The President's Advisory Council on Executive Organization (PACEO) was appointed by the President on April 5, 1969. Its mission was to conduct a review of the organization of the executive branch and to recommend changes which would alleviate problems arising from overlapping jurisdictions and improve the effectiveness of the government departments in carrying out the administration's domestic programs. The Council's first five members, also appointed on April 5, 1969, were the Chairman Roy L. Ash, John B. Connally, Fredrick R. Kappel, Richard M. Paget, and George Baker; they were later joined by Walter Thayer, appointed June 2, 1969, who also held the post of Special Consultant to the President with the Responsibility to assist in establishing the Council. Murray Comarow was the Council's first executive director, and Andrew Rouse his deputy and later successor. The Council first convened on April 10, 1969. It met formally one or two full days a month, conducted 1500 interviews, met with the President five times, and prepared for him thirteen memoranda between August 20, 1969 and November 1970, as follows:
- The Executive Office of the President (August 20, 1969)
- Proposed Organization of the Executive Office of the President (October 17, 1969)
- Oceanography and Atmospheric Programs Organization (January 16, 1970)
- Proposed Reorganization of the Federal Organization Crime Strike Force Program (January 16, 1970)
- Overseas Organization of the Federal Government to Deal with Traffic in Narcotics (January 16, 1970)
- Report on Selected Activities in the Executive Office of the President (January 20, 1970)
- Federal Organization for Environmental Protection (April 29, 1970)
- The Establishment of a Department of Natural Resources (May 12, 1970)
- Federal Organization to Control Drug Abuse (June 25, 1970)
- The Independent Regulatory Agencies (July 10, 1970)
- Organization for Foreign Economic Affairs (August 17, 1970)
- The Executive Office of the President--An Overview (October 26, 1970)
- Organization for Social and Economic Programs (November 19, 1970)
Three of these reports were eventually made public: "The Establishment of a Department of Natural Resources" and "Organization for Social and Economic Programs" (published together, Government Printing Office, February 1971); and "The Independent Regulatory Agencies," published under the title "A New Regulatory Framework, Report on Selected Independent Regulatory Agencies" (Government Printing Office, January 1971). In addition, the Council published "President's Departmental Reorganization--A Reference Compilation" (Government Printing Office, March 1971). Despite discussion among administration members that the Council should prepare and perhaps publish a "Final Report," such a report was apparently never in fact prepared.
President Nixon accepted the resignation of the Council on May 7, 1971.
The subject category is composed of memoranda, correspondence, notes, cross references, press releases and newspaper clippings concerning the appointment and work of the President's Advisory Council on Executive Organization. Correspondents include the President, Roy Ash, Murray Comarow, Robert Mayo and Alexander Butterfield. The related subject categories are for the most part within the FG grouping, for example FG 6-11-1 (The White House Office--Staff) and FG 999 (Proposed Departments, Agencies, Boards, Commissions). Other related categories include PR (Public Relations), SP (Speeches), and SC (Sciences). The Records of the President's Advisory Council on Executive Organization are within the Staff Member and Office Files of the White House Central Files; they are approximately 39.7 cubic feet in volume. Also within the Staff Member and Office Files are three cubic feet of material from Roy Ash's office, most of it, however, from a period later than PACEO's tenure.
FG 250 PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION
The Executive file contains the Council's memoranda to the President, briefing memoranda and schedule proposals preliminary to the President's meetings with Council members, and material concerning areas of enquiry, funding, interagency cooperation, discussion of the Council's recommendations, and implementing strategy.
The General file contains communications with members of Congress and letters from the public and from administration personnel offering opinions and seeking information about the Council's work, and seeking appointments with the Council. Also present is material concerning the departure of Murray Comarow, and requesting that the Council's memoranda to the President be made public.
FG 250/A PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION/[APPOINTMENTS]
The Executive file contains Presidential correspondence with Council members concerning their appointments and resignations.
There is no General file.
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