106. Memorandum for the Record1

When I met last week with John Macy he informed me quite categorically that he did not intend to support any new legislation to modify the Foreign Service personnel system this year.2 Although he would support the so-called Viet Nam amendments as a separate legislative package, he believed that other proposed modifications required a great deal more study before being submitted to the Congress.

Macy said that he was strongly opposed to the establishment of separate personnel systems for the several Foreign Affairs agencies unless the overall authority of the Director General were clearly established to provide a unifying bridge as well as centralized personnel policy determination.

Macy believed that new legislation should be preceded by a study which would determine:

a.
The kind of personnel system or systems required to fulfill the broad requirements of the government in the foreign affairs field (as opposed to parochial needs of individual agencies).
b.
The kinds and number of jobs required.
c.
The type of legislation required to obtain these people.

WJC
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, S/S-Katzenbach Files: Lot 74 D 271, Department of State-Rusk. No classification marking. Drafted by Crockett. Copies were sent to Katzenbach, Steeves (DG), MacArthur (H), Lyerly (L/O), Hoofnagle (O/DG), and Stutesman (O/DG).
  2. For background on this issue see Document 38 and footnotes 1 and 4 thereto.