Conversation No. 124-1

Date:  Unknown between May 23 and May 25, 1973
Time:  Unknown between 12:00 am, May 23 and 9:41 am, May 25, 1973
Location:  Cabinet Room

Unknown people [tour group] met
[Recording begins while the conversation is in progress]

	Cabinet Room
		-Seating
			-The Vice President
			-Furniture
			-John A. Scali

The unknown people [tour group] left at an unknown time before 9:41 am, May 25, 1973

Conversation No. 124-2

Date:  May 25, 1973
Time:  Unknown between 9:41 am and 11:59 pm
Location:  Cabinet Room

Vice President Spiro T. Agnew met with [David] Kenneth Rush, George P. Shultz, Elliot L. Richardson, Rogers C. B. Morton, Earl L. Butz, Frederick B. Dent, Peter J. Brennan, Caspar W. (ACap@) Weinberger, James T. Lynn, Claude S. Brinegar, Roy L. Ash, Anne L. Armstrong, John A. Scali, Dr. James R. Schlesinger, George H. W. Bush, Herbert Stein, John B. Connally, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M. Flanigan, William E. Timmons, Herbert G. Klein, Ronald L. Ziegler, General Brent G. Scowcroft, Leonard Garment, Raymond K. Price, Jr., David R. Gergen, David N. Parker, and Frederic V. Malek; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting

	[General conversation/Unintelligible]

The President entered at 11:06 am

	Agenda
		-The Vice President

	Richardson=s swearing-in

	Prisoner of War [POW] dinner
		-The President=s previous meeting with Lieutenant Colonel John A. Dramesi
			-Flag
		-POWs= support for the President
		-Reactions of attendees
		-General John B. Flynn=s comments
			-Patriotism
			-December 1972 bombing
		-POW wives= comments
		-Note to the President
		-Attendees
			-Armed services
			-George H. Mahon, John C. Stennis, Strom Thurmond, and Barry M. Goldwater
		-The President=s conversation with unknown POW
			-1972 election
		-Forthcoming Texas reception for POWs

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  1m 12s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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	Agenda
		-The President=s forthcoming meeting with Georges J. R. Pompidou
		-Europe

******************************************************************************

	Vietnam peace accord

[To listen to the segment (56s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-624.]

******************************************************************************

	Kissinger=s briefing

	Dramesi
		-Admiral John S. McCain, Jr.

	Unnamed POW
		-Torture

	US foreign policy
		-Kissinger
		-Europe
		-Vietnam
		-Soviet Union
			-Leonid I. Brezhnev=s forthcoming visit to the United States

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration:  42s  ]

	SOVIET UNION

	EUROPE

	VIETNAM

	LATIN AMERICA

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

[To listen to the segment (37m50s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-624.]

******************************************************************************

	Monetary reform
		-Asian Development Bank meeting
		-Inter-American Development Bank meeting
			-Paul A. Volcker
			-Latin America

	Agenda
		-Stein

	National economy
		-Trade balance
		-Stock market
		-Economic surge
			-Food prices and supply
			-Effect of foreign economies
			-Devaluation
			-Transition to Phase III
			-Consumer confidence
			-Trends
		-John Kenneth Galbraith=s view
		-Uncertainty
		-Public perceptions of the government=s role
			-Public confidence
		-Indicators
			-Price increases
		-Forecasts
			-Inflation
			-Consumption
				-Growth
		-Public confidence
			-Watergate
			-Cambodia
				-Arthur F. Burns= view
			-Effect of government policies
			-Stock market
		-Energy
			-The President=s orders
			-Independent oil refiners
				-Major oil companies
			-President=s policies
				-Alaska pipeline
					-Congress

******************************************************************************

	Alaska pipeline

	Middle East

[To listen to the segment (40s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-624.]

******************************************************************************

		-Cost of Living Council
			-Public perceptions
			-Recommendations

	The President=s Schedule

******************************************************************************

	President’s meeting with Pompidou

[To listen to the segment (24s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-624.]

******************************************************************************

		-Richardson=s swearing-in
			-Warren E. Burger

	Agenda
		-The Vice President
		-Haig
		-Garment

The President and Richardson left at 12:09 pm

	Watergate
		-White House response
			-The President=s role in office
			-White House staff relations with Cabinet
			-White House staff relations with Congress
				-The President=s meeting with Republican leadership
					-Reasons
			-White House personnel
				-New appointments
				-Cabinet=s role
				-Vacancies
			-White paper
				-Development
				-Garment

The conversation was cut off at an unknown time before 11:59 pm
Conversation No. 124-3

Date:  May 29, 1973
Time:  11:06 am - 12:05 pm
Location:  Cabinet Room

The President met with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, William P. Rogers, Dr. James R. Schlesinger, Hugh Scott, J. William Fulbright, Strom Thurmond, Milton R. Young, W[illiam] Stuart Symington, John L. McClellan, Robert C. Byrd, Carl B. Albert, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, Dr. Thomas E. (ADoc@) Morgan, William S. Mailliard, F. Edward Hébert, George H. Mahon, Elford A. Cederberg, Henry A. Kissinger, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., William E. Timmons, Thomas C. Korologos, and Max L. Friedersdorf

	[General conversation/Unintelligible]

	Attendees
		-Bipartisan leadership meeting
			-ABig Five@, Foreign Relations, Armed Services, Appropriations

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration:  4m 17s  ]

	LATIN AMERICA

	VIETNAM

	EUROPE

	JAPAN

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

[To listen to the segment (51m17s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-624, E-625, and E-626.]

******************************************************************************

	The President=s schedule
		-Briefing on forthcoming Iceland trip

	[General conversation/Unintelligible]

	The President=s program
		-Symington

The President, et al. left at 12:05 pm

Conversation No.  124-4

Date:  Unknown between May 29 and June 5, 1973
Time:  Unknown between 12:05 pm, May 29 and 8:38 am, June 5, 1973
Location:  Cabinet Room

Unknown people [tour group] met
[Recording begins while the conversation is in progress]

	Furniture
		-Portraits
			-Dwight D. Eisenhower
				-Thomas Keaton [?], artist
			-Theodore (ATeddy@) Roosevelt
			-[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson
				-Compared with portrait in East Wing corridor
				-Sir William Orpen, artist

	[Unintelligible]

The unknown people [tour group] left at an unknown time before 8:38 am, June 5, 1973

Conversation No. 124-5

Date:  June 5, 1973
Time:  8:38 am - 10:19 am
Location:  Cabinet Room

The President met with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Wallace F. Bennett, John G. Tower, William E. Brock, III, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B. Anderson, John J. Rhodes, Samuel L. Devine, Robert H. Michel, David T. Martin, Barber B. Conable, Jr., George H. W. Bush, Henry A. Kissinger, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., William E. Timmons, Thomas C. Korologos, Max L. Friedersdorf, Ronald L. Ziegler, and John F. Lehman, Jr.

	Greetings

	Agenda
		-Structure
		-Ford and Scott
		-Kissinger=s briefing
			-President=s meeting with Georges J. R. Pompidou in Iceland
				-US-European relations
			-Vietnam Peace Accord
				-Recent negotiations in Paris

	Atlantic alliance
		-President=s policies
			-AYear of Europe@
			-West Germany
			-France
				-Structure
					-Past compared to future
						-Need for change
		-Status
			-Defense
			-Economics
			-Foreign policy
			-Future
				-Need for change
		-The President=s negotiations with Europeans
			-Goals
				-Strengthening alliance
				-President=s policies
			-European nations= internal politics
				-Domestic concerns

******************************************************************************

	France

	Vietnam peace accord

[To listen to the segment (21m8s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-626.]

******************************************************************************

	Vietnam Peace Accord
		-Senate vote on Cambodia
			-Possible briefing
				-Kissinger, William H. Sullivan, and Haig

	White House relations with Congress
		-Haig and Kissinger
			-Future meetings
			-Availability
		-The President=s schedule
			-Congressmen
		-Haig
		-Agenda
			-Possible future meetings
				-Participants
					-Ranking committee members
				-Ford=s view
		-The President=s messages and draft legislation
			-Early consultation with Republican leaders
				-Reasons
			-Spending limitation
				-Ford=s conversation with Richard W. Bolling
		-Agencies= positions on pending legislation
			-Importance of coordination
				-Department of Energy and Natural Resources
			-Timing
		-Spending limitation and impoundment
			-Possible compromise
			-Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.=s proposal
			-Mahon=s bill
			-Bolling
			-Rhodes= suggestion, June 4, 1973
		-Administration consultation with congressmen
			-Cabinet members
			-Meetings with ranking Republicans
			-James T. Lynn=s practice
			-Possible new procedures
			-Timing
			-Possible Department of Energy and Natural Resources
				-Meeting with Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
			-Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
				-Hill-Burton
					-Problems
				-Caspar W. (ACap@) Weinberger=s activities
				-Devine=s meeting with Frank C. Carlucci
				-James F. Hastings
		-Cabinet
			-Political skills
				-Congressional leaders
			-Consultation
				-Importance

	Pending legislation
		-Spending limitation and impoundment
			-Par value legislation in Senate
		-Democratic caucus, June 4
			-Forthcoming bills

	Political appointments
		-Bush=s meetings with congressmen and administration
		-Democrats
		-Vacancies
			-Number unfilled
		-Jerry H. Jones
			-Agreement with Scott and Ford
				-List of vacancies
				-Consultation
				-Prospective appointees
			-Procedures
				-Clearances
		-Procedures
			-Ford=s conversation with Robert T. Hartmann
			-Compared with Dwight D. Eisenhower=s administration
			-Effectiveness
				-Bush=s role
				-Timmon=s role
			-Cabinet officer=s reaction
				-Political clearances
					-William P. Rogers
					-Loyalty
			-Bush=s efforts
				-Haig

	Pending legislation
		-Revenue sharing
			-Fall-back position
				-Cabinet involvement
				-Vice President=s position
				-Vice President=s forthcoming visit to Governors= conference
			-New York Times article, June 4, 1973
			-Possible compromise
			-Education
				-Ford=s meeting with Weinberger, Albert H. Quie, and Michel
				-Expiration of current legislation
					-Funding
				-Weinberger=s role
				-Congressional bills
		-HEW Appropriations Bill
			-Michel
			-Funding levels
				-Education
				-Health
			-Excess over budget
			-Possible veto strategy
		-Revenue sharing
			-Education
				-Expiration of current legislation
					-Effect of automatic extension
				-Carl D. Perkins
			-OMB study
			-Possible effect on 1974 elections
				-Support from state and local officials
					-Potential problem
			-OMB
			-The Vice President=s forthcoming meetings with governors
				-Governors= reactions
					-Congress
				-Nelson A. Rockefeller and Ronald W. Reagan
				-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
				-Effect on mayors
		-Special revenue sharing
		-White House staff members= attendance at congressmen=s meetings
			-Haig and Kissinger
			-Domestic Council
			-Haig=s role
				-Cambodia
		-Possible vetoes
			-Compromise
			-Minimum wage
				-John N. Erlenborn
			-Foreign assistance bill
			-Rural Electrification Administration [REA] bill
				-Earl L. Butz=s efforts
			-Compromises
				-Strategy
				-HEW bill
				-Strategy
		-Vocational Rehabilitation Bill
			-Quie=s compromise
			-Earl F. Landgrebe=s vote
			-OMB and HEW
				-Efforts with House and Senate
			-Forthcoming House vote
			-Compared with vetoed bill
				-Funding levels
				-Administrative structure
			-House and Senate versions compared
			-Ford=s view
		-Economic Development Administration [EDA] bill
			-Compared with other compromise bills
		-Highway bill
		-Rivers and harbors bill
		-Veterans= legislation
		-EDA
			-Prospects
		-Airports bill
		-Farm bill
		-Energy bill

	Use of pesticides
		-Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] regulations
			-Effects
			-Ralph Nader=s role
			-Procedures
			-Problems
		-Judge=s threat
		-Labor Department=s emergency regulations
			-Public objectives
			-Possible lawsuits
			-House member=s joint letter
			-Applicability
			-Peter J. Brennan=s motive
			-Effects
				-Enforcement
					-Agriculture
			-George A. Goodling
			-OSHA statistics
				-Fatalities
			-Ford=s conversation with John H. Stender
			-Ford=s view
			-Brennan
			-George P. Shultz=s forthcoming involvement
				-President=s position

	White House relations with Congress
		-The President=s meeting with congressmen
			-Future meeting
			-Scheduling
			-Agenda
			-Participation by junior members
			-Participation by leaders
		-Cabinet
			-Cooperation with congressmen
		-The President=s meetings with congressmen
			-Value and effect
			-Attendees
		-Congressional support
			-Legislation
		-Public approval of the President=s foreign and domestic policies
			-Public support
			-White House and Cabinet efforts
		-White House staff reorganization
		-The President=s meeting with congressmen
			-Value
		-Possible statement by congressmen
			-Public confidence in economy
			-Press coverage of administration

	Pending legislation
		-Procurement authorization
			-Possible administration action

	The President=s meeting with congressmen
		-Attendees
			-New members

	The President=s schedule
		-Forthcoming state dinner
			-William R. Tolbert, Jr.
		-Meetings with congressmen
			-Timmon=s role
			-Number and kind
				-New members
				-Leadership
					-Past meetings
				-Social events
				-Bipartisan meetings
			-Attendees

	[General conversation/Unintelligible]

The President, et al. left at 10:19 am
Conversation No.  124-6

Date:  June 7, 1973
Time:  10:04 am - 11:19 am
Location:  Cabinet Room

The President met with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, William P. Rogers, George P. Shultz, William P. Clements, Jr., Elliot L. Richardson, Rogers C. B. Morton, Earl L. Butz, Frederick B. Dent, Caspar W. (ACap@) Weinberger, Floyd H. Hyde, John W. Barnum, Roy L. Ash, Anne L. Armstrong, John A. Scali, Melvin R. Laird, Peter J. Brennan, Hugh Scott, Gerald R. Ford, George H. W. Bush, John B. Connally, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Peter M. Flanigan, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., William E. Timmons, General Brent G. Scowcroft, Raymond K. Price, Jr., David R. Gergen, David N. Parker, Gerald L. Warren, Frederic V. Malek, Arthur J. Sohmer, and Herbert Stein; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting 

	[General conversation/Unintelligible]

	Agenda

	White House staff
		-Chief of Staff
			-Haig
				-Army career
				-Compared to General Harry H. Vaughn
		-Reorganization
		-Laird
		-Domestic Council
			-Cole
			-Vice President
		-Laird=s role
			-Domestic affairs
			-National security
			-Future efforts
		-Domestic policy
			-Compared with the President=s foreign policy
			-Revenue sharing
				-Partnership
					-Strategy
			-Agencies
			-Laird=s role

	Cabinet
		-Laird
		-The President=s conversation with Connally and Bryce N. Harlow
		-Role
			-Franklin D. Roosevelt=s administration
			-Ideas and suggestions
				-Policy
				-Laird
					-Objectives
					-Schedule
						-Cabinet officers
						-Congress
		-Ash=s role
		-Responsibility

	Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] director
		-Search
			-Richardson
		-Choice
		-J. Edgar Hoover
		-Clarence M. Kelley
			-Age
			-Background
			-Relationships with Thomas F. Eagleton and W[illiam] Stuart Symington
			-Law enforcement support
			-Meeting with the President in 1970
				-Kansas City
			-Qualifications
			-Conversation with the President, June 6, 1973
				-Upcoming Senate confirmation hearings
				-Responsibilities
					-Cooperation with other federal agencies
						-Hoover
						-President=s policy
					-Staff changes
						-Personnel problems
						-Discipline
							-Leaks
								-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
									-Efforts
						-Compared with Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
								-Dr. James R. Schlesinger and Richard M. Helms
					-Cooperation with local law enforcement agencies
						-Hoover
						-Public=s concern
							-Organized crime and white collar crime compared to street crime
						-Los Angeles police chief
					-Crime

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  17s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

******************************************************************************

			-Richardson=s conversations
				-Scott
				-Impressions
				-Support
				-Kelley=s involvement in Law Enforcement Assistance Administration [LEAA]
			-Assistance from Cabinet
				-Transition from Kansas City to Washington, DC
			-Richardson=s conversation with Jim Wilden [sp?]
			-Efforts in Kansas City

	Domestic intelligence
		-Huston Plan
			-Helms, Hoover, and Admiral Noel Gayler
			-Pre-1967 activities
			-Hoover=s objection
			-Implementation
		-Need for cooperation

	Kelley
		-Compared with Orlando W. Wilson of Chicago
			-Richard J. Daley

	Appointments
		-The President=s meeting with congressmen, June 5, 1973
		-Cabinet cooperation with congressmen
			-Bush=s view
				-Importance
				-Laird
		-Appointments
			-Procedures
			-Input from congressmen
			-Cabinet members= cooperation
			-Jerry H. Jones
			-Congressmen
			-Bush and Republican National Committee [RNC]
		-Democrats
		-Kelley
			-Political affiliation
			-Religious affiliation

	House and Senate reaction
		-Ford and Scott=s attendance at Cabinet meeting
			-Ford=s view
			-Ford=s conversations
				-Carl B. Albert
				-Thomas P. (ATip@) O=Neill, Jr.
		-Laird=s appointment
		-Haig=s appointment
		-Legislation
			-Cabinet consultation with Congress
				-Timing
				-Congressional expertise
				-Ford=s forthcoming meeting with Brennan
					-Pesticides
					-Minimum wage
		-Congress
			-Need for Cabinet cooperation
			-Need for Democratic cooperation on legislation
				-Republicans
				-Ford=s assistance
			-Leslie C. Arends= cooperation
			-Ash
			-Department of Energy and Natural Resources
			-Press
			-Health insurance
				-Weinberger
				-Procedures
					-Complexity
				-Potential problems
					-Wilbur D. Mills= possible reaction
					-Domestic Council
					-Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
			-Procedures
				-Better Schools Act
					-Problems
				-Discussions of options	
				-Community Development Bill
			-Cabinet members= experience
			-Laird
				-Role
			-Ford=s meeting with Weinberger and others
				-Better Schools Act
			-Sponsorship of Employment Bill
				-Herman T. Schneebeli
				-Mills
				-Role of leaders
					-Bipartisan support
			-Mills
			-Timmons role
			-Democrats
		-Scott=s meeting with Ford
			-Cabinet-Congress cooperation on legislation
				-Possible vetoes
					-Alternative legislation
					-John N. Erlenborn=s amendment
				-Administration=s positions on proposed amendments
					-John G. Tower
					-Wallace F. Bennett
					-Number of votes in Senate in 1972
						-Robert C. Byrd
				-Possible vetoes
					-Compromise positions
						-Various bills

	Revenue sharing
		-Effect on current programs
			-Day care
			-Libraries
		-The President=s possible meeting with bipartisan congressional leaders
			-Michael J. (AMike@) Mansfield
				-Staff
			-Albert and Wayne L. Hays

	White House staff members= meetings with congressmen

	Agenda

	Possible compromises on pending legislation
		-The President=s meeting with Elford A. Cederberg on education
		-White House staff role
			-Laird and Cole
		-Compared with labor-management bargaining

	Foreign policy
		-Vietnam peace negotiations

******************************************************************************

	France

[To listen to the segment (18s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-626.]

******************************************************************************

	Domestic policy
		-Connally=s role
		-Energy
			-Forthcoming announcement
		-National economy
			-Wage-price controls
				-Shultz=s role
					-Meetings with Stein, Cole, Connally, Arthur F. Burns, and John T. Dunlop
				-Consideration of options
				-Ash=s role
				-President=s decision
					-Input from others
				-Possible effect of public knowledge of discussions
			-Wholesale Price Index rise
				-Food

	Vietnam veterans program
		-Job placement

	National mood
		-Administration=s activities
			-Brennan=s efforts
		-Labor rank and file
		-Compared to press accounts
			-Administration=s policies
				-Foreign policy
				-Domestic policy
			-Watergate
		-Cabinet members= schedules
			-Statements
			-Future schedule

	The President=s schedule
		-Leonid I. Brezhnev=s visit

	The President=s policies
		-Popular opinion
		-Vietnam war
		-Draft
		-Riots
		-People=s Republic of China [PRC] relations
		-Soviet Union relationship
		-Middle East problems
		-Popular opinion

	National concerns
		-Inflation
		-Watergate
		-Inflation
			-Connally=s conversation with Louis Harris
		-Watergate
			-Compared with other crises
				-December bombing
				-Cambodia incursion
				-May 8 bombing
			-Opponents
		-Future
			-President=s policies
				-Foreign policy
				-Domestic policy
					-Economy
						-Inflation
					-Transportation
					-Agriculture
					-Inflation
				-Adminstration=s activities

	[General conversation/Unintelligible]

The President, et al. left at 11:19 am

Conversation No. 124-7

Date:  June 7, 1973
Time:  11:33 am - unknown before 12:31 pm
Location:  Cabinet Room

The President met with William P. Rogers, Charles F. Barber, William E. Barlow, Jose Rafael Bejarano, Fletcher L. Byrom, John W. Clark, Donald M. Cox, Jose de Cubas, Alphonse DeRosso, John Diebold, John Duncan, Lewis W. Foy, John F. Gallagher, General James M. Gavin, Henry R. Geyelin, Maurice F. Granville, A. S. Hart, William M. Hickey, Donald McI. Kendall, James R. Kennedy, Fritz G. Lindley, George J. Clark, Thomas D. Lumpkin, Augustine R. Marusi, Michael Miller, Frank R. Milliken, Michael W. Percopo, J. D. Ritchie, David Rockefeller, Rodman Rockefeller, J. Donald Rollins, Harvey L. Schwartz, Daniel Seymour, A. Thomas Taylor, Charles J. Zwick, General Brent G. Scowcroft, and William J. Jorden; the White House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting

	Greetings

	Rogers
		-Previous trip to Latin America
		-Forthcoming testimony before Congress, June 7, 1973
		-Briefing

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration:  11s  ]

	LATIN AMERICA

	FOREIGN POLICY

Rogers left at an unknown time before 12:31 pm

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

[To listen to the segment (54m5s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-626, E-627.]
******************************************************************************

Recording was cut off at an unknown time before 12:31 pm