Office of the Historian

412. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)1

Washington, January 14, 1967.

MEMORANDUM FOR

  • Secretary Orville L. Freeman
  • Agriculture Department
  • Under Secretary Nicholas deB. Katzenbach
  • Department of State
  • Mr. William S. Gaud
  • Administrator, AID

SUBJECT

  • January 12, 1967 Meeting with the President on the Indian Food Package

It is my understanding that at last evening’s meeting with the President, it was agreed: [Page 802]

1.
to firm up our understanding with George Woods that the India consortium will assume responsibility for food aid;
2.
to develop plans on the assumption of a 10-million ton Indian import requirement for CY 67, of which the U.S. might provide 6 million tons (including amounts already allocated); but no commitment could be made to such a U.S. contribution until Congressional review;
3.
to go hard for 50–50 sharing by May or June, although it was recognized we might not be able to do it on a regular basis;
4.
to send scouts to India to win Indian acceptance of this general approach and then to Western Europe immediately to see how near we could come to 50–50 shares;
5.
to prepare a message to go to Congress by January 23rd, after we receive a preliminary report from our scouts. It would announce an interim allocation of 1 million tons (1/2 wheat and 1/2 sorghum) and the $25 million CARE Title II request. It was recognized that a positive message would help in the Indian elections, but a disappointing proposal could adversely affect the outcome;
6.
that hearings on the message would not start until after the Indian election;
7.
that a second interim allocation of 1 million tons more before a long term agreement, was not entirely out of the question, but could not be made without a recommendation from relevant Members of Congress;
8.
that Under Secretary Katzenbach and Secretary Freeman will renew soundings with Congressional leaders and members of the Appropriations Committees, including Members Ford, Mahon, Rooney, Russell, Ellender.

W. W. Rostow 2
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Katzenbach Files: Lot 74 D 271, The President. Secret. Sent under cover of a January 13 memorandum from Rostow to Katzenbach, Freeman, Eugene Rostow, and Gaud, which stated that it represented Rostow’s understanding of what had been agreed the previous evening regarding Indian food. He asked them to notify Wriggins promptly whether it also reflected their understanding, and welcomed any suggestions. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the meeting took place at 7:30 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White House and included, in addition to the President, Freeman, Katzenbach, Walt Rostow, Eugene Rostow, Gaud, Macomber, and Wriggins. (Johnson Library)↩
  2. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩