164. Editorial Note

Early in 1965 President Johnson decided to establish a special committee of private citizens, under the chairmanship of J. Irwin Miller, Chairman of the Board of Cummins Engine Company, to study the question of trade with the Soviet bloc nations. Regarding early discussions [Page 480] between Miller and Johnson administration officials over the composition of the Committee and possible topics for its study, see Document 165. For text of NSAM No. 324, March 9, which formally named the 12 private citizens who served on the Committee and outlined the parameters of its mandate, see Document 167. Foy D. Kohler, Ambassador to the Soviet Union, sent his comments on the establishment of the Committee in Document 169. Regarding the recommendations of Phillip H. Trezise, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, and Thomas C. Mann, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, regarding the Committee, see Document 170.

The President announced the creation of the Special Committee on Trade Relations with East European Countries and the Soviet Union on April 4. For text, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965, Book I, page 565.

Extensive documentation on the Miller Committee, as it was called, including briefing memoranda, detailed minutes of several of its meetings, and drafts of the report, is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Committee File, Miller Committee, Boxes 16–25.

The report of the Committee was submitted in the form of a letter, signed by all 12 members, to President Johnson, April 29, 1965. (Ibid., Box 25) Regarding George Meany’s role in approval of the report, see Document 171. For Miller’s thoughts on the early release of the report, see Document 172. The report was released by the White House on May 6 and published as Report to the President of the Special Committee on U.S. Trade Relations with East European Countries and the Soviet Union (The White House, April 29, 1965). It was subsequently reprinted in Department of State Bulletin, May 30, 1966, pages 845–855. A summary of the report was transmitted in circular telegram 2159, May 6. (Department of State, Central Files, FT EUR E US) For text of the President’s May 20 letter to Miller, thanking the Committee members for their efforts, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965, Book I, page 565. For a later short history by Edward Sklott of the administration’s decision to form the Miller Committee and support its conclusions, see “The Decision To Send East-West Trade Legislation to Congress, 1965–1966,” Commission on the Organization of the Government for the Conduct of Foreign Policy (June 1975), especially pages 77–85.

Regarding immediate efforts by the Johnson administration to implement the Miller Committee recommendations, see Documents 173, 174, 175, and 176.