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This file contains:
From RN to Roy Ash and Bob Haldeman RE: Maury Stans and the Commerce Department. Handwritten note added by unknown. 2 pgs. [Memo], 12/19/1968
Report detailing the activities, budget, and personnel of the Department of Commerce. 9 pgs. [Report], 12/10/1968
From RN to Roy Ash and Bob Haldeman RE: Maury Stans and the Commerce Department. 2 pgs. [Memo], 12/19/1968
Report detailing the activities, budget, and personnel of the Department of Commerce. 9 pgs. [Report], 12/101968
From RN to John Mitchell and Peter Flanigan RE: cabinet appointees. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
From RN to Bill Rogers RE: Ambassadors. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
From RN to Bob Haldeman RE: California and Chicago and itinerary. Handwritten note added by unknown. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
From RN to Haldeman RE: "appointments to Commissions." Handwritten note added by unknown. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
From RN to Bob Haldeman RE: public relations. Handwritten note added by unknown. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
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26125864
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WHSF: Returned, 1-31
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doc
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document
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1
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26125864
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WHSF: Returned, 1-31
description
This file contains:
From RN to Roy Ash and Bob Haldeman RE: Maury Stans and the Commerce Department. Handwritten note added by unknown. 2 pgs. [Memo], 12/19/1968
Report detailing the activities, budget, and personnel of the Department of Commerce. 9 pgs. [Report], 12/10/1968
From RN to Roy Ash and Bob Haldeman RE: Maury Stans and the Commerce Department. 2 pgs. [Memo], 12/19/1968
Report detailing the activities, budget, and personnel of the Department of Commerce. 9 pgs. [Report], 12/101968
From RN to John Mitchell and Peter Flanigan RE: cabinet appointees. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
From RN to Bill Rogers RE: Ambassadors. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
From RN to Bob Haldeman RE: California and Chicago and itinerary. Handwritten note added by unknown. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
From RN to Haldeman RE: "appointments to Commissions." Handwritten note added by unknown. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
From RN to Bob Haldeman RE: public relations. Handwritten note added by unknown. 1 pg. [Memo], 12/19/1968
citationUrl
collections
Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
Returned White House Special Files
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388848619884ecad
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
White House Special Files Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
Document Type
Document Description
1
31
12/19/1968
Memo
From RN to Roy Ash and Bob Haldeman
RE: Maury Stans and the Commerce
Department. Handwritten note added by
unknown. 2 pgs.
1
31
12/10/1968
Report
Report detailing the activities, budget, and
personnel of the Department of Commerce. 9
pgs.
1
31
12/19/1968
Memo
From RN to Roy Ash and Bob Haldeman
RE: Maury Stans and the Commerce
Department. 2 pgs.
1
31
12/101968
Report
Report detailing the activities, budget, and
personnel of the Department of Commerce. 9
pgs.
1
31
12/19/1968
Memo
From RN to John Mitchell and Peter
Flanigan RE: cabinet appointees. 1 pg.
1
31
12/19/1968
Memo
From RN to Bill Rogers RE: Ambassadors. 1
pg.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Page 1 of 2
Box Number Folder Number Document Date
Document Type
Document Description
1
31
12/19/1968
Memo
From RN to Bob Haldeman RE: California
and Chicago and itinerary. Handwritten note
added by unknown. 1 pg.
1
31
12/19/1968
Memo
From RN to Haldeman RE: "appointments to
Commissions." Handwritten note added by
unknown. 1 pg.
1
31
12/19/1968
Memo
From RN to Bob Haldeman RE: public
relations. Handwritten note added by
unknown. 1 pg.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Page 2 of 2
December 19, 1968
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Roy Ash/Bob Haldeman
FROM:
RN
I am enclosing a memorandum that Maury Stans sent
with regard to the Commerce Department. I think several of
the recommendations he makes deserve support although from a
political standpoint we probably would be unable to get the
Congress to approve such moves as destroying the independence
of the Small Business Administration even though it ought to
be in the Commerce Department. My general inclination is to
reduce the number of independent agencies and to get them into
the departments and I think an overall study should be made
on this score so that we could consider this in submitting any
future reorganization plans. There are, however, some very
grave political problems.
This memo, however, coming as it does from one who
is sophisticated in the ways of government is an indication of
the kind of in-put we are going to get from Cabinet officers
and particularly from their staffs over the next four years.
Our problem is to do our own thinking and submit our own ideas
so that we can avoid having to arbitrate bitter fights for
power within the Cabinet. One idea that does appeal to me is
that of setting up a National Economic Council. This should in
- 2 -
no way be in derrogation of the Chairman of the Council of
Economic Advisors. He, as a matter of fact, should be the
staff man for this Council and the Secretary of the Treasury
should be its Chairman. (Or possibly RN should be the
Chairman as is the case in the Urban Affairs Council and
National Security Council in order to avoid conflicts between
Cabinet officers.) It is possible that we might not want
to formalize this. As I understand the present practice
is for the President once a month to meet with the Secretary
of the Treasury, the Director of the Budget, the Chairman
of the Council of Economic Advisors and the Chairman of the
Federal Reserve Board on an informal basis. I think these
meetings should continue in any event. I believe that both
Stans and Shultz could well be added to this group because
both have special competence in this field --- Stans as a
former Budget Director and Shultz as one of those so well
qualified that we considered him as a possible member of the
Council of Economic Advisors.
Haldeman should remind RN to follow through on this
informal advisory group and I would like to get Ash's rec-
ommendation as to whether or not we should set up a more
formal group.
# # #
December 10, 1968
CONFIDENTIAL
DETERMINED TO BE AN.
ADMINISTRATIVE MARKING
E.O. 12065, Section 6-102
By MH
NARS, Date 10/16/80
DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE
PRESENT
DIMENSIONS
Employment
26,000
Budget
Maritime
$400 million
Science
256
Economic development
275
Statistics
49
Business
42
Total
$1,022 million
CONSTITUENT ENTITIES
Business and Defense Services Administration
Office of Business Economics
Bureau of Census
Economic Development Administration
Environmental Science Services Administration
Maritime Administration
National Bureau of Standards
Patent Office
United States Travel Service
Office of State Technical Services
Office of Foreign Commercial Services
Office of Foreign Direct Investments
Planning Options
Under a New Administration
l. Leave the Department as is -- relatively weak and
without much purpose or movement.
2. Convert it to a Department of Economic Development
(with or without an actual change of name)
.
3. Convert it to a Department of Economic Development
and Communications (with or without an actual
change of name) .
General Recommendations for
Strengthening Role of Secretary of
Commerce in Economic Policy and
Development*
1. The Secretary of Commerce should be a policy making
spokesman for the dynamic qualities of the private
enterprise system. The Secretary's relationship to
the President as a maker of economic policy ,is central
to this question. Decisions effecting our national
economic policy traditionally have been led by the
Secretary of the Treasury, Chairman of Council of
Economic Advisors and the Director of the Budget.
In order to expand the resources available to work
on these policy questions, a National Economic Council
should be created by the President using the three
previous government executives plus the Secretary of
Labor and Commerce and the Chairman of the Federal
Reserve Board. Their joint roles should be similar
to the National Security Council and their responsibility
one of counseling the President on overall economic
policy required by the factors of the times.
2. The Secretary of Commerce should be the prime force of
analytical information on the economic health of the
nation without denying other departments intelligence-
gathering functions essential to their own special needs.
Much of today's analytical work comes from his department
(Census Bureau, Office of Business Economics and
assorted industrial analysis work). But far more
coordinated work would result from assignment of
the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Industrial
Production Index responsibility of the Federal
Reserve Bank to the Department of Commerce. In
this fashion all of the major generators of economic
indices would be under one roof and feeding coordinated
analytical information to the economic policy makers
throughout the government.
3. The Secretary of Commerce should be a catalyst for
inducing greater contributions from the private busi-
ness sector towards the solutions of general public
problems. The increasing amounts of business involve-
ment in the unemployment situation, the urban crisis,
housing rehabilitation, generation of new business
opportunities in small towns and rural America and
for minority groups -- all require a central point
in the federal establishment to which they can turn
for financial and policy assistance. This might
require the reassignment of numerous existing
assistance programs to a coordinated position
within the Department of Commerce from other agencies.
4. The Secretary of Commerce should be a stimulator of
economic development in the domestic business field.
He has, under the Economic Development Administration
and the various larger economic development communica-
tions, the nucleus of an organization capable of ful-
filling this role. Many duplicatory organizations
exist in other parts of the government away from
the Secretary's control but subject to his coordinated
responsibility.
5. The Secretary of Commerce should be a prime protector
of American business in the international economic
field. This responsibility should enhance both the
promotional and catalytic responsibilities of the
federal government. The Secretary should be charged
with responsibility for improving our international
position so as to enable a phasing out of controls on
U.S. direct investment abroad.
If the intention is truly to provide a central position
of policy leadership and program direction which would
be responsible to the total requirements of the American
business community, then the organizational structure
supporting the Secretary of Commerce requires the kind
of drastic strengthening such as outlined above. To
call for a more responsible role and a more dynamic
individual without providing such a reorganization
would be only to seek the impossible.
*Excerpted from paper by Key Issues Committee, based on
suggestions by Maurice Stans and Senator Percy.
Specific Organizational
Changes
1. Transfer in Small Business Administration
2. Transfer in Export-Import Bank
3. Transfer in various regional economic commissions
(Appalachia, etc.)
4. Create an Office of Consumer Services (to replace White
House unit)
5. Transfer in Office for Emergency Preparedness
6. Designate an Undersecretary for Economic Opportunity
7. Liquidate Office of Economic Opportunity, transfer
its social programs to HEW and its economic
development programs to Commerce
8. Consider transferring Maritime Administration to
Department of Transportation
Additional Potentials
1. Transfer in the Director for Telecommunications
Management from White House staff
2. Create an Office of Communications for policy making
and coordinating in communications, spectrum
management and telecommunications
December 19, 1968
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Roy Ash/Bob Haldeman
FROM:
RN
I am enclosing a memorandum that Maury Stans sent
with regard to the Commerce Department. I think several of
the recommendations he makes deserve support although from a
political standpoint we probably would be unable to get the
Congress to approve such moves as destroying the independence
of the Small Business Administration even though it ought to
be in the Commerce Department. My general inclination is to
reduce the number of independent agencies and to get them into
the departments and I think an overall study should be made
on this score so that we could consider this in submitting any
future reorganization plans. There are, however, some very
grave political problems.
This memo, however, coming as it does from one who
is sophisticated in the ways of government is an indication of
the kind of in-put we are going to get from Cabinet officers
and particularly from their staffs over the next four years.
Our problem is to do our own thinking and submit our own ideas
so that we can avoid having to arbitrate bitter fights for
power within the Cabinet. One idea that does appeal to me is
that of setting up a National Economic Council. This should in
- 2 -
no way be in derrogation of the Chairman of the Council of
Economic Advisors. He, as a matter of fact, should be the
staff man for this Council and the Secretary of the Treasury
should be its Chairman. (Or possibly RN should be the
Chairman as is the case in the Urban Affairs Council and
National Security Council in order to avoid conflicts between
Cabinet officers.) It is possible that we might not want
to formalize this. As I understand the present practice
is for the President once a month to meet with the Secretary
of the Treasury, the Director of the Budget, the Chairman
of the Council of Economic Advisors and the Chairman of the
Federal Reserve Board on an informal basis. I think these
meetings should continue in any event. I believe that both
Stans and Shultz could well be added to this group because
both have special competence in this field --- Stans as a
former Budget Director and Shultz as one of those so well
qualified that we considered him as a possible member of the
Council of Economic Advisors.
Haldeman should remind RN to follow through on this
informal advisory group and I would like to get Ash's rec-
ommendation as to whether or not we should set up a more
formal group.
# # #
December 10, 1968
CONFIDENTIAL
DETERMINED TO BE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE MARKING
E.O. 12065, Section 6-102
By
MH
NARS, Date 10/16/80
DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE
PRESENT
DIMENSIONS
Employment
26,000
Budget
Maritime
$400 million
Science
256
Economic development
275
Statistics
49
Business
42
Total
$1,022 million
CONSTITUENT ENTITIES
Business and Defense Services Administration
Office of Business Economics
Bureau of Census
Economic Development Administration
Environmental Science Services Administration
Maritime Administration
National Bureau of Standards
Patent Office
United States Travel Service
Office of State Technical Services
Office of Foreign Commercial Services
Office of Foreign Direct Investments
Planning Options
Under a New Administration
1. Leave the Department as is -- relatively weak and
without much purpose or movement.
2. Convert it to a Department of Economic Development
(with or without an actual change of name)
3. Convert it to a Department of Economic Development
and Communications (with or without an actual
change of name).
General Recommendations for
Strengthening Role of Secretary of
Commerce in Economic Policy and
Development*
1. The Secretary of Commerce should be a policy making
spokesman for the dynamic qualities of the private
enterprise system. The Secretary's relationship to
the President as a maker of economic policy is central
to this question. Decisions effecting our national
economic policy traditionally have been led by the
Secretary of the Treasury, Chairman of Council of
Economic Advisors and the Director of the Budget.
In order to expand the resources available to work
on these policy questions, a National Economic Council
should be created by the President using the three
previous government executives plus the Secretary of
Labor and Commerce and the Chairman of the Federal
Reserve Board. Their joint roles should be similar
to the National Security Council and their responsibility
one of counseling the President on overall economic
policy required by the factors of the times.
2. The Secretary of Commerce should be the prime force of
analytical information on the economic health of the
nation without denying other departments intelligence-
gathering functions essential to their own special needs.
Much of today's analytical work comes from his department
(Census Bureau, Office of Business Economics and
assorted industrial analysis work). But far more
coordinated work would result from assignment of
the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Industrial
Production Index responsibility of the Federal
Reserve Bank to the Department of Commerce. In
this fashion all of the major generators of economic
indices would be under one roof and feeding coordinated
analytical information to the economic policy makers
throughout the government.
3. The Secretary of Commerce should be a catalyst for
inducing greater contributions from the private busi-
ness sector towards the solutions of general public
problems. The increasing amounts of business involve-
ment in the unemployment situation, the urban crisis,
housing rehabilitation, generation of new business
opportunities in small towns and rural America and
for minority groups -- all require a central point
in the federal establishment to which they can turn
for financial and policy assistance. This might
require the reassignment of numerous existing
assistance programs to a coordinated position
within the Department of Commerce from other agencies.
4. The Secretary of Commerce should be a stimulator of
economic development in the domestic business field.
He has, under the Economic Development Administration
and the various larger economic development communica-
tions, the nucleus of an organization capable of ful-
filling this role. Many duplicatory organizations
exist in other parts of the government away from
the Secretary's control but subject to his coordinated
responsibility.
5. The Secretary of Commerce should be a prime protector
of American business in the international economic
field. This responsibility should enhance both the
promotional and catalytic responsibilities of the
federal government. The Secretary should be charged
with responsibility for improving our international
position so as to enable a phasing out of controls on
U.S. direct investment abroad.
If the intention is truly to provide a central position
of policy leadership and program direction which would
be responsible to the total requirements of the American
business community, then the organizational structure
supporting the Secretary of Commerce requires the kind
of drastic strengthening such as outlined above. To
call for a more responsible role and a more dynamic
individual without providing such a reorganization
would be only to seek the impossible.
*Excerpted from paper by Key Issues Committee, based on
suggestions by Maurice Stans and Senator Percy.
Specific Organizational
Changes
1. Transfer in Small Business Administration
2. Transfer in Export-Import Bank
3. Transfer in various regional economic commissions
(Appalachia, etc.)
4. Create an Office of Consumer Services (to replace White
House unit)
5. Transfer in Office for Emergency Preparedness
6. Designate an Undersecretary for Economic Opportunity
7. Liquidate Office of Economic Opportunity, transfer
its social programs to HEW and its economic
development programs to Commerce
8. Consider transferring Maritime Administration to
Department of Transportation
Additional Potentials
1. Transfer in the Director for Telecommunications
Management from White House staff
2. Create an Office of Communications for policy making
and coordinating in communications, spectrum
management and telecommunications
ec: RMW
December 19, 1968
MEMORANDUM
TO:
John Mitchell/ Peter Flanigan
FROM:
RN
I think it is important to lean hard on all the
cabinet appointees with regard to their responsibility to fill some of
the political obligations we have in making their appointments. This
not only provides an opportunity to take care of some of the people
who deserve it but it also provides a good way for us to get people
who are loyal to us in positions where we know they not only will do
a good job but will carry out the Administration's program.
Let me know if you have any difficulty with any
particular Cabinet officer on this score.
December 19, 1968
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Bill Rogers
spl
FROM: RN
Attached is a list of non-career Ambassadors. You
will note that under Johnson the numbers climb to over forty.
I would doubt if we had that many people on our list who
are qualified but I have asked Haldeman, Flanigan et. al
to get that information to you as quickly as possible.
With virtually no exceptions I think the whole group
of non-career Ambassadors should go out. You may recall
that Kennedy kept hardly any of Eisenhower's Ambassadors in
this category. It would be my inclination to make a gesture
toward reducing the number of non-career ambassadors by about
one-fourth so that we could make a few points with the Foreign
Service. On the other hand, we do have some major contributors
who want Ambassadorial posts and who are at least as well if
not better qualified than some of the characters that appear
on this list.
# # #
December 19, 1968
MEMORANDUM
TO:
BOB HALDEMAN
FROM:
RN
In looking over the California schedule, a couple
of additions are needed. On the morning of New Year's Day,
if possible, I would like to get a haircut. A call should
be made to Raleigh, my California barber, and see if he
would be available that morning even though it is his day off.
Also, on that same morning or on the morning of
the day we fly out to Chicago, if time permits on that day,
I would like to try a one hour (no more than that) photographic
session with Engstead, the photographer that I have used
in California. Rose has the address.
December 19, 1968
NOTE TO:
HALDEMAN
syd
FROM:
RN
I want somebody on the staff to make a very
thorough check on the appointments to Commissions which do
not involve fulltime assignments but which would mean some
prestige for those receiving the appointments. There must be
several hundred in this category and we need to have them on
file as well as a list of good supporters who either have not
asked for something or whom we have had to disappoint could
get some recognition.
The way to get this is to do it through the
present White House staff and then to supplement it with an
independent study. I need this before the 10th of January.
#
#
#
Ddcember 19, 1968
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Bob Haldeman
FROM:
RN
In looking over the people who might serve as
the PR types within the agencies I was thinking that a fellow like
Virgil Pinkley could fit in well. He now has enough money, I assume,
to be able to afford government service and is experienced enough and
vigorous enough to do an effective job, particularly with a relatively
weak Cabinet officer who needs a build up. We ought to look around
the country to see if there aren't similar people like Pinkley who are
either publishers or editors and who might be induced to come in and
help us.
At the other end of the spectrum, I am inclined
to think that a very good advance man type like an Ed Morgan might be
able to fit well into the PR job for a Cabinet man.
Incidentally, I assume we are being very hard-nosed
on those five critical appointments which Bryce had on his list. Keep
me posted on progress on this.