Regional Oral History Office University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California Lewis H. Butler A Life of Public Service: Ploughshares Fund, California Tomorrow, Health Policy, HEW, the Environment, the Peace Corps Interviews conducted by Ann Lage in 2008-2009 Copyright © 2010 by The Regents of the University of California ii Since 1954 the Regional Oral History Office has been interviewing leading participants in or well-placed witnesses to major events in the development of Northern California, the West, and the nation. Oral History is a method of collecting historical information through tape-recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. The tape recording is transcribed, lightly edited for continuity and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewee. The corrected manuscript is bound with photographs and illustrative materials and placed in The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, and in other research collections for scholarly use. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is reflective, partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ********************************* All uses of this manuscript are covered by a legal agreement between The Regents of the University of California and Lewis H. Butler, dated April 16, 2009. The manuscript is thereby made available for research purposes. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. Excerpts up to 1000 words from this interview may be quoted for publication without seeking permission as long as the use is non-commercial and properly cited. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to The Bancroft Library, Head of Public Services, Mail Code 6000, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000, and should follow instructions available online at http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/collections/cite.html It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Lewis H. Butler, “A Life of Public Service: Ploughshares Fund, California Tomorrow, Health Policy, HEW, the Environment, the Peace Corps” conducted by Ann Lage in 2008-2009, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 2010. iii Sheana and Lew Butler, October 2009 iv v Table of Contents—Lewis H. Butler Interview History by Ann Lage xiii Interview 1, October 31, 2008 Audiofile 1 1 Family background in Gold Rush California, grandfather Lewis Hanchett, who “lived by his wits”—Summers in Capitola, family friendship with Helen Wills— Father’s Irish roots, Jesuit education, Rhodes scholarship—Parent’s marriage— Mother’s education—Godfather Nelson Hackett and the Nelson farm—Madison and Grant schools in San Francisco—Father’s death in plane crash when Lew is eight—Mother’s outdoor activities with her sons. Audiofile 2 19 Recalling mother’s anti-Semitism, resigning from Bohemian Club in 1960s— Ethnic mix in the public schools—Boyhood in the neighborhood: Flexi Flyer, baseball, football, and bicycle polo in the street and at Julius Kahn playground— Aunt Marion Hollins, champion golfer, and a house on the Pasatiempo golf course—Isolated from Depression era cares, family political outlook—Family connection with the Herbert Hoovers—First year of college at MIT, playing basketball, and later at Princeton—More on St. Ignatius high, growing up Catholic—Lew’s college paper foreshadowing nuclear bombs—Owen Chamberlain and choosing the mission for Ploughshares Foundation, friendship with Owen Chamberlain. Interview 2, November 12, 2008 Audiofile 3 36 More childhood recollections: reflections on mother and her influence—The importance of Yosemite and Yosemite connections, childhood summers in the valley, the Tresidders—Trips to Sacramento on the Delta Queen—Friendship with the Starr family, death of Pete Starr, and father’s intro to Starr’s Guide— Observations of changes in wartime San Francisco—Visiting his uncle, a general at training camp in East Texas—To the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago—Impact of wartime memorial ceremony at St. Ignatius—Postwar assignment: teaching navy pilots to sail—Six years of government-supported education begin at Oregon State. Audiofile 4 53 More on Princeton and world of social classification, making the basketball team and trying to fit in with the white-shoe crowd, the Cottage Club, philosophy major—Stanford Law School experiences: meeting Sheana, marriage in Mission vi San Luis Rey, playing touch football, lasting friendships, McCloskey and Janssen—Ten years at Pillsbury, Madison, & Sutro: reflections on being a lawyer, pro bono work, Republican Party involvement—Coaching basketball at Booker T. Washington Center. Audiofile 5 72 More on coaching the basketball team, the Hawks—Moving day on Commonwealth Avenue—Friendship with Brent Bozell, his support for Joseph McCarthy. Interview 3, December 4, 2008 Audiofile 6 78 An active young Republican in 1960, defending the Nixon-Lodge ticket in debate with Roger Kent—Joining up with the Peace Corps, appointed assistant director in Malaya, departing the law firm—Arriving in Malaya in seersucker suit, first experiences getting Peace Corps established in Malaya—The political situation in Malaya, British colonialists and a “Communist emergency.” Audiofile 7 96 British-built infrastructure in Malaya to meet the Communist emergency, but a need for technical personnel—Little awareness of buildup in Vietnam—Life- changing experiences and some screw-ups—Malaya becomes Malaysia— Concern about CIA infiltration—The high quality of the Peace Corps volunteers: stories of the volunteers, their backgrounds and future careers—Outstanding volunteers, Ernie Phillips, Rita Franzone, Hugh Zimmers— Al Horley and the first satellite tracking station in Asia—Young Turks versus bureaucrats in the Peace Corps, promotion to director in Malaysia. Audiofile 8 113 Getting promoted: the advantages of touch-football expertise, and a favorable evaluation after Charlie Peter’s visit to the leprosarium—Dealing with the Peace Corps in Washington: Wiggins, St. Lawrence, and Moyers—Hearing about President Kennedy’s assassination during Peace Corps training in Illinois—The emotional experience of Peace Corps service: “the most important thing I ever did in my life. and the thing I was best at.” vii Interview 4, December 15, 2008 Audiofile 9 123 Continuing the Peace Corps experience: More on outstanding volunteers and their post-Peace Corps careers, qualities of a good volunteer, and their contributions— Cutting back on the frills for volunteers—Inventing his job, supporting the volunteers and placing them appropriately, dealing with complaints and problems—The Butler family in Malaysia, trips, turtles, leeches—Volunteers treating cholera. Audiofile 10 139 The Asia Foundation—Avoiding the club scene, colonial vestiges, Brits in Malaysia—Sheana’s role in household, at an aborigine hospital, and supporting the volunteers—Leaving Malaysia, turned down by Kennedy school—The trip home west from Malaysia: Burma, Calcutta to Nepal via Bangladesh, seeing the Lion of Kashmir, Amritsar to Lahore, crossing from Pakistan to Afghanistan, Kabul, Iran, Israel, Tunisia, Europe. Audiofile 11 158 Heading home San Francisco and introduction to politics: opposing the initiative to repeal Fair Housing legislation with Pete McCloskey, winning the vote in the state bar association. Evaluating the Peace Corps in Somalia and Nigeria, a difficult and prescient report on Nigeria. Interview 5, January 8, 2009 Audiofile 12 170 Meeting Ronald Reagan in 1965 and recalling their exchange of letters about the Peace Corps—Horrified by a civil rights parody at a 1965 Republican meeting, Cap Weinberger--The California Republican League, moderate Republicans in favor of civil rights and environmental issues—Meeting Robert Finch and helping with his campaign for lieutenant governor—Exploring political office opportunities—Directing Pete McCloskey’s congressional campaign in 1967: grassroots organizing, anti-Vietnam war focus, fundraising, the victory party— Friendship with and support from Dan Koshland—Considering a run for mayor against Joe Alioto, a Herb Caen initiative, Dan Koshland’s advice. Audiofile 13 188 Law practice, Butler and McCloskey—Early environmental law: fighting the Redwood Shores development, attorney for Save the Bay—Early days in the Planning and Conservation League—Working with Richard Wilson to oppose the Dos Rios dam on the Eel River—Lawyer for establishment of the Napa Valley viii Agricultural Preserve, the first agricultural zoning act—Work with the Ford Foundation, attempts to find private sector solutions to black unemployment— OPEN, Opportunity Enterprise Corporation, lessons learned. Audiofile 14 209 Initiative from David Packard in OPEN, the contributions of Packard and his wife, Lucille Packard—Recruited for the board of the Rosenberg Foundation, 1966, his introduction to the foundation world—The distinguished Rosenberg board, the pioneering executive director Ruth Chance, the fiftieth anniversary celebration. Interview 6, January 13, 2009 Audiofile 15 218 The Robert Finch connection: Opportunity Enterprise Corporation, with Tom Williamson and Dave Sanchez—On