A tough meeting with Mac Baldridge. He’s pushing his idea of a consolidation of the International Trade Rep. & the Dept. of Commerce. I felt I had to say no even though I lean that way. Don R. is moving to re do our cabinet councils & I want to see how Mac’s plan looks when that is finished.

Henry Kissinger came by for lunch along with Don R. & Bud. Naturally we talked a lot about the Soviet situation. He agreed I was right not to go to the funeral. He believes my attitude has put us in the best position we’ve ever been in to make progress with them.

Short speech to the Am. Bus. Conference—real entrepreneur types. Then upstairs early to get some desk work done. At 6 P.M. cocktails with Sen’s. Quayle, Chafee, Hawkins, D’Amato & Mathias. Arm twisting for MX. But as it turned out the meeting was with Sens. Kassebaum, Mathias & Abnor. All of them uncertain how they are going to vote & I dont know that I changed that at all.