← 043-195043-197 →

Conversation 043-196

TapeTape 43StartFriday, February 23, 1973 at 3:47 PMEndFriday, February 23, 1973 at 3:53 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Mills, Wilbur D.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AudioNARA Description

On February 23, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Wilbur D. Mills talked on the telephone from 3:47 pm to 3:53 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-196 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 43-196

Date: February 23, 1973
Time: 3:47 pm - 3:53 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Wilbur D. Mills.

[See Conversation No. 413-17C]

       Mills’s health

       International economic issues
             -15% tariff surcharge
                   -Mills’s concerns
                   -Pierre Rinfret, Arthur F. Burns, Alan Greenspan
                         -Mills’s previous conversations
                   -George P. Shultz
                   -Tony Solomon
                   -Mills press release
                         -Smithsonian Agreement
                               -Floating currencies
                                      -Great Britain
                                      -Switzerland
                                      -Italy
                                      -Mills concerns
             -US deficit and balance of payments
             -Reaction of labor to US action
             -The President’s view
                   -Shultz

       Mills’s health
                                             -113-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        (rev. Aug.-08)

                                                             Conversation No. 43-196 (cont’d)

       The President’s location
            -Old Executive Office Building
            -The President’s family

       Milk producers
            -Mills’s meeting with the President
            -The President’s meeting with John B. Connally
            -Mills’s concerns
                   -Shortages
                   -Cheese
                   -Possible solutions
                         -Prices
                   -Earl L. Butz
            -Political contributions to political parties
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Congressman Mills, sir.
Hello.
Mr. President, how are you?
How are you in Arkansas?
Oh, I'm feeling fine.
A little back problem like you and I have occasionally.
Yeah, yeah.
I'll be back one of these days before long.
Yeah, yeah.
What I want to talk to you about.
Your surcharge.
Yeah, again.
I've talked to Pierre Renfray again.
I've talked to Arthur Burns again.
I haven't talked to Alan.
I've tried to get a hold of Alan Greenspan.
I've talked to a number of others that you wouldn't talk to that feel that if your deal doesn't work within a few days, you've almost got to take this drastic action that I'm urging.
Fifteen percent?
Yeah.
That'd be selective, however.
Oh, yes, on a selective basis.
You can't apply it to oil and things like that.
You've got to bring them to the table.
In other words, to their knees.
Let me say this, just for purposes of the bargaining and so forth.
Your saying it is a good step in any event.
And I'll get to George here, and we'll see what situation.
You see what I mean?
It's like it's... What's that?
He's not going to be for it.
I know, but I want to talk to him about it, see what my point is.
I know, neither is my friend Tony Solomon for it.
He's threatening to quit because I've suggested it.
You've got to say what you believe, I understand that.
And what you're trying to do is shake the apple tree.
I'm shaking the apple tree if I can.
What time are you going to do this?
I put out another release today that ought to be out late this afternoon.
And what I'm saying is that you need this degree of flexibility.
That you have to have it.
That they've made a shambles, not we, but they have made a shambles of the Smithsonian Agreement.
They haven't lived up to it.
The British floated, the Swiss floated.
And others, the Italians have floated.
And the others have not agreed to, none of them have, to one of the points of the agreement.
We seem to never agree to anything.
They've just got to be jolted.
$30 billion deficit in their balance of payments we just can't take.
Mm-hmm.
side of labor, too.
Let me say that I appreciate your informing me about it.
I haven't had a chance to talk to George and the boys.
I know what you're doing, but in any event, it's important.
It can't do anything but help for you to say it.
I've been the bad boy before.
That's right.
Can't help you without a bat, can I?
I got a good osteopath.
I know you have.
You won't use him.
But I'm doing all right.
It's just a case of taking enough therapy to get to where I can sit up a little bit.
Oh, boy.
What is it, muscle spasm?
Yes.
This time.
Oh, that's rough.
That's rough.
Boy, I just turned there because I know you can't hardly straighten up.
Where are you, in Washington?
Yep, I'm in Washington, yeah.
Sitting right up here in EOB.
Just fine.
They're just fine.
Good.
Everybody's fine.
We missed you yesterday.
We wanted to have you over for a little while, but we'll see you.
Well, I'll be back.
When I get back there, I want to talk to you about another problem that John Connolly talked to you about and I mentioned briefly.
Good.
About a problem in milk.
All right.
Oh, yes.
Our friends.
Okay.
Oh, yes.
Yes.
About the cheese?
cheese, fluid milk.
You know what they're doing?
They're selling their milk cows now 35 cents a pound.
I don't know what it means.
That means, I see, oh, they're selling it because it brings so much money, huh?
Oh, yes.
And that'll bring a milk shortage.
A milk shortage, definitely.
What do you do about that?
Well, frankly... You can't let the price of milk go up.
Well, what we ought to do is adjust it some way.
You don't have to do it all.
You can bring butter down, bring your powdered milk up a little, bring your fluid milk up to about one cent a quart, something like that, and probably save the situation.
If we don't do it, we're going to be way short next year.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Good.
Well, when you get back... Butts knows all of this.
When you get back, when you get back, you give me a call, maybe you and Butts and... Butts knows all of this, but he's afraid if he does anything, he'll be accused by the papers of having...
money from the milk producers i know i know i know that's a problem you know that's and you know it's true but but the point is you know it's true of democrats and republicans well you and me both right most of it that's right i know okay okay we'll have to share it announcement you take care
← 043-195043-197 →