Conversation No. 741-1

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  Unknown between 9:41 and 10:04 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 25-130]

Conversation No. 741-2

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  Unknown between 9:41 and 10:39 am
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

[Signing documents]

H .R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 10:04 am.

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 10:39 am.

The President's schedule
-Domestic Council
-Time of meeting
-Preparation
-Background reading material
-Meeting with Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-A television appearance
-Busing issue statement
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Length

-Tone
-Questions
-George P. Shultz
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins

[Transcripts of the following portion of this conversation maybe found in RG460, Box 172, pp. 1-38; SI, App. III, pp. 39-74 (1-34); US vs. Mitchell, Exhibit 1, pp. 00002-00007 (3-8) and 00008-00009 (16-17)]

H. R. Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 10:04 and 10:33 am during the transcribed portion.

[Conversation No. 741-2A]

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 10:33 am during the transcribed portion.

[End of transcribed portion]

Haldeman and Ziegler left at 10:39 am.

Conversation No. 741-3

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  10:39 am-12:41 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with George P. Shultz, Caspar W. Weinberger, Herbert Stein, Ezra Solomon, Marina von N. Whitman, John D. Ehrlichman, and Ronald L. Ziegler; the White House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting.

Greetings

	Higher education message

Seating arrangements

Photographs

The President left at an unknown time after 10:39 am.

	Donald H. Rumsfeld

	Farm Bureau

The President returned at an unknown time before 10:50 am.

Photographs

Food prices
-Shortages of food
-A paper by unknown person

Timing of meeting
	-Other participants

[Photograph session]

Press
-Wire services
-Quality of writing

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:39 am.

Charles W. Colson
-Attendance at meeting
-Earl L. Butz
-Rumsfeld
-Time

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:50 am.

Food prices
-Government action
-The President’s view
-Public perceptions
-Congress
-Democrats
-The President’s view
-Impact

Beef prices
-John B. Connally
-Experience
-World demand
-Demand
	-Effect
	-The President's childhood diet
-Cholesterol problems
-Effects of rise
-Need for government action
-Butz
-Clifford M. Hardin
-Appearances
-Importance

Colson entered at 10:50 am.

-Effects on producers and sellers
-Timing of effects
-Election
-Appearances
-Importance
-Other meat products
-Import quota
-Farmers
-Cattlemen
-Middlemen
-Political impact
-Political responsibility
	-Political consequences
		-Farmers
		-Cattlemen
		-Middlemen	
		-Storeowners
-Options
-Deficiencies
-Public reactions
-Impact of election

Economy
-Controls
-The President's decision in August 1971
-The President's policies
-Impact
-State of economy
-The President's analysis
-Changes in diet
-Meat consumption
-Food production
-Middlemen
-Support for the President
-Import quotas
-State Department policies
-Shortcomings
-The President’s view
-Problems
-Increases in world demand
-Butz
	-Meet prices in Europe
-Fruits and vegetables
-Shortages
-Controls
-Price controls on food
-Intermediate transactions
-Effect on farmer
-Farmers' concerns
-Perceptions of utility
	-Impact
-Stein
-Effects of increased supply
-Beef prices
-Supplies of pork
-Prices
-Predictions of supply
-Cooperation of food chain stores
-Possible price freeze
-Timing
-Effects on economy

Butz and Rumsfeld entered at 11:06 am.

-Statistics
-Problems
-Erhlichman’s previous meeting with storeowners
-Consumer psychology
-Television reporting
-Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
	-Demand
		-Effect on consumers
-Administration action
	-Support for farmers
	-Support for storeowners
	-Need for actions
		-Consumers
-Quotas
-State Department personnel
-Argentina
-Australia
-New Zealand
-Education background
	-The President’s view
-European food prices
	-Compared to US
-Quotas on beef
-Possible announcement by the President
-Argentina
-Arthur F. Burns
-Hoof and mouth disease
-Australia
-New Zealand
-Australia
		-William McMahon
-Restriction
		-Farm Bureau
		-Justification for removal
-Price freeze
-Office of Price Administration [OPA]
-Harry S. Truman administration example
-Supplies
-Freezer space
	-Solomon’s view
-Quote suspension
	-Solomon’s view
-Popular perception
	-Quota suspension
		-CPI
-Supply and demand
-Cut-backs
-Food stamps
-Quotas
-Announcement of action
-Political problems
	-Farmers and cattlemen
		-Colson
-Timing
	-The President’s view
-Press coverage
-Television
-Timing
-Follow-up
	-Secretary of Agriculture
	-Whitman
-The President's statement
	-Length
-Today Show
-Barbara Walters
-Content
-July 7, 1972 wholesale price announcement
-Time for effects
-Quotas
-Margins of food processors
-Demand
-Effect of government procurement
-Dwight D. Eisenhower administration
-Military menus
-Government demand
-Government installations
-Government storage
-George A. Lincoln
-Reduction
-Follow-up by the Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
-Melvin R. Laird
	-Military
-Substitutes
-Orville L. Freeman
-Chicken
-Advantages
-Eggs
-Pork supply
-Lamb
-New Zealand
-Supply
-Prime Minister
-Quotas
-The President’s view
-The President’s statement
	-Wording
-Military storage of food
-Release to public
-Weinberger
-Butz
-Lincoln
-Camp David
-Substitutes
-Lamb
-Fish production
-Price controls
-Timing of announcement
-Quotas
-Timing of announcement
-Press conference
-Presidential action
	-Revocation
-Timing of announcement
-Rumsfeld
-Today show
-The President’s action
-Effects on chain stores, middlemen
-Effects of the President's decisions
-Quotas on fruits and vegetables
-Florida, California and Arizona
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Quality of tomatoes
	-The President’s view
-Agriculture in southwestern US
-Central Valley of California
-Strawberries and tomatoes
	-Prices
		-Effect on consumers
-Cesar E. Chavez
-Possible talks with retailers
	-Future meeting
-Timing of announcements
-Democratic convention
-Price controls
-The President possible meetings in California
-Congress
-Cost of Living Council [COLC]
	-Rumsfeld’s view
		-July 4 holiday
-Possible meetings
-Price Commission
-COLC
-Retailers
-Cattlemen
-Price Commission
-Price increases
-Effects of a possible meeting with the President
-Price freeze on food
	-COLC action
-Meeting of Ziegler, Rumsfeld, Colson, Ehrlichman
	-The President’s instructions
		-Plan of action
-Wage and price controls
-OPA
-Future recommendations
-Effect
-Food prices
-Proposed action
-Military procurement of meat
	-Options
-Government stockpiles
-The President’s view
-The President’s policy
	-Reduction
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Bolivia

Weinberger, Butz, Whitman, Stein, Solomon, and Ehrlichman left at 12:08 pm.

The dollar
-Convertability
-Common Market's possible action
-Forthcoming meeting
-Devaluation of dollar
-Canada, Japan
-US currency
-Possible Common Market vote
	-Devaluation
-Smithsonian Agreement
	-Shultz’s assessment
-Possible acquisition of British pounds
-Common Market actions
-Burns
-Smithsonian Agreement
-Europeans' view
	-Currency values
	-Exchange rates
-Value of dollar
-Comparison with other nations

Stock market
-Wage earners
-Businessmen and international bankers
-Complaints
-George S. McGovern

Tax reform

Kermit Gordon entered and Ziegler left at 12:15 pm.

The President's previous meeting 
	-Council of Economic Advisors [CEA]
	-Beef prices

Pay Board
-Gordon's role
-Bipartisanship
-Public interest orientation
-Function of board
-Gordon's experience
-OPA
-The President's experience
-OPA
-Regulations
-Work described

Gordon’s efforts
	-The President’s view
	-Presentation of gifts

Brookings Institution
-Relations with Administration officials
-Staff
-Lyndon B. Johnson's administration officials
-Policymakers
	-Previous administration personnel
-Political orientation
-Image
-Shultz, Stein, and Henry A. Kissinger
-Richard P. Nathan
	-Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
-Charles B. Saunders, Jr.
-Work for Nixon Administration
-Stephen Hess
-Paul W. McCracken
-C. Fred Bergsten
	-NSC
-Martin J. Bailey
-Treasury Department
	-The President’s view
		-Connally

The President's previous meeting with broadcasters
-Media coverage of Administration
-Political orientation of media members

Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:15 pm.

The President's schedule
-Forthcoming meeting

Bull left at an unknown time before 12:41 pm.

Administration staff
-Foundations and media
-Political orientation
-Milton Friedman
-Irving Kristol

Brookings Institution
-Press coverage
-Disarmament
-Defense policies
	-Laird
-Kissinger
-Negotiations with People’s Republic of China [PRC]
	-Wording of communique

Arms Control Agreement
-Negotiations with the Soviet Union
-Trade
-The President's talks with Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Wording
-The President's talks with Chou En-lai
-Andrei A. Gromyko and Kissinger
-William P. Rogers, Alexei N. Kosygin
-Story about use of words
-Russian tsar

Foundations
-Brookings Institution
-Suspicion of intellectuals
-Brookings Institution
	-Relations with politicians on White House staff

Presentation of gifts by the President

Gordon, Rumsfeld, and Shultz left at 12:41 pm.

Conversation No. 741-4

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  Unknown between 12:41 and 12:44 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

The President's schedule
-Meeting with Farm Family of the Year
-Conversation
-Handshakes
-Arrangements
	-Photograph

Bull left at an unknown time before 12:44 pm.

Conversation No. 741-5

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  12:44-12:50 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Carlos D. Dixon, Mrs. Dixon, Anita J. Dixon, Stephen C. Dixon, Kimberley R. Dixon, Earl L. Butz, James V. Smith, and John C. Whitaker; members of the press and the White House photographer were present at the beginning to the meeting.

Introductions

Dixon's experience as farmer

Importance of agriculture
-4-H program
-Future Farmers of America [FFA]
-Capital acquisition
-Farmers Home Administration [FHA]
-Success

Butz
-Advocacy of farmers

Presentation of gifts by the President

Oval Office furnishings
	-Rug
	-Gift from the Soviet Union
	-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
	-The Presidential seal

Presentation of gifts by the President

Butz's speeches

Farmers
	-Importance
	-Beef prices
		-Cattlemen

Dixon et al. left at 12:50 pm.

Conversation No. 741-6

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  12:51 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

The President's schedule
-Meeting with Frederic V. Malek's staff
-Gifts

-Photographs
-Handshakes
-Photographs
-Arrangements

Bull left at 12:51 pm.

Conversation No. 741-7

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  12:51-1:00 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Frederic V. Malek, Daniel T. Kingsley, E. Pendleton James, Stanton D. Anderson, John E. Clarke, Robert V. Davison, Michael T. Harrigan, Frank C. Herringer, William H. Marumoto, and John Grinalds; members of the press and the White House photographer were present at the beginning to the meeting.

Introductions

Arrangements for photograph
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins

Recruitment of staff
-Gerald R. Ford
-[Thomas] Hale Boggs

Presentation of gifts by the President

Malek, et al. left at 1:00 pm.

Conversation No. 741-8

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  1:01 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

The President’s schedule

Bull left at 1:01 pm.

Conversation No. 741-9

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  1:02 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 25-131]

Conversation No. 741-10

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  1:04-1:13 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with H. R. Haldeman.

Statement on busing
-Teleprompter
-Arrangements

The President talked with the White House operator.

[Conversation No. 741-10A]

[See Conversation No. 25-132]

[End of telephone conversation]

Economic policy

-George P. Shultz cable to John B. Connally
-British reaction to devaluation
	-Possible telephone call

[No conversation]

[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation may be found in U.S. v. Mitchell, exhibit 2, pp. 00011-00012 (1-2); RG 460, pp. 1-2; and S.I., App. III, p. 75]

H. R. Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 1:04 and 1:13 pm during the transcribed portion.

[Conversation No. 741-10B]

[End of transcription]

Haldeman left at 1:13 pm.

Conversation No. 741-11

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  Unknown between 1:16 and 2:56 pm
Location:  Oval Office

Stephen B. Bull and unknown persons met.

The President's schedule
-Executive Office Building [EOB]
-Filming in Oval Office
	-Equipment

Bull and unknown persons left at an unknown time before 2:56 pm.

Conversation No. 741-12

Date:  June 23, 1972

Time:  Unknown between 1:16 and 2:56 pm
Location:  Oval Office

Unknown person (members of the Wolper Organization, Inc. film crew?) met.

Film equipment

Unknown persons left at an unknown time before 2:56 pm.

Conversation No. 741-13

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  2:56-Unknown before 3:00 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Donald H. Rumsfeld, H. R. Haldeman, Herbert Stein, Edward R. Spiegal, Harry Hogan, Fritz Roland, and unknown members of the Wolper Organization, Inc. production crew.

Instructions for filming
-The President's movements

Weather in Washington
-Temperature

The President's meeting with Kermit Gordon
-Brookings Institution
-Political leanings
	-Compared to media
-John D. Ehrlichman, Haldeman
-Government contracts

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:56 pm.

Instructions for filming
-Cameras

The President, Rumsfeld, Stein, and Haldeman left at an unknown time before 3:00 pm.

Documentary filming
-Instructions for the President
-Film crew
-Format

The President's schedule
-Camp David

The recording was cut off at an unknown time before 3:00 pm.

Conversation No. 741-14

Date:  June 23, 1972
Time:  3:00-4:22 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Donald Rumsfeld and Herbert Stein.
[This recording began while the conversation was in progress]

Stockpiles
-Metals
-Value
-George A. Lincoln
-Henry A. Kissinger
-The President’s instructions
	-Reduction
		-Timing
	-Caspar W. Weinberger
	-National Security Council [NSC]
-Vested interests
-Food subsidies
-Food prices
	-Rumsfeld
-George P. Shultz
-Administraiton action
-Earl L. Butz
-Administration action

	-Subsidies
-Farmers
-Income
-Political outlook
	-George S. McGovern

The President left at an unknown time after 3:00 pm.

H. R. Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, Edward R. Spiegel, Henry Hogan, Fritz Roland and unknown members of the Wolper Organization, Inc. entered at an unknown time after 3:00 pm.

[General conversation]

Cameras

The President entered at an unknown time after 3:00 pm.

The President's movements during forthcoming filming

Instructions for the President

John D. Ehrlichman entered at an unknown time after 3:00 pm.

	Filming logistics

Pending Congressional legislation
-Federal funding provision for localities
	-Local property taxes
		-Problem
-Busing
-Equal Educational Opportunity bill
	-Congressional actions
-Richard K. Cook’s view
-Moratorium
-House and Senate action
-Busing moratorium
	-Possible passage
	-The President’s view
	-Emanuel Celler
-Detroit example
-Kindergarten children
	-Effect
-Parents' feelings
-Effect on children's social life
-Equal education opportunity bill
-Effect of court action
-Social planners 
-Purpose and effect
-Harvard professor
-Study on the effects of busing
-Racial tension
-Wilbur D. Mills bill on aid to private schools
-Administration position
-Tax credits

Hurricane Agnes
-Disaster declaration
-Possible effect
	-Claims
		-Office of Emergency Preparedness [OEP]
		-Small Business Administration [SBA]
		-Federal Housing Administration [FHA]
-South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia
-Virginia, Maryland, East Coast states
-Extent
-Need for supplemental bill
-Extent of disaster
-Robert H. Finch
-Visit to Rapid City, South Dakota

Filming logistics

John W. Byrnes

Finch entered at an unknown time after 3:00 pm.

Finch’s trip to Rapid City, South Dakota

Byrnes
-Spending bill
-Payroll taxes
	-Administration policy

Rapid City disaster
-Extent of damage
	-Finch’s assessment
-Looting
-National Guard
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's parents

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:00 pm.

Refreshments

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:07 pm.

Hurricane Agnes
-Response to warnings
-Rapid City disaster
-The President's experience in Florida
-Palm trees

Rapid City disaster
	-National Guard
	-Purpose
	-Role in Rapid City
-Weather
-Amount of rain
-Letter from Governor [Richard F. Kneip] to the President
-Tourism

	Disasters
	-California earthquakes
		-Rapid City disaster
		-Peruvian earthquake

Hurricane Agnes
-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]
	-Robert H. White
		-Theodore H. White
	-Advanced warning
		-Previous hurricane (Hurricane Camille?)

	Filming logistics

	Hurricane Agnes
		-Fundraising drive
-Red Cross
-The President's uncle
-Salvation Army
-Ehrlichman's conversation with John W. Dean, III
-Potomac River
	-Flooding

Filming logistics

Unemployment rate
-California
-Washington state
-Supersonic transport [SST], Boeing Aircraft Company
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson and Warren G. Magnuson
-American-made aircraft in use

SST
-Necessity
-The President’s pointer
			-The President’s flights in the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Environment
-Importance of speed
-Space race
	-Great Britain, France, Soviet Union
-Balance of payments
-Program for Congress
-Environment
-Cost-benefit analysis

Response to Kneip
	-Finch

Stockpiles

[General conversation]

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 3:00 and 4:07 pm.

[Conversation No. 741-14A]

[See Conversation No. 26-1]

[End of telephone conversation]

[No conversation]

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time  between 3:00 and 4:07 pm.

[Conversation No. 741-14B]

[See Conversation No. 26-2]

The President talked with George P. Shultz between 4:07 and 4:13 pm.

[Conversation No. 741-14C]

[See Conversation No. 26-3]

[End of telephone conversation]

Instructions for the President
-Bull
-Photographs
	-Executive Office Building [EOB]
	-Oval Office
	-Ronald L. Ziegler

The President talked with the White House operator at 4:14 pm.

[Conversation No. 741-14D]

[See Conversation No. 26-4]

[End of telephone conversation]

Photographs

Gifts for film crew

Haldeman [?]

The President, et al. left at 4:22 pm.