52. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson1

This is in answer to Mr. Califano’s memorandum of January 15, requesting specific recommendations to “modernize and streamline” the Executive Branch.2

General Taylor has recently discussed with me an organizational arrangement for tightening up the executive direction of our foreign policy. I understand he has now submitted his detailed recommendations for achieving this objective.3

I entirely concur with the general lines of General Taylor’s proposals and, if they are approved by you, I will do whatever is necessary to [Page 123] put the Department of State in the position to effectively carry out the increased responsibilities we would have to assume.

In addition to the measures proposed by General Taylor, we have other projects in train for strengthening our policy planning for overseas operations, including the installation of a comprehensive foreign affairs programming system designed to relate all the available resources of the Federal agencies operating overseas to national objectives.

Dean Rusk 4
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, Crockett Papers, MS 75–45, Taylor Task Force. No classification marking. Drafted by Ball. Sent through Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Special Assistant to the President.
  2. The memorandum specified that each agency in the Executive Branch submit by January 22 recommendations for actions to promote more effective management, provide a more logical and efficient grouping of agencies and functions, eliminate duplication, improve coordination, abolish obsolete offices and functions, eliminate unnecessary restrictions on management authority, reduce expenditures, and promote economy. (Ibid.)
  3. See Document 50.
  4. Printed from a copy that indicates Rusk signed the original.