CONFIDENTIAL
2 -
WORSE IF THEY WERE NOT TACKLED. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE
LCOMED THIS STATEMENT OF AMERICAN THINKING AND SAID WE SHARED THEIR OBJECTIVES.
3. TEXTILES TOOK UP MUCH OF THE TIME. STANS SPOKE ON FAMILIAR LINES, EMPHASISING PRESIDENT NIXON'S COMMITMENT AND HIS DETERMINATION TO TAKE ACTION ON THE IMPORT PROBLEM. IN THE ABSENCE OF A NEGOTIATED ARRANGEMENT THERE WOULD BE VERY STRONG CONGRESSIONAL PRESSURE FOR QUOTAS WHOSE EFFECT WOULD BE MUCH MORE DRASTIC THAN THE ADMINISTRATION'S PLANS. STANS REFERRED TO THE TELEGRAM FROM
104 CONGRESSMAN MILLS (YOUR TELEGRAM NO 1275) WHICH IS INDEED IN FAIRLY
NON-COMMITAL TERMS. APART FROM THIS A FAILURE TO DEAL WITH TEXTILES WOULD LEAVE NO CHANCE FOR LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS ON SUCH MATTERS AS A S P. STANS APPRECIATED THE FEAR WHICH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS HAD EXPRESSED THAT A SURRENDER TO TEXTILE PRESSURES WOULD OPEN THE WAY TO OTHER PROTECTIONIST DEMANDS, BUT, WHILST HE COULD NOT ANSWER FOR FUTURE ADMINISTRATIONS, THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION HAD NO INTENTION OF GIVING WAY ON OTHER PRODUCTS. IF THE TEXTILE INTERESTS COULD BE SATISFIED THE MAIN PROP OF THE PROTECTIONIST LOBBY WOULD BE KNOCKED AWAY.
4. STANS ALSO SAID:
(A) IT WAS THE FUTURE TREND OF IMPORTS RATHER THAN THE CURRENT SITUATION WHICH CAUSED CONCERN:
(B) THE ADMINISTRATION DID NOT ENVISAGE ANY ROLLBACK ON 1968 IMPORT LEVELS, NOR ANY GROWTH LIMITATION FOR THE U K. THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE GROWTH LIMITATION FOR JAPAN, HONG KONG, AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS ON CERTAIN IMPORTS FROM ITALY.
CONFIDENTIAL
/HE ASKED
:
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.