479–2

Conversation No. 479-2


Date: April 14, 1971
Time: 9:50 am - 10:30 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John C. Stennis, Margaret Chase Smith, David Packard, Henry A.
Kissinger, Clark MacGregor, and Peter M. Flanigan

[General conversation]
-Greetings
-Speeches
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Senate rules
Senate
-Armed Services Committee
-Legislation
-President’s appreciation for Smith and Stennis’ support
-National security issues in 1969 and 1970
-Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr. case
Conv. No. 479-1 (cont.)
Defense
-Current mood of the country
-Importance of leadership of Smith and Stennis
-Cutbacks
-Media
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] program
-Senate
-Armed Services Committee
-Opinions
-Defense Department
-Responsibilities
-Draft extension
-Timetable
-Stennis
-Senate Armed Services Committee
-Hearings
-Manpower [draft extension]
-Military pay increase
-Manpower levels
-Anti-ballistic Missiles [ABM]
-Timetable
-Bills
-Draft extension
-Manpower
-Schedule
-C5A
-Military construction
-Hardware funds
-ABM
-Senate rule
-Climate of opinion
-Legislation
-Procurement bill
-Ceiling
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Weapons
-ABM
-Conference
-Procurement bill
-Manpower reductions
-Budget cuts
-Manpower
-Appropriation bill Conv. No. 479-2 (cont.)
-Military procurement
-Hardware
-Research & development
-Operations and maintenance money
-Reductions
-Draft bill
-Prospects
-Extension of draft
-Four years
-Two years
-House
-Action
-Volunteer Army
-Mark O. Hatfield and Barry M. Goldwater
-Extension
-Two years
-Armed Services Committee
-Informal talks
-Goals
-Budget cuts
-Membership
-William Proxmire
-Strategists
-Armed Services Committee
-Procurement bill
-Manpower reductions
-President’s announcements
-Bargaining
-Armed Services Committee
-Negotiations
-Overall cut
-Ceiling
-Armed Services Committee
-Solidarity
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Procurement
-Weapons
-Navy
-Target
-Carrier
-Amendment
-Talks
-Armed Services Committee Conv. No. 479-2 (cont.)
-Difficulties
-Selective Service
-Richard S. Schweiker
-Goldwater
-John G. Tower
-Peter H. Dominick
-Goldwater
-Armed Services Committee
-Individualists
-William B. Saxbe
-Goldwater
-One-year extension vote
-Effort
-Stennis’ forthcoming initiatives
-Members of Committee
-Vote on Senate floor
-Selective Service
-Timing
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Procurement bill
-Timing
-Timing of Congressional recess
-Agreement
-Chairman
-Manpower reductions
-National Security
-Stennis’ role
-President’s role
-Members of Armed Services Committee
-Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr.
-Harold E. Hughes
-Saxbe
-President’s possible action
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Stennis and Smith’s contributions
-Context

International conditions
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-[Twenty-fourth Soviet Party] Congress
-Leadership
-Leonid I. Brezhnev Conv. No. 479-2 (cont.)
-Speech
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-US military position
-Leadership
-Brezhnev
-Negotiations
-USSR missile strength
-US negotiating position
-US military budget
-Negotiations
-SALT
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-US policy

Stennis’ schedule
-Speech

Defense

Stennis left at 10:17 am

-Upcoming Senate votes
-Stennis
-Manpower reductions
-Budget
-Pay increase
-Draft extension
-Two-year limitation
-Importance
-US relations with USSR
-Procurement
-Vote
-Timing
-Administration’s position
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-International conditions
-US negotiations with USSR
-USSR leadership
-President’s PRC initiative
-Ping-pong team
-Vietnam negotiations
-Budget cuts
-Need for steadiness Conv. No. 479-2 (cont.)
-US negotiating position
-Timing of procurement bill
-Possible delay
-Administration’s position
-Discussion with leadership
-August/September
-Flexibility
-Smith’s possible initiatives
-Timing of ABM vote
-Manpower bill
-Vietnam
-Smith’s mail
-Calley case
-Research
-Guilt
-Standards
-Comparison to civilian crimes
-District of Columbia
-Judge
-Fort Leavenworth military prison
-President’s possible actions
-Confinement
-Fort Leavenworth
-President’s review
-Armed Services Committee
-Possible investigatory commission
-Earl Warren Commission
-Military justice
-Manpower
-Two-year extension
-Chairman
-Stennis
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Armed Services Committee
-Difficulties
-Smith and Stennis
-Two-year extension
-Volunteer army
-Draft
-Goldwater and Hatfield
-Transition Conv. No. 479-2 (cont.)
-Politics
-Four-year extension
-Strategy
-Two-year extension
-Armed Services Committee
-W[illiam] Stuart Symington
-Saxbe

Rose Garden
-Trees

Smith, Packard, Kissinger, MacGregor, and Flanigan left at 10:30 am