Conversation No. 774-17

Date: September 11, 1972
Time: 12:05 pm - 12:24 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Joseph T. DeSilva, Willie J. Usery, Jr., and Charles W. Colson.

[Stephen B. Bull and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting.]

        Greetings

        Labor Department
            -Staff
            -John R. Steelman
            -DeSilva's view
                 -Staff

        Political endorsement
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             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                             Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. Oct-06)

    -Labor officials

Television
    -DeSilva's program
            -San Clemente

Economy
    -The President's recovery programs
        -Wage controls
    -Political implications
        -Retail Clerks International Association convention
              -Hawaii
              -Thomas F. Eagleton
              -James T. Housewright
                  -George S. McGovern
        -Republican National Convention
        -The President's recent Labor Day message
              -National Commission for Industiral Peace
    -DeSilva's meeting with Michael H. Moskow, James D. Hodgson
    -Wage stabilization program
        -DeSilva's view
        -Welfare
        -Increasing job opportunities
        -Welfare compared to foreign aid
              -United Nations [UN]

Central Labor Council of Los Angeles
    -Endorsement
         -DeSilva's view
         -McGovern
    -Unknown California labor official
    -John Hingt (?)
    -Ronald W. Reagan
         -DeSilva's endorsement
    -California
         -Growth of Retail Clerks Union
             -Housing
             -International Brotherhood of Teamsters
    -Franklin D. Roosevelt
         -Court packing plan
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             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Oct-06)

    -Idea of balancing power
    -National Labor Relations Board [NLRB]
    -Working man
    -American Federation of Labor - Council of Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO]
    -Courts
    -Republican and Democrat Presidents
    -Labor leadership
        -George Meany
             -DeSilva's view
        -AFL-CIO
             -Diversified rank and file
        -Voting patterns
             -McGovern
        -John L. Lewis
             -Roosevelt
             -Miners

Issues
     -Ending of Vietnam War
         -DeSilva's view

National patriotism
    -Chris Schenkel
         -American Boradcasting Company (ABC) News
         -The President's view
         -Idea of appreciation
    -Ray Seales
    -US track team
    -Harvey Harris

DeSilva's contacts
    -Support for the President
    -Gene Wynan
    -Thomas Kuchel
    -Forthcoming dinner
         -Wynan
             -Clarine V. Mills
         -Eagleton
         -Congressional races
    -Kuchel
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                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Oct-06)


         DeSilva's background
             -California
             -New York
             -California
                  -Labor union work
             -1960
                  -Support for the President
                  -John F. Kennedy
                      -James R. ("Jimmy") Hoffa
             -Earl Warren, Goodwin Knight, Reagan
             -Administration support
                  -The President's view
                      -Usery
                      -Colson

         Job opportunities
              -Blacks
                  -Welfare
                  -Employment
              -Moskow
                  -Job Corps
              -Minorities involvement
                  -Olympic significance
                  -Wilt Chamberlain
              -Employment of blacks

         DeSilva's home
             -North Hollywood, California
             -James C. Corman

         Meeting
            -Cancellation

         Presentation of gifts

DeSilva et al. left at 12:24 pm.
                                                23

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Oct-06)