Federal Bureau of Investigation. "Transcript of Conversation with Stanley D. Levison."
April 13, 1967.
Date Issued: April 13, 1967
Date Declassified: [1983?]
Length: 3 pages
NOT Sanitized
FULL TEXT
Time Initial IC
OG Activity Recorded
12:55 PM IC White 7080-46- End
Long distance From MARTIN L. KING to STANLEY LEVISON
K: Hi Stan have you had a chance to get to it yet?
SL: Yes this is sort of a first draft:
I will read it to you first; because it is to try to
get to the single solution stop the bombing.
"Many sincere people argue, that we should withdraw unilatera
lly, and I understand the logic of their position. I understand
that when France withdrew from Algeria, she benefited not
only the Algerians but herself. France earned far more presti
ge from withdrawal than she might have gained from total
victory; but France was fighting in Algeria for years
before her people learned that this way out was honorable
The majority of Americans have not yet learned this lesson
Realism compels us to look for a program they can
support and which can end the fighting. I think there is
such a program, I believe the majority of Americans want
the bombings ended. Hanoi has let it be known...
King: Do you think that the "Majority" is true? (They discus
that King believes that 60% want the bombings to continue
and 40 want them to cease. Levison says he thought that over
50 % want the bombings to end. They agree to put in the word
Almost a Majority etc". Levison says he will check that
Livison continues: HANOI has let it be known that if the
Bombing stopped negotiations will start Washington officially
on December 19th. asked Uthant to take whatever steps were
necessary for a cease fire. Uthant replied stop the
Bombing,. Why have we not done it? We asked for the
answer and we were given the answer. What now are we waiting
for? Let us demand insistently that our government honor
its word. If washington did not hear Uthant
let us say it loudly and often enough so that the deaf
can hear it, Stop the Bombing, let us save our National
honor, stop the bombing. Let us save American lives and
vietnamese lives, stop the bombing. Let us take a simple
instantaneous step to the peace table, stop the bombing.
Let us put an honorable peace on agenda before another
day passes, stop the bombing. Let us be able to face the
world with a concrete deed of genuine peace stop the bombing
Let our voice ring out across the land to say the American
people are not vaine glorious conquerors stop the bombing".
That's it.
KING: Well I don't think you need change that a bit that is
excellent. It really gets everything I need to say
and It opens up just right cause it dosn.. It says
many persons sincere about it say etc. That last part
is beautiful for a speech. I would just check on that thing
about a majority and about that thing where you talked
about France and where you said "Total Victory" maybe you
should say "Total Military Victory"
Levison: Right.
King: Now what I am doing I am going to have Debbie
they are going to do it in Chicago and she is going to call
you and take it down in shorthand Andy is in Chicago.
Now do you have your copy of the whole thing?
Levison: Yes.
King: It seems to me it should start right there at the
bottom of page 35.
Levison: Oh I didn't receive a copy.
King: Oh I see where it should go in.
Levison: I would say at the end.
King: Yes instead of the 5 concrete things or the Historical
things I would just go right into this thing.
COMMENGER did it briefly something like this and I think
I could re word this. He said "We quite deliberately sabotage
the Geneva agreements, calling for elections in South Vietnam
and providing that the 17 parallel was but a temporary
military line. We quite deliberately put up DIEM and maintained
him as long as we could. Just as we deliberately put up and
maintained and endure Priemere KY, endure him even when
he reprudiates our own policy. We quite deliberately stepped up
the war transformed advisors into soldiers and increased them
from 10,000 to a half million, launched bombing raids upon
the north one scale as great as that in World War 2
against Germany or Japan
LEVISON: That is a good summary.
King: Yah I could reword that and just do the whole thing
on a paragraph. I'm taking out the part on dissent, the Un and
the Historical part and probably conscious Objectional
I just got a call from Dr MARROW (who is the chairman of the
Board of Morrhouse college) he is opposed to our policy on
Vietnaum, and he is talking about a View Naum Summer where
they are going to have students around Harvard to do Community
Educations knock on doors and take surveys and talk about
the War in Vietnaum. And this may cancel dome of these students
into doing something who are against the war.
LEVISON: I would like to get a Private Poll in the
Community, Because if we believe is true it would
be marvelous to come up with a poll sowing that majority
be in the Community wanted the war ended and it would more
effectively answer your critics than anything else.
King: They are so expensive.
LEVISON: Yes but maybe I could get a number of people
I had the impression that they would be about $10,000
King: I Think so also
Levison: I think it would be worth it.
King: and It would be a private Poll that wouldn't get out if
it did not come out.
LEVISON: Exactly that is the value of them.
King: Yes I talked to BUNCHE this morning.
LEVISON: I don't think you made much headway, am I right?
KING: No, it was the other way around, he just felt so
guilty that I felt sorry for him. He wasn't telling the
truth and he was trembling and all so I just got off of him.
He claimed he didn't know that this was going to get out
and he misunderstood my position. Before I could say anything
he said "I'm so glad you called Martin I have just written
but a press statement." He hold me he was getting ready
to have a press conference I think what must have happened
somebody must have gotten on him or something, somebody
must have called him, He didn't say this but he was just
backing up too much.
LEVISON: In the Times this morning he claims he was
in the board meeting.
King: That he toughened the Resolution..........
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