Conversation: 623-019
Prev: 623-018 Next: 623-020Start Date: Tuesday, November 23, 1971 8:10 PM
End Date: Tuesday, November 23, 1971 9:33 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Morton, Rogers C. B.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Whitaker, John C.; White House photographer; [Unknown person(s)]; Bull, Stephen B.; Sargent, Francis W.; Sanchez, ManoloRecording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:28:15
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:50:19
NARA Description:
On November 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Rogers C. B. Morton, John D. Ehrlichman, John C. Whitaker, White House photographer, unknown person(s), Stephen B. Bull, Francis W. Sargent, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:10 pm to 4:33 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 623-019 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 623-19
Date: November 23, 1971
Time: 3:10 pm - 4:33 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Rogers C. B. Morton, John D. Ehrlichman and John C. Whitaker; the
White House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the
meeting.
Arrangements for photograph
[Unintelligible]
Cypress Swamp in Florida
-Government purchase of rights
-Announcement
The Nation
-The President
-Morton’s view
-Economy
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Vietnam
-Casualties
-Spirit
-The President’s view
-Lyndon B. Johnson and John F. Kennedy
Morton's previous trip in the west
-Publicity
-Interest groups
-State officials
-Resource groups
-Conservationists
-Mining groups
-Timber groups
-Oil groups
-Weyerhaeuser Corporation
An unknown woman entered at an unknown time after 3:10 pm.
The President's schedule
-Francis W. Sargent
-Delay in meeting
The unknown woman left at an unknown time before 3:57 pm.
Morton's previous trip in the west
-Itinerary
-States
-Water development
-Grazing fees
-Employment
-Environment and pollution concerns
-Geographical areas of concern
-Youth
-Morton’s view
-Water development
-Projects
-Central Utah
-Central Arizona
-Central Valley in California
-Garrison Diversion in North Dakota
32
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
-Oahe Project in South Dakota
-Indian water
-Funding
-Kennedy and Johnson
-Future
-Western interests
-Projects
-Prioritization
-Indian water
-Politics
-Congress
-Alan Bible
-Future programs
-Sewage systems
-Politics
-The President’s view
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Water pollution
-Need for important programs
-Appropriations
-Funding backlog
-Corps of Engineers
-Department of the Interior
-Priorities
-Phoenix
-Central Valley
-Utah
-Garrison
-Oahe
-Washington
-Utah
Indians
-Militants
-Morton’s view
-Appropriations
-Department of the Interior
-Bureau of Indian Affairs [BIA]
-Elliot L. Richardson
-The President's football coach
-Department of the Interior
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
-Staffing
-Louis R. Bruce and Harrison Loesch
-Relationship
-Morton’s view
-Industrial development
-Roads
-Electricity, running water and telephones
-Development of infrastructure
-Highway Trust Fund
-The President's program
-Morton's actions
-Political constituency
-Development of plans
-The President’s view
-Blue Lake
-Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
-Department of the Interior
-Legislation
-Bureaucracy
-Bruce
-Morton’s view
-Loesch
-Morton’s view
-Barbara (“Bobbie”) Greene
-BIA
-Possible changes
-Living conditions
-Modern conveniences
-Use of appropriations
-Development of infrastructure
-Militants
US territories
-1967 legislation regarding governments of Virgin Islands and Guam
-Johnson
-Comptroller
-Secretary of the Interior
-Morton’s experience with the territories
-Virgin Islands and Guam
-Morton's discussions
-State Department
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
-Need for cooperation among federal agencies
-Corruption
-Virgin Islands
-Samoa
-Governor
-Micronesia
-Stewart Udall
-Development of self-government
-Walter J. Hickel's speech in Saipan
-US commitments
-Micronesian reaction
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Franklin Haydn Williams
-Loyalty
-Morton's forthcoming trip
-Goals of trip
-Appropriations
-The President’s view
-Kissinger
-State Department
-US policy
-Okinawa
-Hickel
-Peace Corps
-Teachers
-Communists
-Office of the Territories
-Elizabeth P. Farrington
-Reorganization
-Micronesia
-Hickel
-Local control of the government
-High Commissioner
-Edward E. Johnston
-Morton’s view
-Hiram L. Fong
-Johnston’s tenure in office
-Hawaii
-Morton’s view
-Fong
-Johnston
35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
-The President’s view
-Morton’s view
-Hickel
-Allocation of funds
-Micronesian Congress
-Continental Airlines
-Dealings with Interior Department
-Morton’s view
-Pan American Airways
-Najeeb E. Halaby
-The President’s view
-Japanese
-Morton's forthcoming trip
-Kissinger
-Arthur W. Hummel, Jr.
-Travel budget
-Hickel
-Itinerary
-Governor of Samoa
-The President’s view
Travel by Administration officials
-William P. Rogers
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 12s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:10 pm.
Sargent
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
Bull left at an unknown time before 3:57 pm.
Environment
-Importance
-Pollution
-Economic stimuli
-Construction of new plants and hardware
-Great Lakes
-Importance of issue
-Morton's previous meeting with Russell E. Train
-Credit for the President
-Letters to William D. Ruckelshaus
-Lack of interest in environmental issues
-Possible speech by the President
-Compared to previous speeches on issues
-Cambodia
-Economy
-National Association of Manufacturers [NAM]
-Public relations
-Appeal to women
-Appeal to youth
-Muskie's bill
-State of the Union speech
-The President's accomplishments
-Ehrlichman
-Train, Ruckelhaus, Morton, and the Department of Commerce
-Ruckelshaus
-Criticism by Morton and Maurice H. Stans
-Development of policy
-Possible legislation
-Muskie and Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-1972 campaign
-Administration's record
-Environment compared to economy and Vietnam
-Need for emphasis
-Morton's previous meeting with William Berry [?]
-Water pollution
-Administration policy
-Proposed meeting of Ehrlichman, Train, Morton, and Ruckelhaus
-Stans
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
Bull and an unknown man [White House photographer?] entered at an unknown time after 3:10
pm.
-Unknown man
Sargent entered at 3:57 pm.
Big Cypress Swamp
Photograph opportunity
-Morton
Bull and the unknown man left at an unknown time before 3:58 pm.
Colson's note
Morton's schedule
-Press
Morton and Whitaker left at 3:58 pm.
James W. McLane
-Colson
-Richardson
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 46s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
*****************************************************************
US foreign policy
-Vietnam
-President’s forthcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
Economy
-Massachusetts
-California
-The President’s view
-California compared to Massachusetts
Sargent
-Relations with White House
-Ehrlichman
Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Views regarding Earl L. Butz
Welfare
-House Resolution [HR] 1
-Sargent's conversation with Richardson
-Abraham A. Ribicoff Amendment
-Support
-HEW
-Richardson
-Performance
-Ribicoff's view
-The President’s view
-Compared to Robert H. Finch
-HR 1
-The Administration’s position
-Ribicoff Amendment
-Budget
-Republican Governors Conference in Puerto Rico
-Russell B. Long
Pending legislation
-Tax Bill
-Campaign financing provisions
Welfare
-Proposed statement by Sargent
-Richard B. Ogilvie
-Welfare reform
-Revenue-sharing
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:58 pm.
Refreshment
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.
Welfare
-HR 1
-Charles H. Percy Amendment
-Long
Revenue-sharing
-Wilbur D. Mills's program
States' problems
-New York City
-Rockefeller and Ronald W. Reagan
-Massachusetts taxes
-Sargent’s view
-Welfare
-Social Security
-Education
-Property tax
-Education
-Administration action
-Possible tax reform
-Property tax
-Massachusetts
-States’ role in funding education
-Revenue-sharing
Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:58 pm.
-Congress
-Mills
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.
-HR 1
-Revenue sharing
40
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
-Public opinion
Sargent's letter to the President
-Quincy Shipyard closing
-Employment
-Ehrlichman's handling
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 7m 56s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
*****************************************************************
Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:58 pm.
Mississippi
-William L. Waller
-John Bell Williams
-Defeat of [James] Charles Evers
-John C. Stennis
Bull left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 8m 14s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
*****************************************************************
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 623-19 (cont.)
Presentation of gifts by the President
David [Surname unknown]
Sargent's concerns
-White House actions
Sargent and Ehrlichman left at 4:33 pm.