Conversation No. 767-20

Date: August 11, 1972
Time: 11:15 am - 12:22 pm
Location: Oval Office
                                             31

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)


The President met with George W. Romney, Gen. George A. Lincoln, Norman V. Watson,
Samuel C. Jackson, and John D. Ehrlichman.

       Greetings
             -Introductions
                   -Lincoln
                   -Jackson
                   -Watson
                         -Lincoln
                   -Task force to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

       Wilkes-Barre
            -Romney’s previous visit to Wilkes-Barre
                  -Meetings with public officials
                        -Milton J. Shapp
                              -Television
                              -The President’s view
                  -The President’s previous meeting with group of mayors
                  -The President's previous trip to Harrisburg
            -Ehrlichman’s previous meeting with Romney
                  -Cabinet Room
            -Morale problems
            -Shapp
                  -Expectations
                  -Unknown woman [Mrs. Min Matheson?]
                        -The President’s view
                              -Jean Westwood
                  -United Press International [UPI] reporter

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am.

       Refreshments

       Wilkes-Barre
            -Romney’s meetings with local officials
                  -Shapp

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 11:44 am.

                  -Press attendance
                              32

        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                       Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. Nov-03)

             -Effect on meeting
-UPI reporter’s interaction with Shapp
-Romney’s meeting with private citizens
      -Mrs. Matheson [?]
      -Women with placards
             -UPI reporter’s interaction with Shapp
                   -Shapp’s possible meeting with women
                          -Romney’s reaction
                   -Romney’s view
-Report on visit
-Destruction
      -Houses destroyed
      -Commercial establishments destroyed
      -Lenore L. Romney's presence
      -Industrial establishments destroyed
-Ineffective local governments
-Unemployment
-Level of disaster
-Population of area
-Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] actions
      -Housing accommodations
             -Campers for dislocated
             -Elderly
                   -Hotels
                   -Dormitories
                   -Lodges
                   -Red Cross
             -Leasing of hotels and motels
             -Home repair program
             -Modular structures
-Areas for attention
      -Rehabilitation
      -Mobile home areas
             -Lack of services
                   -Fire stations
                   -Schools
                   -Transportation
      -Redevelopment planning
-HUD problems
      -“Red tape”
             -The President’s directive to Romney
                                 33

         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. Nov-03)

            -Shapp
            -The President’s letter to Romney
            -The Administration’s public statements
      -Delegation of authority to officials in the area
      -Bureaucratic conflicts
            -Communication problems
      -Need for sole authority figure
            -The President’s view
                   -Frank C. Carlucci
                   -Lincoln
                   -Romney
                   -Department of Defense
                   -Frank L. Rizzo
                   -Shapp
            -Possible Federal Disaster Director of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
                   -Authority over Federal effort
                   -Candidates
-Office of Emergency Preparedness [OEP] organization
      -Past disasters
            -Lack of precedent for Wilkes-Barre situation
      -OEP representative in Wilkes-Barre
            -Lack of authority over long-range development
            -Authority
-Local government action
      -Paralysis
      -Private organization action under Rosen [first name unknown]
      -Federal Regional Council
            -Recommendations
                   -Need for federal leadership
                          -Direction for private organizations
                                -Rosen
                          -Provision of housing materials
-Federal disaster director
      -Authority to act
            -Lincoln
            -Temporary emergency efforts
            -Permanent rehabilitation efforts
      -Candidates
            -Carlucci
                   -Local ties
                   -Political acumen
                                 34

         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. Nov-03)

                   -Work with local leadership
                         -Local desire for plan on “Real City” basis
                         -Need for local initiative
            -William W. Scranton
                   -Mary (Chamberlin) Scranton
                         -Knowledge of housing
                   -Experience
            -Carlucci and Scranton
                   -Carlucci’s knowledge of government agencies
                   -Scranton
                         -Long range plan for future of Wilkes-Barre
                         -Citizens committee
                   -Carlucci
                         -Romney
                         -Lincoln
                         -Melvin R. Laird
     -Compared to Cost of Living Council [COLC]
            -Importance of public perception
-Federal disaster aid
     -Mississippi
     -South Dakota
     -San Francisco earthquake
     -Peru
     -Japan
     -Material aid
     -Local morale
-Material assistance
-Morale in Wilkes-Barrre
     -Romney's visit to Wilkes-Barre
            -Need for visit from Cabinet member
                   -James D. Hodgson’s and Peter G. Peterson's previous visits
            -Shapp
     -Financial assistance
     -Morale building
     -Carlucci and Scranton
            -Roles in aid program
                   -Carlucci
                         -Operations
                   -Scranton
                         -Long range plan
                         -Counter to Shapp
                                             35

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Nov-03)

                  -Appointment of Federal disaster director
                        -Effect on morale
                  -Federal expenditures
            -Romney's recommendations
                  -Possible visit by the President
                  -Romney's trip
                        -Misinterpretation
                              -Romney as possible Federal disaster director
                  -Temporary housing efforts
                        -Hurricane Camille compared with Hurricane Agnes
                        -Programs
                              -Land
                              -Sites
                              -Trailers
                        -Need for speed
                              -Onset of cold weather
                        -Gas system
            -Follow-up
                  -Appointment of disaster director
                        -Carlucci, Scranton
                        -Romney’s previous conversation with Scranton
                        -Carlucci
                        -Private organization
                              -Rosen
                                     -Work with Scranton
                        -Romney's schedule
                              -Forthcoming meeting with Scranton and Ehrlichman
                        -Experience of OEP personnel
                              -Francis X. Tobin
                              -Robert Connor

       Romney’s request for additional employees
           -Office of Management and Budget [OMB]

Lincoln, Watson, Jackson and Ehrlichman left at 11:44 am.

       Romney’s request for additional employees
           -Budget problems
                 -[Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger]
           -Personnel
                 -Use in disaster areas
                                          36

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Nov-03)

                  -Detroit
                        -Lyndon B. Johnson
      -Savings in HUD
      -The President’s approval
            -Weinberger

Situation in Wilkes-Barre
      -Statement released to the press
             -Washington Post
             -Romney’s meeting with Scranton
                  -Possible firing of Romney
             -Federal officials in disaster areas
                  -Effect on morale

Romney's status in administration
    -Romney’s declining status
           -Conflicts with OMB
    -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
    -[First name not known] Helms
           -Reports about problems in relief efforts
                 -Housing
                       -US Army Corps of Engineers
                             -Trailers
                                   -Sites for trailers
                 -Washington Star article
    -The President’s statement
           -Romney’s trip to Wilkes-Barre
           -Romney’s attempts to meet with the President
           -Cole
           -Charges of “red tape” and “bureaucratic haggling”
           -Reflection of Romney’s status in the Administration
    -Romney’s relationship with OMB and the White House staff
           -Lack of voice in policy and operation of HUD
    -Wilkes-Barre situation
           -Helms
    -Romney's relationship with the White House
           -Example of clean-up of riot areas
                 -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan
                 -Cabinet Committee
                 -Role of mayors
                       -Romney’s view
                                                 37

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                  -Helms
                  -Romney’s role in housing policies
             -1972 election
                  -Issues
                         -Central cities and suburbs
                         -Race relations in housing
                         -Busing
                               -Compared to housing approach
                               -Romney’s view
                                      -1964
                         -Private power in prices and wages issue
                  -Problems of central cities and suburbs
                         -Revenue sharing
                               -Romney’s work on governors’ committee
                         -“Balkanization”
                               -Efforts by suburbs to confine poor and minorities
                                      -Zoning
                                      -Building codes
                                      -Property taxes
                         -Revenue sharing
                         -Need for fiscal and monetary management
                         -Abuse of private power
                         -George P. Shultz

Stephen B. Bull entered and left at an unknown time before 12:22 pm.

       The President’s schedule

       1972 election
            -Union support for the President
            -Public support for urban policies

       Romney's possible resignation
           -Impact on campaign
           -Romney’s possible work for the President’s re-election
                 -Private capacity
                       -Comparison with John B. Connally
           -Romney’s organization [Citizens for America]
           -Romney’s cooperation with the administration
                 -Possible White House staff criticism
                       -Example of criticism of Arthur F. Burns
                                            38

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Nov-03)

                       -Romney’s pledge to defend himself
            -Romney's resignation letter
            -Timing
                 -Richard C. Van Dusen

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time before 12:22 pm.

       The President’s forthcoming meeting with Donald E. Johnson
            -Designation of Administrator of Veterans Affairs as member of COLC [Domestic
            Council]
                  -The Administration’s efforts on behalf of veterans
                         -Vietnam veterans
                  -Johnson

       Romney’s resignation
           -Loyalty
           -Romney’s support for the Administration’s economic policy
                 -Wages and price control
                       -August 15, 1971
                       -Romney’s view
                       -Congressional support
                              -Example of transportation bill
                                    -International Brotherhood of Teamsters
                                    -Lack of support for the Administration’s position
           -Handling of resignation
                 -Possible misinterpretation
                       -Wilkes-Barre situation
                 -Timing
                       -The President’s previous meeting with Romney
                            -Romney’s finances compared with unknown person’s finances
                       -Van Dusen
                       -Completion of work on Wilkes-Barre
                              -Carlucci
                              -Scranton
                       -Republican National Convention
                       -Walter J. Hickel
                       -Political implications
                              -Michigan
                       -Demonstration of mutual confidence between the Administration and
                       Romney
           -Romney’s trip to Wilkes-Barre
                                              39

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                   -Romney’s recommendations
                          -Cole
                          -Possible press briefing
                   -Ehrlichman
             -Discussion of Romney’s long range plans
                   -Romney’s work in a private capacity
             -Interest of press
                   -Wilkes-Barre program
             -Romney’s recommendations
                   -Carlucci
             -Romney’s work in a private capacity
             -Timing
                   -Desire to avoid linkage of Wilkes-Barre to Romney’s resignation
             -White House staff conflicts with the Cabinet
                   -Domestic Council
                   -Exclusion of Cabinet from policy-making
                   -Possibility of misinterpretation
             -Press announcement
                   -Connally
                   -Romney’s future plans
                          -Press speculation
                          -Romney’s discussion with the President
                                -Romney’s work in a private capacity
                          -Wilkes-Barre work
             -Timing
                   -Republican National Convention
             -Romney’s work in a private capacity
                   -[Citizens for America]
                          -The President’s possible assistance
                                -Roger M. Blough
                                      -Labor
                          -John W. Gardner’s organization [Common Cause]
                                -Romney’s view

Bull entered and left at an unknown time before 12:22 pm.

       The President’s schedule

       Romney’s resignation
           -Romney’s possible visit to San Clemente
                 -President's forthcoming trip to Hawaii
                                     40

              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Nov-03)

     -1972 election
           -Michigan
                  -Busing issue
                        -Robert P. Griffin
                  -Possible campaigning by Romney
     -Press relations
           -Romney’s tenure at HUD
                  -Starts in housing
           -Romney’s other interests

Housing problems
     -John J. Rhodes
     -Romney’s discussion with Republican platform committee
           -The President’s view
                 -The Committee’s possible resistance to Romney
                 -National party platforms

Romney's plans
    -Start of new organization
           -1972 election
                 -Fundraising
    -Announcement of resignation
           -Romney’s new organization
                 -The President’s support
                        -Compared to Gardner’s organization
           -Press interest
           -Foundation for future work
           -Romney’s previous conversations with the President
                 -Romney’s work in a private capacity
                        -Public service
                 -Romney’s tenure at HUD
                        -Housing program importance
                        -Completion of Wilkes-Barre relief
                        -Romney’s future at HUD
                              -Thomas E. Dewey
    -Long-range interests
           -Romney’s previous talk with the President
                 -Romney’s tenure at HUD
                        -Housing
                        -Wilkes-Barre situation
           -Post Republican National Convention plans
                                             41

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Nov-03)

                       -Publicity for Romney’s organization
                             -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
            -New version of Romney’s resignation letter
                 -Accomplishments in housing
            -Romney’s forthcoming meeting with the President
                 -The President's schedule
                       -California
                             -Republican National Convention
                       -Forthcoming meeting in Hawaii with Kakuei Tanaka

Romney left at 12:22 pm.