Meeting with Leonard Hall, Sinclair Weeks and Robert Murray—January 4, 1955

Dwight D. Eisenhower meeting with Leonard Hall, Chairman, Republican National Committee, 11 :10 a.m., 4 January 1955 in the Oval Office. Eisenhower meeting with Sinclair Weeks, Secretary of Commerce, and Robert Murray, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, 3 :15 p.m., 4 January 1955 in the Oval Office.

Dictabelt No. II Description of Conversation: Recording begins with the conversation in progress. After a brief discussion concerning the dry weather, Leonard Hall tells DDE that he carne to discuss the Civil Aeronautics Board. DDE responds "I'm so stick of that god-damed body. It must have been doing a horrible job or there wouldn't be so darned much fighting."

DDE and Hall discuss the Amon Carter's views on Oswald Ryan of the CAB. With regard to Carter, DDE says that he "got two letters from him, sixteen pages long, but I have come to the conclusion that this fellow, there must be something wrong or he wouldn't be the center of so much controversy. Now Amon says the only reasons that he is a center of controversy is because he has fought to a standstill George Lee, who is taking over the commission."

The discussion then turns to the views of the airlines, especially American and Pan-Am, concerning Ryan. They then discuss several possible replacements for Ryan on the CAB.

DDE and Hall talk about Florida politics. DDE complains about supporting candidates that do not work hard on their own behalf. He says "Now if you just, if you hold them right up to the, if you hold them up to the standard, I'll have my picture taken with them. I'll do my part of it . Damned if I'm going to do my part if they don't. What they think is my part."

There is a long pause and several different voices can be heard. DDE greets Secretary of Commerce Sinclair Weeks who begins with "When do you want to see about Ryan?" DDE answers "Every other person who comes in wants to talk about Ryan. I'm so sick of the name that I could practically choke, but go ahead." Weeks defends Ryan's record as "long and honorable" and urges DDE not to remove Ryan from the CAB. The role of the airlines and Amon Carter are discussed at some length. The conversation then turns to members of Congress who are either for or against Ryan continuing at the CAB.