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    "title": "WHSF: Contested, 6-8",
    "description": "This file contains:\n\nFrom Gerry H. Lockner to Haldeman RE: state of affairs in the U.S. 4 pgs. [Subject: White House Staff] [Letter], 8/31/1972",
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    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/75/1448/26144875/content/presidential-libraries/nixon/RN-RET/2546065/Contested-Box-6/Contested-06-08.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "Richard Nixon Presidential Library\nContested Materials Collection\nFolder List\nBox Number\nFolder Number\nDocument Date\nNo Date\nSubject\nDocument Type\nDocument Description\n6\n8\n8/31/1972\nWhite House Staff\nLetter\nFrom Gerry H. Lockner to Haldeman RE:\nstate of affairs in the U.S. 4 pgs.\nFriday, March 26, 2010\nPage 1 of 1\nAugust 31, 1972\n4120 S. W. 102 Avenue\nBeaverton, Oregon 97005\nMr. H. R. Haldeman\nAssistant to the President and Chief of Staff\nThe White House\nWashington, D. C.\nDear Bob:\nI have not written you since you went to Washington,\nbut have watched your progress and must say you have gone\na long way. We originally met in your office while you\nwere with the Los Angeles office of the J. Walter Thompson\nCompany through our beloved departed friend and your co-\nworker Frances Scully. She and I originally met when I\nwas working for Judge Harlan Palmer of the Hollywood Citizen-\nNews. I was in your office a number of times, went out\nsocially with Frances, and accompanied her as a guest at\nthe Dodger Stadium where the J. Walter Thompson Company had\na box for the season. You were also present on this occasion.\nWhile with the Citizen-News, Judge Palmer started a\ncampaign against ticket fixing in Los Angeles. I carried\nthe ball and my work was recognized in Sacramento. At the\nrequest of Governor Merriam, I joined his staff and organized\na state wide traffic safety program. I learned to know many\ngood Republicans such as Holmes Tuttle, Henry Salvatori,\nGoodwin Knight, Cy Rubel, Harvey Firestone, Henry Clock,\nRonald Reagan, Bob Finch, Gladys O'Donnell, etc., etc.\nSince those days, many changes have taken place in the party.\nThe reason I am writing you at this time is because I\nam very concerned about the affairs of our country. What\nworries me most is the complacency of some of our older\ncitizens. They gradually feel their lifetime savings\nslipping away through inflation. They are not happy with\nPresident Nixon and don't want any part of Senator McGovern.\nMr. H. R. Haldeman\nAugust 31, 1972\nPage Two\nA general attitude seems to prevail, \"I just won't vote\nfor either\", not realizing that this could put McGovern in\nthe White House. Whenever I run into this problem, I\nstraighten out the fallacy in a hurry and usually save the\nvote for President Nixon.\nMuch stress is being put on the young vote and not\nenough on the retired. The latter can be a very potent\nfactor in winning the election for President Nixon, but it\nlacks much needed organizing effort. These are the people\nmost of whom have worked hard to make this country great\nand know the answer to success. These same people do not\nwant McGovernism and have the time and are willing to get\nout and work if given the opportunity. They do not want\na totalitarian form of government. I am sure none of these\npeople were among the 800 arrested at the Miami Convention.\nToday we have three age groups. The first is the\n18 to 30, the second 30 to 60, and the third over 60. Many\nof the first especially 18 to 25 are dependent on the second\nand third for finances. A big percentage of these can't\nstand on their own and don't know the meaning of earning\ntheir own way. Thank goodness the majority is alright,\nbut the minority is the cause of much unrest.\nPeople claim that the youth of today is smarter than\nprevious generations. I don't agree. The youth may be\nsmarter academically, but not from a practical standpoint.\nTake yourself as an example, you were 23 when you started\nwith the J. Walter Thompson Company; and I was only 17 when\nI went with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. I got my\neducation the hard way after I started to work. We were\nnot the exception to the rule. Opportunities always have\nbeen available for those desirous of forging ahead.\nThe second group's thinking today is the result of too\nmuch John Deweyism and Progressive Education. Some of these\nparents are contributing financial chaos to the younger group.\nThey are just as confused as their children and try to\nappease their guilt with money instead of love and affection.\nWhen money ceases to mean anything to the child, he or she\nleaves home and in many cases goes the ways of the hippies,\ndope, etc. Bobby Kennedy's son is a typical case in point.\nMr. H. R. Haldeman\nAugust 31, 1972\nPage Three\nThe third group is the forgotton one. They through\nexperience know a lot of the answers, but are being shelved\nand looked upon as a bunch of old foggies. Yet this group\nhad the tenacity to pull us out of the 1929 depression and\ncan be depended on at this time to bring us out of the\npresent dilemma. We must instill confidence in these\npeople to carry the ball for President Nixon as they know\nthe price of freedom. They have the will, the know how,\nexperience, and desire to meet the challenges if given\nthe opportunity. Instead many of the first and second group\nconsider them excess baggage. In Sweden, the senior\ncitizens are respected - a good example for us to follow.\nToday among a small portion of the first group, we\nhave a gang of killers, rioters, perverts, and revolutionists\nwho are furnishing the fuel for the McGovern campaign\nand should Senator McGovern be elected; heaven forbid, they\nwould be in front with Ramsey Clark to run the government.\nI have just one plea with you, Bob, let's not become too\ncomplacent. Let not a stone go unturned to keep President\nNixon in the White House. We can help by giving more\nrecognition not only to the senior citizens, but also all\nage brackets who believe in this democracy.\nI have always been interested in honest Constitutional\ngovernment. I worked for Dick Nixon's campaign when he\nran for Congress against Jerry Voorhis, again for the Senate\nagainst the Pink Lady, Helen Gahagen Douglas. Likewise,\nfor the Governorship of California against Pat Brown and\nthe last campaign of 1968.\nI probably don't agree with many of President Nixon's\npolicies, but this is no time to find fault. We all must\nbe united and have him reelected. Thank God for him that\nwe still have a free nation and where we can express our\nviews as I have taken the liberty to do in this letter.\nConstructive criticism builds for a stronger nation.\nDestructive criticism tears down, brings about anarchy,\ntreason, and violence and could result in a reign of\ntotalitarianism. As a former Marine, my fighting blood\nis boiling for a sure win and continuation in office of\nPresident Nixon. We must have a day of victory on November 7.\nMr. H. R. Haldeman\nAugust 31, 1972\nPage Four\nI am presently here in Oregon, but expect to return to\nCalifornia before too long. I am still a registered voter\nthere. After living in our state for many years, I miss\nmy many friends.\nWith kindest personal regards to you and President Nixon.\nGengMackner Most cordially,\nGerry H. Lockner\nGHL:db"
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