SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Position papers on issues and administration accomplishments released to the news media and routine correspondence concerning press relations and the production of the White House news summary.

QUANTITY
1 linear foot (ca. 2,000 pages)

DONOR
Gerald R. Ford (accession number 77-107)

ACCESS
Open. Some items are temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).

COPYRIGHT
Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by Grant Elldredge & Sandra Raub, May 1983
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BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Paul A. Miltich

October 30, 1919 - Born in Virginia, Minnesota

1937-39 - Virginia Junior College (A.A.)

1939-41 - University of Minnesota (B.S. with highest distinction)

1941-42 - English and dramatics instructor, Breck School for Boys, St. Paul, Minnesota

1942-46 - U.S. Army

1946 - Taught school in Saginaw, Michigan and served as Deputy Commissioner, Saginaw County Schools

1946-57 - Reporter - assistant city editor, Saginaw News

1957-66 - Washington correspondent for Booth Newspapers

1966 - Member, Standing Committee of Correspondents

Mar. 1966-Dec. 1973 - Press Secretary to House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford

Dec. 1973-Aug. 1974 - Press Secretary to Vice President Ford

Aug. 1974-Mar. 1975 - Assistant Press Secretary to the President

March 1975-Nov. 1976 - Commissioner, Postal Rate Commission

August 14, 1995 - Died in Bradenton, Florida

INTRODUCTION

Paul Miltich, Gerald Ford's press secretary since 1966, was named assistant press secretary to the President in August 1974. Under Jerald terHorst, Miltich was responsible for supervising the correspondence section of the Press Office; producing position papers which were then distributed to newspapers, television and radio stations throughout the country; channeling opinion- editorial (Op-Ed) pieces written by executive departments and agencies to major daily newspapers; supervising the preparation of the White House News Summary; and helping the President prepare for press conferences.

Ron Nessen's assumption of the post of Press Secretary led to a shift of responsibilities within the Press Office. In November 1974, Gerald Warren became responsible for the coordination of public affairs activities with executive agencies and departments and liaison with the press outside of Washington. Miltich retained responsibility for special writing projects such as speech inserts, the President's Q & A book, and press office public correspondence. He also remained responsible for general supervision of the news summary. Miltich left to join the Postal Rate Commission in March 1975.

The Miltich files include position papers which he produced as well as background materials and resulting correspondence, September - December 1974. Also present are files of routine press office correspondence including requests for presidential interviews and statements, photographs, and other information. Material on the Op-Ed program is found in the files of Margita White who, as Director of the White House Office of Communications from June 1975, assumed many of the responsibilities formerly held by Miltich and Warren.

Related Materials (May 1983)
Related material may also be found in the files of other members of the White House Press Office, particularly those of James B. Shuman, editor of the news summary, and White House Central Files category PR 16-3 (Presidential news analysis). The files of Gerald Warren and Margita White include Miltich's materials on the Op-Ed program. Miltich has also donated to the Ford Library a small collection of personal papers, 1973-77. Earlier material on press relations can be found in the Press Secretary and Speech File of the Ford Congressional papers and in the Miltich files of the Ford Vice Presidential papers.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Position Papers, 1974.  (Boxes 1-2, 0.4 linear feet)
Position papers, produced on a sporadic basis, on subjects such as the Nixon pardon, accomplishments of the Ford administration, and various legislative proposals such as freedom of information and mass transit aid. Some pieces were originally written by federal departments and agencies. These were distributed to editors of major daily and weekly newspapers and radio and television stations. Also drafts, background materials and related correspondence received primarily from members of the press in response to the position papers.

Case files arranged in chronological order.

View container list for this series

Alphabetical Correspondence File, 1974-75.  (Box 2, 0.4 linear feet)
Routine incoming correspondence and carbons of Miltich's replies. Includes requests for information and photographs from members of the press and the public, requests for presidential interviews and statements, invitations and a few drafts of presidential articles and speeches written by Miltich and members of the Editorial Staff as well as personal items addressed to Miltich.

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

View container list for this series

Control File, 1974-75.  (Box 3, 0.1 linear feet)
Carbons of outgoing mail signed by Miltich, including routine Press Office correspondence and inter-office memoranda. Items bear file markings indicating the location of incoming correspondence. Most correspondence is located in the alphabetical correspondence and position papers files or the Op-Ed files in the Gerald Warren and Margita White files.

Arranged chronologically by month and alphabetically thereunder.

View container list for this series

Chronological File, 1974-75. (Box 3, 0.1 linear feet)
Carbons of outgoing mail signed by Miltich including routine Press Office correspondence and inter-office memoranda.

Arranged chronologically.

View container list for this series

CONTAINER LIST

Box 1 - Position Papers

• 9/6/74 - "First 30 Days"
• 9/24/74 - Nixon Pardon (1)-(2)
• 9/30/74 - Ninth World Energy Conference
• 10/8/74 - Revenue Sharing
• 10/10/74 - Advice to the President (WIN Campaign)
• 10/22/74 - "Clearing the Air" (Hungate Committee)
• 10/22/74 - Mass Transit Bill
• 10/23/74 - Project Independence
• 10/25/74 - Freedom of Information Bill
• 10/28/74 - Veterans' Day Speech
• 10/30/74 - Commodity Futures Trading Commission Act
• 10/30/74 - 55 MPH Speed Limit
• 10/31/74 - Legislative Activity (Bill Signing Pace)
• 11/14/74 - President Ford's First Hundred Days
• 11/29/74 - Budget Cuts and Inflation
• 12/5/74 - Mass Transit Aid
• 12/9/74 - Dealing with Inflation and Recession (William E. Simon)
• 12/12/74 - Vladivostok Agreement (Henry Kissinger)

Box 2 - Position Papers

• Position Papers - General

Box 2 (Continued) - Alphabetical Correspondence File

• A - Z

Box 3 - Control File

• August 1974 - March 1975

Box 3 (Continued) - Chronological File

• August 1974 - March 1975