -Chet Holifield -Impact on energy -Coal technology -Prospects -Shale oil -Peterson’s view -Items for group discussion -Kissinger -Ehrlichman, Shultz, Peterson, and President -Russell W. Peterson -Paul W. McCracken -David M. Kennedy -Ad hoc meetings -Federal research efforts -National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] -Research vs. space business -Space 46 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Productivity Commission -Federal effort outside Defense Department -Medical field -P. G. Peterson’s view regarding outside people -General Motors [GM] -General Electric [GE] -Bell [Telephone] -Ten-year projection Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) -Costs -Business combinations -Labor policies -Difficulty in competition -Need to revitalize economy -Sherman Act -Standard Oil -Standard Oil of New Jersey, Standard Oil of Indiana -Airlines -International competition -Communications -Adam Smith theories -Ominous trends -Connally’s view on international monetary crisis -Discussions -Ehrlichman, Shultz, and P. G. Peterson -Kissinger, McCracken, President -Possible meeting at Executive Office Building -”Brainstorm” -Timing -Stans, Richard W. McLaren -P. G. Peterson, Stans McLaren -Report on anti-trust division [Justice Department] operating policy Cabinet meeting, April 13, 1971 -Peaceful uses of atom -Holifield -Craig Hosmer -Glenn T. Seaborg -Agenda item 47 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) CIEP meeting -P. G. Peterson -Pace of briefing -Connally -Possible report to staff -Evaluation -Possible Cabinet briefing -Possible abbreviated report Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) -Background material -World events -Japan -Need to keep up-to-date -Possible book by P. G. Peterson for President -Charts Sub-Cabinet -P. G. Peterson -Relations with William P. Rogers and Connally P. G. Peterson’s briefing on CIEP meeting -Possible presentation to Domestic Council staff, National Security Council [NSC] staff -Under Secretaries, Cabinet officers -The President President’s schedule -Meeting with Douglas MacArthur, II and Sir Keith J. Holyoake -Meeting with McCracken, April 9, 1971 McCracken -Possible resignation -Hendrik S. Houthakker -Ezra Solomon -McCracken -Michigan -President’s possible response -President’s meeting with Shultz, April 9, 1971 -Evaluation -Policy -Salesmanship -Arthur F. Burns -Shultz 48 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Herbert Stein -Solomon [?] Economy -Prospects -Earnings -Department store sales -Home sales, autos Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) -Decline of inventories -GE profits -Stock market McCracken -Future within administration -Policy Administration’s economic policy -Shultz’s appearance in Cleveland -Steady-as-you-go line -Taxes -Spending -Tone -Long-term performance of economy -Criticism -1972 elections -Shultz’s appearance in Cleveland -Burns’ comments -Burns President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971 -Comments at Joseph W. Barr’s party for Connally -Burns -F Street Club -Timothy [Surname unknown] -Reaction of group -Shultz -End of war -Stability -Effect on economy -Congress 49 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) Vietnam -Projections -Combat -End of draft -President’s plans -General Nguyen Van Thieu’s re-election -October 1971 -Negotiations Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) -Negotiations -Prospects -Timing -Terminal date -Possible agreement -Odds -Prisoners of War [POWs] -Cease fire -Announcement of withdrawal of US forces -Effect on North Vietnamese -Conditions of withdrawal -POWs -Effect on South Vietnam -Time element in negotiations -Popular sentiment -Draft -US combat role -Withdrawal date -Analogy with economy -Time element in negotiations -Negotiations -Effect on economy -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971 -Style -Effectiveness -Compared with 1959, 1960 -Conclusion -Effect of reading -Lack of pretense -Drama 50 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) Shultz’s meeting with Wilbur D. Mills -Package proposal -Burns -Revenue sharing -Fiscal relief -Statement of purpose -Categories -Structure of dollar Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:03 pm President’s schedule -Postponement of Holyoake meeting -Meeting with MacArthur Bull left at an unknown time before 3:55 pm Shultz’s meeting with Mills -Revenue sharing -Level -Figure -Formula for funding -Personal tax basis -Mills’ changes in formulas -Element of need -Population -Tax effort -Low income areas of cities -President’s instruction to Shultz -Element of need test -Administration’s efforts -Role of Treasury as loan bank for states and cities -Premium interest rate -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan -Connally -John N. Mitchell -Talk with Shultz -John W. Byrnes -Tax credits -State and city taxes -”Piggy-back” on federal income tax -Percentage of federal tax 51 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Aggregation to state -Decision-making by locality -Service value -Efficiency aspects -Avoidance of tax duplication -Facilitation of tax ability of city and state in income tax area Tax reform -Prospects for 1972 Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) -Administration’s position -Mills -Budget -”Piggy-back” option -Connally -Possible action -Study on value-added tax -Mills and Byrnes -Possible package proposal -Meeting with Mills and Byrnes -Administration’s position -Congress -Shared credit with Administration Welfare bill -Current situation Intelligence reorganization -Memorandum -Distribution -President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board [PFIAB] -Melvin R. Laird and Richard M. Helms -Shultz and Kissinger -Shultz’s meeting with PFIAB -Dr. James R. Schlesinger -President’s meeting with PFIAB, April 15, 1971 -PFIAB’s membership -Nelson A. Rockefeller -Admiral George W. Anderson, Jr. -Shultz’s and Kissinger’s memorandum on PFIAB -Benefits -Opposition Defense budget 52 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Pay overrun -Figure -Fight in House -Laird -Administration’s position -Figures -Congressional response -Need for program Conv. No. 475-22 (cont.) -Difficulties -Pay raise -Manpower costs -Capital intensiveness in defense -President’s meeting with Shultz, April 9, 1971 -Possible Anti-ballistic Missile [ABM] -Funds President’s schedule, April 9, 1971 -Meeting with Shultz -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman Ehrlichman’s schedule -Vacation trip Ehrlichman and Shultz left at 3:55 pm