Office of the Historian

158. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bator)1

Washington, June 25, 1964.

It appears that the Department of Commerce has done it again. In a current export bulletin dated March 16, 1964, they have issued some sort of instruction which inhibits those who buy from American refineries and petrochemical plants, in friendly countries abroad, from selling any of their products to bloc countries without the consent of the Department of Commerce. This appears to be an excellent way of increasing the business of Japanese and German exporters of competing plants. What do we do to stop it?

McG. B. 2

P.S. When we have stopped it, we owe Pierre Salinger a report.3

  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Trade—General, vol. I [1 of 2], Box 47. No classification marking.↩
  2. Printed from a copy that bears these typed initials.↩
  3. In a July 6 note to Buddy, Bator wrote that he had told Salinger about a forthcoming export bulletin that would waive “for the time being the offending requirement as regards the sale of U.S. plant and equipment abroad.” He added that he was “in touch with Commerce about how the entire system might be reformed after November.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Trade—General, vol. I [1 of 2], Box 47)↩