115. Memorandum for the Record1
LBJ Ranch,
Texas, December 27, 1963.
SUBJECT
- Discussions with President Johnson at the Johnson Ranch on Friday, December 27th
- 1.
- I arrived at the ranch by Jet Star from Seattle, arriving at midnight on Thursday, December 26th. I stayed in a guest room at President Johnson’s residence. President Johnson and I ate breakfast alone the following morning and then with Pierre Salinger took a long walk. Following the discussion two memoranda were prepared by me for the President’s subsequent use. Memorandum marked #1 was to be [Page 224] used by him in discussing our meeting later in the day when he met with a large number of the press. Memorandum #2 was for discussion with Secretary Rusk and others and for subsequent release to the press.2
- 2.
- At breakfast the President immediately brought up his desire to “change the image of the DCI” from a cloak and dagger role to the role of an adviser to the President on world situations derived from intelligence sources which were of importance to the President in reaching policy decisions. For this reason he intended to call upon me for a great many activities which would be different from those of the past. As an example, he wished me to return to California to meet with President Eisenhower to discuss with him certain aspects of the world situation and also the particular actions which President Johnson [Eisenhower?] had taken in the interest of government economy.
- 3.
- I responded that this was very much in line with my thinking. I was willing to do anything that he desired. I then produced the Truman article and the Starnes article3 and explained to him that a statement of this type by President Truman would do great damage, that it would be used by many columnists who enjoyed criticizing CIA, that the Truman article and later editorials such as the Starnes article would undoubtedly be introduced into the Congressional Record by such critics of CIA as Senator Eugene McCarthy and would be used in an attempt to bring about legislation creating a joint committee on intelligence (Watchdog Committee). The President said that he had read the Truman article, that he thought it was a mistake and that he would do all that he could to arrest any such impressions concerning CIA’s activities.
[Here follow paragraphs 4–15, dealing with various unrelated subjects, including Cyprus, Yemen, South Vietnam, the Soviet Union, Communist China, and Cuba.]
There are a number of items which I had intended to discuss with the President, but time ran out. They were:
- 1.
- The general scope of activity of CIA, most particularly in the areas of DDP. However, I am satisfied, after discussing the Truman article with the President, that he is in complete accord with our covert operations, including political action and paramilitary activities. However, he wishes to emphasize the correlating, estimating and reporting functions (i.e., DDI) in order to minimize the “cloak and dagger” aspects of CIA and the DCI.
- 2.
- I intended to suggest to the President that CIA be represented in his inter-departmental organization to examine foreign aid, or alternatively that we have an adviser or consultant sit with the committee. I would like the staff to give some consideration to this idea and give me [Page 225] their views upon my return. Frankly, I feel that our Stations have sources that can provide independent evaluations of certain aid programs and make suggestions which would be exceedingly valuable. However, there is some question as to whether we should become involved, either by direct participation or as consultants in this field.
[Here follow five additional paragraphs dealing with unrelated subjects.]