Conversation 057-001

On May 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John B. Connally, and the Citizens' Committee for Government Reorganization, including James M. Roche, Terry Sanford, Dewey F. Bartlett, John E. Robson, Walter N. Thayer, James Finch, Murray Comarow, Francis A. Coy, Betty Furness, Ben W. Heineman, J. Erik Jonsson, Franklin A. Lindsay, Leonard H. Marks, Newton Minow, Gen. Lauris Norstad, Richard M. Paget, Jack S. Parker, James J. Reynolds, Allen P. Stults, Andrew J. Young, Jr., and the White House photographer, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 12:22 pm to 12:50 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 057-001 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 57-1

Date: May 13, 1971
Time: 12:22 pm - 12:50 pm
Location: Cabinet Room

The President met with John B. Connally, James M. Roche, Terry Sanford, Dewey F. Bartlett,
John E. Robson, Walter N. Thayer, James Finch, Murray Comarow, Francis A. Coy, Betty
Furness, Ben W. Heineman, J. Erik Jonsson, Franklin A. Lindsay, Leonard H. Marks, Newton
Minow, General Lauris Norstad, Richard M. Paget, Jack S. Parker, James J. Reynolds, Allen P.
Stults, and Andrew J. Young, Jr.; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of
the meeting

     Greetings and introductions

     [General conversation]

     Position of the dollar

     Photo arrangements

The White House photographer left at an unknown time before 12:22 pm

     Work of committee

     Government reorganization
         -Congress
               -State of the Union address
         -Ash Council
         -Previous studies
         -Administration actions
         -Possibility of passage in Congress
         -President’s conversations
               -Connally’s conversations
               -John L. McClellan
               -Chet Holifield
         -Prospects of passage
         -Importance
         -Work of committee
         -Congress
               -Holifield
               -[Name unintelligible] of Nebraska

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL STAFF

      -Revenue sharing
            -Wilbur D. Mills
      -Welfare reform
-Credit
-[Unintelligible]
-Baseball
-Thayer
-Connally
-Prospects
      -Connally
-Lindsay, Heineman
-Thayer, Paget, Comarow
      -Ash Council
-Heineman Report, Lindsay Report
-Ash Council
-Commission
-Need
      -Jonsson’s work in Dallas
-Administration’s plan
      -Departments
      -President’s role
            -Family assistance and revenue sharing plans
      -Congress
      -President’s role
      -Sanford’s work in North Carolina, Minnow’s work at Federal Communications
            Commission, Marks’ work at United States Information Agency
      -Need
      -Departments
      -Basis for recommendations
      -Effect
            -Congress
            -American people
      -Need
-Congress
      -Work
            -Public opinion
-Administration’s plan
-Need
-Prospects of passage
      -Compared with revenue sharing
-Size of departments
      -Compared with General Motors

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL STAFF

           -Need
                -Changes in institutions
                -Table in Cabinet Room
                      -President’s role, cost
                      -Jesse H. Jones of Franklin D. Roosevelt administration
                      -Size
                -Treaty Room
                      -Lincoln Bedroom, Queen’s Bedroom
                      -Cabinet table for Abraham Lincoln period
                -Table in Cabinet Room
                      -Jones’ table
                      -Current table
                -President’s schedule
                      -Cabinet
                      -Connally, William P. Rogers
                      -Size of Cabinet
                      -Independent agency heads
                            -National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]
                            -Atomic Energy Commission
                            -Veterans’ Administration
                      -Congressmen
                      -Size of Cabinet
                            -Effect
                -Dean G. Acheson
                      -Forthcoming meeting on North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
                      -Present at the creation

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     France

[To listen to the segment (7s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-521.]

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                            -NATO, Marshall Plan
           -Prospects of implementation
           -Importance
           -Prospects for passage

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL STAFF

     Presentation of gifts by President

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

The President, et al. left at 12:50 pm