Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume IX, International Development and Economic Defense Policy; Commodities

165. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson¹

Washington, February 17, 1965.

SUBJECT

• Your Meeting this Afternoon with Irwin Miller about the President’s Committee on East-West Trade²

Your East-West Trade Committee is about ready for launching. Miller is ready to go to work. He has talked to Rusk, Connor, McNamara, Harriman, and Linder, and will be seeing Ball, Freeman, and if we can work it, Mann, tomorrow.³ We have provided him with office space in the Executive Office Building. His clearance is all set.

Miller and I have put together a list of suggestions for the other members (Tab A).⁴ The one serious problem is with George Meany. As you know, Meany has painted himself into a very tight corner on this issue. He will give us trouble whether he is on or off. My own vote would be for including him, unless he himself turns us down. If we don’t ask him first, it will be very difficult to find someone else from labor who will risk Meany’s wrath.

If you approve we propose that:

1. After your meeting with Miller, George Reedy release the attached short statement (Tab B),⁵ announcing Miller’s appointment, and indicating that the other members will be announced when appointed. (Because of the danger of leaks, it would be unwise to wait until we have lined up the full committee.)

2. The other members be announced after everyone is signed on, hopefully by early next week.

3. The Committee be instructed to report to the President in two months. We can leave open, for now, whether or not part or all of the report would be released.

We will need to discuss with you who is to say what and when up on the Hill.

At Tab C is a tentative list of topics the Committee will look into.⁶ We have not tried to work out rigid terms of reference. It makes better sense to let them pick and choose once they get to work. We have a good Executive Secretary from State (Edward Fried), who knows where the bodies are buried.

McG. B.

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, McGeorge Bundy, Vol. 8, Box 2. No classification marking.
2. Regarding the origins and scope of work of this Committee, see Document 164.
3. Transcripts summarizing the remarks to Miller by Harriman (February 16), Secretary Rusk (February 16), Secretary Freeman (undated), Linder (February 18), Secretary McNamara (February 18), Thomas Mann (March 3), George Ball (March 3), and Secretary Dillon (March 3) are in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Committee File, Miller Committee, Box 23.
4. Tab A, not printed, is a list of 11 names, 9 of whom served on the Committee.
5. Not found.
6. Letter from Buddy to Miller, February 2, not printed.