On February 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, Ronald L. Ziegler, James D. Hodgson, George P. Shultz, White House photographer, unknown person(s), and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:39 am to 11:58 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 455-003 of the White House Tapes. Topics include: The President met with John D. Ehrlichman and Ronald L. Ziegler Ziegler's forthcoming press briefing - Vietnam - Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN] - President's view - Developments - Laos - President's view - The President's meeting with Rogers C. B. Morton - Content The President's schedule James D. Hodgson and George P. Shultz entered at 10:43 am; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting [Unintelligible] Unknown women entered at an unknown time after 10:43 am Ladies of the press The unknown women left at an unknown time before 10:52 am Charles W. Colson Wage freeze - Responsibility of government - Administration policy - Hodgson's view - Hodgson's meeting with Building Trades Union leaders - Union position Colson entered at 10:52 am - Neil Hagerty [sp?] - Davis- Bacon Act - Alternatives - John H. ("Jack") Lyons - George Meany - Position - Colson's view [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 10/24/2019. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [455-003- W002] [Duration: 6m 55s] Wage freeze - American Federation of Labor- Congress of Industrial Organizations [AFL- CIO] endorsement - George S. McGovern - Refusal to endorse - Edward M. ("Ted") Kennedy - Edmund S. Muskie - Meeting with George Meany - Wage- Price controls - Hubert H. Humphrey - Performance - Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson - Union gains - George S. McGovern - New left - Effect of the economy Dialogue with non- Supporters - Foreign policy - George Meany's statements - Blacks - Jews - Labor leaders - Courtship of groups - Administration policy - Make up of "labor" - Possible support for the President - Organized labor vote compared to black or Jewish vote - Barry M. Goldwater - The President's philosophy - New labor class - Middle America Wage freeze - Davis- Bacon Act - President's view - Cost/benefit analysis - Effect of temporary freeze - Union reactions - Administration strategy - Forthcoming contract negotiations - Construction industry - Business - Settlements - Opposition - Administration strategy - Union view - Contract negotiations - Davis- Bacon Act - Construction industry - Effect of suspension - Hodgson's view - Colson's view - Wage Board/price controls - Difficulties - Union leadership - Contract negotiations - Meany - Administrative position - Davis- Bacon Act - Construction workers - Suspension of Davis- Bacon Act - Administration policy - Announcement - Pros and cons - Effect on construction industry - Non- Union hiring - Wages - Shultz's view - President's view - Union changes - Working conditions - Effect on leaders - Longevity - Public relations - Hodgson - Prices - Steel and fuel - Effect on government action - Compared with construction industry - Ripple effect - President's position - Governors' conference - Wage- Price freeze - Arthur F. Burns' view - Long- Term effect - Efficacy - Congress - Future problems -"Goldstein" [Leon Greenberg] [?] - Consumer prices - Long- Term effect - Administration policy - Temporary suspension - Responsibility - Government role - President's view - Strikes - Labor public relations - Ziegler - Settlement terms - Northwest Airlines - Questions - Concern of working man - Colson's view - Wage freeze compared with Davis- Bacon Act - Suspension of Davis- Bacon Act - President's view - Subsequent actions - Ehrlichman's view - Rationale - Compared with other industries - Hodgson's role - Labor/management cooperation - Public statements by Administration - Justification - Government role - Public reaction - Effect on the President - Public view - Labor tactics - Construction industry - Garment workers - Davis- Bacon Act - Extent of Davis- Bacon Act - Industry - Construction - Governors' conference - Visit by the President - Possible statement - Benefits - Hodgson's public appearances - The President's appearances - Suspension of Davis- Bacon Act - Reaction - Burns - Meeting with the President - View of wage- Price action - Rationale - Control of money supply - President's view - Jesse Barton - Reaction by the President - Hodgson's and the President's action - Colson's role - Necessity for wage action - Public relations - Davis- Bacon Act - Necessity - Burns - Forthcoming Quadriad meeting - Steel settlement - Impact - Suspension of Davis- Bacon Act - Effect - Construction industry settlement - Congress' role - Wage- Price controls - Economic health - Administration efforts - Burns - View of Wage Price Board - Davis- Bacon Act - Effect on economy - Compared to a tax increase - Role of government - Hodgson's comments - Public relations - Davis- Bacon role - Secretary of Labor's role - Possible scenarios - Hodgson - John T. Dunlop - President's view - Burns' view of wage and price controls - Previous meeting with the President - President's position - Leonard Woodcock's view - Public relations - Political impact - Colson's role - Focus on construction settlement - Governmental spending - Administration latitude - Alternatives to action - Efficacy - Administration's position - Steel industry - Response of administration - Hodgson's forthcoming testimony - Scope - Press statement - Ziegler's handling of the press - Timing of announcement by administration - Ziegler's role - Possible Federal Register notice - Use of Governors' conference - Comments by the President - Nelson A. Rockefeller's reaction - The President's schedule - Timing - The Vice President's role - John B. Connally's and Ehrlichman's roles - Revenue sharing - Comments to governors - Benefits - Visibility - Public announcement - Impact on interested groups - Hodgson's comments to Executive Council [?] - Reception Ehrlichman, et al. left at 11:58 am. Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Hodgson, James D.; Shultz, George P.; White House photographer; [Unknown person(s)]; Colson, Charles W.
- Part of White House Tapes: Sound Recordings of Meetings and Telephone Conversations of the Nixon Administration, Oval Office Sound Recordings