H. I think now is the time for it and we expect it now and we want it and the election is out of the way, the initial terror of the number of people has subsided. Some people have already left the Administration and that's all to the good. So, now it's pared down to the point where a few people ought to really be able to concentrate on this and get the goddam thing out of the way once and for all because I don't want to bore you with what it's been like, but it hasn't been pleasant for any of us.

C. Jesus Christ, I know it. I hope you're doing some writing to keep yourself busy.

H. Oh, I am. I don't know if anything will ever come of it, but it's a good ... it keeps my mind from my plight, let's put it that way. So that I was never clear in my own mind, and I'm still not, and . . . that one of the initial outputs that I had read about was that while this is done by a bunch of wild assed guys and so forth... well, that's fine for we're protecting the guys who are really responsible, but now that that's . . . and of course that's a continuing requirement, but at the same time, this is a two way street and as I said before, we think that now is the time when a move should be made and surely the cheapest commodity available is money. These lawyers have not been paid, there are large sums of money outstanding. That's the principal thing. Living allowances which are due again on the 31st of this month, we want that stuff well in hand for some months in advance. I think these are all reasonable requests. They're all promised in advance and reaffirmed from time to time to my attorney and so forth, so in turn I've been giving commitments to the people who look to me and.

C. I'm reading you. You don't need to be more specific.

H.

C.

I don't want to belabor it.

No, it isn't a question of that, it's just that the less speciis [sic] I know, the better off I am .. we are, you are.

H. So, Parkison is out of town until next Monday, at which time a memorandum is going to be laid on him and he's going to be made aware . . .

C.

I'll tell you one thing I've said to people, and I just want you to know this because I think it's important. I've told people the truth that I've known you for a long time, that I've considered you a personal friend, you're a person in whom I've had high regard and high confidence, a patriot, real patriot. and that had you ever been the one mastermineding [sic] this, it never would have fallen apart, that the reason that I am convinced, and I told this to the federal authorities on the grand jury, the reason that I'm convinced that you Howard Hunt never had a goddamn thing to do with this or if; you did. it was on the peripheries, is that if you ever did it, you would do it a lot smarter than this and that I've know [sic]

H. Chuck, if I had had my say, it never would have been done at all. Let me put it that way.

H.

C.

H.

C.

H.

C.

That's right and I've always maintained to my attorney who of course has my complete confidence in this matter, that you absolutely had nothing to do with it.

If I had ever known it was coming I would have said to you as a friend, if some asshole wants to do this, fine, but don't you get involved. I mean. if you and I, if we've ever had a conversation like that, I would have said, my God, . . . but the point I've made is that you're a smart . . . among many other qualities, you are a brilliant operator and brilliant operators just don't get into this kind of a thing, so I've held and I was asked.. and this is why I don't want to know any different, this is why I was asked by the Bureau, well, what about Hunt? And I could honestly say, look, I've known this guy a long time, he's a very smart fellow and I can't for the life of me conceive that he would ever get himself into this kind of situation, so I want to be able to stay in that position. That's why I don't want you to tell me anything beyond that. Give my love to Dorothy, will you? All right I will.

I know it's hard on you and the kids and

It's awful tough. My daughter up at Smith is really getting a rough time. Is she really?

H. Very, very hard time.

C. Well, you know, I'll tell you, I find it's only the rough experiences in life and you've had your share of them, god knows, that really harden you and make something out of you, and you learn by them and become a better man for it and we'll talk about that. You'll come out of this fine, I'm positive of that.

H.

C.

Well, I want all of us to come out of it, including you.

My position, I suppose has been hurt in one sense, that I've been publicly but obviously people around here know I didn't have anything to do with it, but so be it. We'll all come out of it, don't worry about that. That's the last thing to worry about and I understand this message.

H. If; you can do anything about it . . . I would think the sooner they can get moving on it the better. Good to talk to you. I'll discuss with Bittman whether he still feels he needs to talk with you.

C. Alright and as soon as I feel that the situation, the future of the thing is clear enough that you and I can get together, we'll damn well do it, but I don't want to do it pre-maturely because it will limit my ability to help you. H. Chuck, I understand that completely. L [sic] That's why I never tried to get in touch with you.

C.

Im [sic] in a better position to help you if I can honestly swear nnder [sic] oath, which I can do, because I don't know a goddamn thing about it and I don't. And as long as I'm in that position then I can say what kind of a guy I think Howard Huhnt [sic] is and why I think this is a bum wrap.

H. Okay. Is your family alright?

C. Doing fine.

H. Your boy's doing well in school I understand.

C. Doing great and he's at Princeton. He's taking a lot of heat, just like your talking about.

H. Oh, he must have.

C.

When...

H. The only counsel I can give my daughter is that people that will do that sort of thing are the kind who would pull the wings off flys and they're not really the sort of people she would really want to have as friends or even associates in any case.

C. I said the same thing to my son, when the indictments were announced, he said everybody at Princeton said, "oh, you're old man beat the wrap" . . . Isn't that great? Doesn't that make you feel wonderful? I said the same thing to him and he's gotten so he doesn't . . . he figures that the price you pay for serving your country and you take the good with the bad, so if; you believe in what you're doing, that has to be the ultimate consolation for all of us.

H.

C.

H.

C.

It does indeed. Are you going to be able to take some time off? God, I hope so, howard [sic]. I'm planning to in December some time. If I can possibly get out of here. Well, you take care of yourself and don't let it get you. Don't let it wear down that great spirit and we got the President in for four years and thank God for the country we do. Exactly.

You know, when you go to sleep at night, you can put up with a lot of personal grief if you think that . . . there are always things bigger than yourself. That's really true. The moment in life when things are not bigger than yourself, then you're all washed up. Even I know that.

H. I know. I spent a lifetime serving ny country and in a sense I'm still doing it.

C. Damn right. Alright, pal, we'll be talking to you.

H. Okay.

EXHIBIT No. 153

HOWARD HUNT

December 31, 1972

By Hand

Hon. Charles W. Colson

Special Counsel to the President

The White House

Washington, D. C.

Dear Chuck:

The children and myself were touched by your letters, and we deeply appreciate your sympathy. I am unable to reconcile myself to Dorothy's death, much less accept it.

For years I was aware that I depended upon Dorothy, but only now do I realize how profound that dependence was.

Her death, of course, changes my personal equation entirely, and I believe that my paramount duty now and in the future is to my children, particularly to my 9-year-old son who was unusually dependent upon his mother, particularly since last June's tumult began.

I had understood you to say that you would be willing to see my attorney, Bill Bittman, at any time. After my wife's death I asked him to see you, but his efforts were unavailing. And though I believe I understand the delicacy of your overt position, I nevertheless feel myself even more isolated than before. My wife's death, the imminent trial, my present mental depression, and my inability to get any relief from my present situation, all contribute to a sense of abandonment by friends on whom I had in good faith relied. I can't tell you how important it is, under the..circumstances, for Bill Bittman to have the opportunity to meet with you, and I trust that you will do me that favor.

There is a limit to the endurance of any man trapped in a hostile situation and mine was reached on December 8th. I do believe in God not necessarily a Just God but in the governance of a Divine Being. His Will, however, is often enacted through human hands, and human adversaries are arraigned against

me.

Sincerely, and in friendship,

We already have in train the following projects mentioned in the Hunt memorandum.

(1) A complete psychological assessment and evaluation of Ellsberg by CIA.

(2) We are continuing to collect all press material on Ellsberg.

(3) There have been several interviews with Ellsberg's first wɗe,

and we are in the process now of getting transcripts.

(4) We have asked the FBI to pull together all their holdings on Ellsberg.

We will look into the other suggestions which Hunt made.