661–2

Conversation No. 661-2

Date: January 31, 1972
Time: 3:13 pm - 3:51 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with James R. Schlesinger and Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Greetings

Atomic Energy Commission [AEC]
-Number of commissioners
-Staff make-up
-James T. Ramey
-Lyndon B. Johnson protégé
-Congressional

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 3:13 pm.

The President’s schedule

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 3:51 pm.

AEC staff
-William O. Doub
-Wilfrid E. Johnson
-Clarence E. Larson
-Political loyalty
-Vacancy
-Commissioners
-Length of term
 18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 661-2 (cont.)


-Frederic V. Malek
-Replacements
-Possible appointment of woman
-Nuclear scientist
-Council of Economic Advisors [CEA]
-Marina von N. Whitman
-John von Neumann
-Jane Hall
-Los Alamos
-Political preferences

Amchitka
-Criticism
-Reason
-Effect
-World attention to US military power
-Moscow, Peking
-Press
-Scientist
-Press
-Turnaround
-Mike Gravel’s statement
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-Native Americans
-Indiscretion

AEC
-Schlesinger’s job
-Compared to previous job at Office of Management and Budget [OMB]


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 20m 26s ]


ATOMIC WEAPONS
 19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 661-2 (cont.)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Nuclear applications
-History
-Seaborg
-John A. McCone
-Plowshare
-Projects

Plowshare
-Upcoming program
-Natural gas release
-Problems
-Public perception of safety
-Environmental concerns
-Tritium
-Australia
-Harbor construction
-The President’s view
-Environment
-Soviet advances
-Reservoir construction
-Geography
-Excavation
-Problems
-Undersecretary’s committee
-Possible violation of nonproliferation treaty
-Natural gas release
-Revenue
-Algeria
-Local politics
-Colorado
-John A. Love
-Wyoming
-Stanley K. Hathaway
-Denver
-Revenue increases
-Clifford P. Hansen
 20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 661-2 (cont.)


-Plans
-Gordon L. Allott meeting
-Political problems
-1972 election
-Fears of population
-Amchitka
-The President’s visit to Alaska
-[Emperor of Japan] Hirohito
-Supersonic Transport [SST] cancellation
-Reasons
-Leadership

Foreign energy sales
-Balance of payments
-Schlesinger talks Peter G. Peterson and John B. Connally
-Status of balance of payments
-Brazil contacts
-Joint Committee
-Chet Holifield
-Connally’s view
-Problem
-Industrial compared to government structure
-Budget process
-Availability of products to US business
-Sacrifice of foreign exchange
-Connally
-Borrowing
-Follow up with Connally
-Peterson
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Maintaining US military presence
-Foreign exchange

Nuclear applications
-New programs
-Breeder-reactors
-Goals
-Fusion
-US supremacy
-National security
-Problems
 21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 661-2 (cont.)


-Fear
-Environment
-Soviet reaction
-Timing
-Elections
-Colorado
-International talks
-Political acumen
-Undersea Long-range Missile System [ULMS]


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 20s ]


DEFENSE


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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Haig

Schlesinger’s family
-Alaska

Schlesinger and Haig left at 3:51 pm.