58–1

Conversation No. 58-1

Date: May 18, 1971
Time: 8:02 am - 9:33 am
Location: Cabinet Room

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger, Melvin R. Laird, U. Alexis Johnson, Robert P.
Griffin, Norris Cotton, Peter H. Dominick, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B. Anderson,
Barber B. Conable, Jr., Richard H. Poff, Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson, John J. Rhodes, Robert T.
Stafford, H. Allen Smith, Robert J. Dole, Peter G. Peterson, George P. Shultz, John D.
Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, William E. Timmons, Harry S. Dent, Ronald L. Ziegler, Bryce
N. Harlow, and Kenneth E. BeLieu

[General conversation/Unintelligible]

Europe

Railroad strike
-Shultz
-Effects
-Length
-Administration’s proposal to Senate
-Union’s position
-Possible Congressional action
-Previous Congressional action
-Ford’s efforts
-President’s previous proposal
-Other unions’ pending disputes
-1973
-Possible settlement
-Length of strike
-Emergency board
-Proposals
-Possible Congressional action
-Congress’ schedule
-[Senate?] Labor Committee
-Possible amendment
-Possible court action
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield and Robert C. Byrd
-Roll call vote of Senate
-National Labor Relations Board [NLRB]
-Congress’ schedule
 2

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Possible roll call vote
-Harley O. Staggers’ statement
-Delay
-Possible vote
-William J. Green
-Philadelphia election
-Possible vote on Rules Committee
-Carl [B. Albert?]
-Possible vote
-Date
-Administration’s legislative program regarding transportation
-Congress’ schedule
-Election in Philadelphia
-Effects of delay
-Senate
-Mansfield
-Chrysler Corporation, automobile and steel industries, unemployment,
Gross National Product [GNP]
-Omnibus bill
-Democrats
-Senate

Europe
-Agenda
-Laird

Railroad strike
-Possible Congressional action
-Senate Labor Committee
-Virginia delegation’s trip to Japan
-Hugh Scott’s schedule
-Responsibility
-Effect of delay
-Possible vote
-Mansfield and Byrd
-Possible vote
-Effect of strike and delay in action
-Ford’s conversation with Albert
-Ford’s conversation with Joseph M. McDade, May 17, 1971
-Responsibility
 3

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



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

North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]

[To listen to the segment (3m53s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-523.]

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


Extension of the military draft
-Forthcoming vote in Congress
-Timing of subsequent vote in 1972
-Attitude of youth to military service
-Vietnam


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 10s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


Extension of the military draft
-Possible effect of defeat of bill
-Draft pool
-Lottery system

U. Alexis Johnson
-Background and experience


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

Europe

[To listen to the segment (28m11s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-523.]
 4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)




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


NATO
-US military commitment
-Pending amendments in Senate
-Mansfield
-Provisions
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
-Jacob K. Javits, Hubert H. Humphrey and Ted Stevens
-Provisions
-Humphrey, Javits


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

Europe

[To listen to the segment (7m51s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-523.]

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


-Mathias and Mansfield amendments
-Prospects
-Humphrey, Edmund S. Muskie
-Possible substitute


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

World situation

[To listen to the segment (4m48s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-523.]

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


NATO
-US military commitment
-Balance of payments
 5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Peterson
-Popular opinion
-US goals
-European wars
-US military commitment
-Mansfield, Mathias amendments
-Popular opinion


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

US military

[To listen to the segment (3m32s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-524.]

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


-Possible Congressional action
-Griffin’s appearance with Fred R. Harris on Columbia Broadcasting System
[CBS], May 18, 1971
-Need for Congressional committee work
-Prospects
-Provisions, possible substitute
-An unknown man’s position

Extension of the military draft
-Samuel S. Stratton’s amendment
-Humphrey amendment
-Timing of subsequent vote

Peterson

President’s schedule
-State legislators’ briefing on revenue sharing

Peterson
-Forthcoming briefing on international trade for Business Council
-Japan, Europe

Balance of payments
-Current account balance
 6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Components
-Military, Europe, Far East

The conversation was cut off at an unknown time before 9:33 am