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From John Olin to John Merrill Olin RE: Organized labor. 3 pgs. Attached copy of handwritten letter. 2 typed copies. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Letter], 5/15/1971
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From John Olin to John Merrill Olin RE: Organized labor. 3 pgs. Attached copy of handwritten letter. 2 typed copies. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Letter], 5/15/1971
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
50
56
5/15/1971
Domestic Policy
Letter
From John Olin to John Merrill Olin RE:
Organized labor. 3pgs. Attached copy of
handwritten letter. 2 typed copies.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Page 1 of 1
DOCUMENT WITHDRAWAL RECORD [NIXON PROJECT]
DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT
NUMBER
SUBJECT/TITLE OR CORRESPONDENTS
DATE
RESTRICTION
TYPE
N-1
letter
Ohin to RNre organized labor
5/15/71
C(Nixon)
[DOC 58]
[typed vers long
letter
same as Doc # N-1 [handwritten]
[Doc N-Z 58
5/15/71
C(Nixon)
N-3
letter
same as Doc # N-1 [xerox copy]
5/15/71
C(Nixon)
[DOC 58]
FILE GROUP TITLE
BOX NUMBER
PPF
36
FOLDER TITLE
Olin, John merrill
RESTRICTION CODES
A. Release would violate a Federal statute or Agency Policy.
E. Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
B. National security classified information.
financial information.
C. Pending or approved claim that release would violate an individual's
F. Release would disclose investigatory information compiled for law
rights.
enforcement purposes.
D. Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy
G. Withdrawn and return private and personal material.
or a libel of a living person.
H. Withdrawn and returned non-historical material.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
NA FORM 1421 (4-85)
Presidential Materials Review Board
Review on Contested Documents
Collection: President's Personal Files
Box Number:
36
Folder:
Olin, John Merrill
Document
Disposition
58
Return Private/Political
EYES ONLY
Copy of hand-written letter
John Merrill Olin
Spl
7701 Forsyth Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63105
May 15th, 1971
Dear Dick:
Copy John to Twise (hase
When we visited briefly on March 25th at your White
House dinner - which I enjoyed very much - I apologized for not
acknowledging your letter of November 18, 1970 in which you
discussed the results of the earlier November election. I was
not able to accept the result thereof with any feeling other than
disappointment and I determined to endeavor to seek reasons
for such a result. In 1968 I undertook to organize Congressman
Tom Curtis's campaign for Senator from Missouri financial
responsibilities. The campaign was moving along quite well until
about ten days before election when organized labor contributed
a substantial sum of money for prime T.V. and radio time in
support of Tom's opponent, Tom Eagleton. This was the turning
point in Tom Curtis' campaign and resulted in his defeat by
about 30,000 votes. I make this explanation to explain my action
following the 1970 election as I determined to have the political
action of labor related to the 1970 election studied in the belief
that much of the success of the elected candidates was due to
the political acts of labor. Accordingly I arranged with Ronald
Crawford of F/P Research Associates to make a study in depth
Preservation Coov
- 2 -
of the financial contributions of labor, especially in the states
you and I regarded as critical and most promising for us to
obtain a majority of the Senate.
I am pleased to send you herewith a condensed
summary of the more impor tant findings of the study which to
me is very informative and brings into rather sharp focus the
tremendous and alarming political power of labor which if not
curbed must necessarily result in a labor controlled country -
if this has not already occurred.
The Crawford complete to date report is available
to you if you wish to have it - I have had Crawford give a
copy to Harry Dent and I have also asked Ron Crawford to
brief Maury Stans on the report and also to give a copy to
John Mitchell. Strategy with respect to its findings and use
thereof obviously should be carefully evolved and coordinated
and I do hope you will lend your tremendous knowledge, ability
and leadership to organizing an effort hopefully to overcome
the tremendous and advantageous political position labor has
so successfully attained. My own appraisal of labor's present
political power leads me to the conclusion their power and success
stems from the preferred position they occupy to collect dues
and assessments upon a tax exempt basis from their members
who lose all control of the expenditures politically and which
gives a very sophisticated political organization money and
Preservation
. 3 -
influence to accomplish a result moneywise and influence-wise
denied to any other group in his country. It occurs to me
the remedy is to eliminate the tax exempt status of labor
politically.
I enclose the October 26, 1970 release of COPE,
also a copy of a letter from George Meany to Alexander
Barkan, Director of COPE and a clipping from the Atlanta
Constitution January 1, 1971 stating Meany's views re you
and your Administration which I send only to refresh your
memory.
Because my companies operate some forty to fifty
plants in this country you can well understand I do not wish
to be known as the sponsor of this study. I have been
motivated by a recognition of a serious fundamental problem
facing our country requiring prompt correction.
I welcome suggestions to further study as suggested
in the memo of May 6, 1971 attached from Ron Crawford.
I regret the length of this personal letter to you -
my object is to not repeat in 1972 the experience of 1970.
With my warm regards as always,
Sincerely,
s/John (Olin)
Precervation.Copy:
JOHN MERRILL OLIN
7701 FORSYTH BOULEVARD
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63105
Moq-1515
Dear Dick:-
when we visited briefly on
ell asch 25th at your weite House
dinner- which 9 enjoyed very much
of ap alogized for not acknowled giveng
your letter of lior em her 18-1970
un which your discussed the results
of the eastier Movember election.
T was as not also to accept the
result thereof wit any feeling
other than disappointment and &
c etenciened To end earor to seek
asons for such a result. In
1968 & undertoke to anize
Companyman Tom Custis's campaign
for senstor from wissouri financial
tesp ousibilities , The companying was
moving along quise were with
when organized Pabor contributed a
about the voys before election
-2-
substantial sum of workey for
prine T.V. and radio time in
support of Pouis appoinent Tom
Engleton. Denis w as the
turning point in Pour custo
campaign and resulted in
his defeat by about 30,000
votes. 9 make this explanation
to ey peain my a ctron following
the 1970 election as I determined
to have the political action of
lobor related to the 1970 election
studied in the belief that much
of the success of itec elected
candates w as are To the
Political ats of Sabor. accordingly
T arrainged with Ronald brawford
7 F/P Research associates to
webe a study in depete of the
fuiancial contributions of labor
expecially in the states you
and 9 degarded us critical and
JOHN MERRILL OLIN
7701 FORSYTH BOULEVARD
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63105
-3-
most provising for us to obtain
a majority .07 the Smate.
9 am pleased to send you
herewith a consensed successary
of the more important findings
of the study which to we is
very informative and brings
into rather shorp focus the
tremend our and alaming
political power of fabor which
if not cusbed must necessarily
result in a labor controlled
country - if this line not
accurred.
The Crawford complete To
d atc report is waitable to you
if you wish to have is- a
laws had Gowfra give a
copy to Harry Dent and I
have also asked -4- Don Growford
to Grief wasy STans on the
report and also To give acopy
to John witchell. Strateng
with despect To its finduip
and use there of obviously
should he cosefully evolver
and coordinated and 9 do
hope you will lend your
tremendous knowledge, ability
and leadership to ora aniging
an effort hopefully to overcome
the termend ous and
advantagous political position
labor has so successfully
attained My own apraise
of labors present political power
leads me to the con clusion
their power and success stems
from the proferred position they
occupy to collect dues and
assessments upon a tax exempt
basis from their members who
JOHN MERRILL OLIN
7701 FORSYTH BOULEVARD
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63105
-5.
lose all control of the expensitures
Politically and which gives
a very suphisticated politice
anization money and
influence to accompliste a
desult moneywise and
influencewise j evied to any
other group in this country.
IT occurs to me the demady
is to eliminate the 124 exempt
Status of favor politically.
& enclose the October 26-1970
belease of cope also a copy of
a letter from george meany
to accuander Barban, Disector of
Co pe and a clipping from the
atranta Constituon Jary. 1-1971
stating meanys views he you
and your ad ministation which
send only to refresh your
heavery.
Because my companies
operate some forty To fifty
peants in this country you
can well and estand & do
not wish to be brown as the
Sprusor of this study. 9 have
been motivated by a towy intion
of a serious fund amentae
problem focing our country
requiring hag prompt correction.
I w elcowe suggestions
to further study as suggested
in the memo of way 6-1971
attached from Ron liow ford.
I regpet the level the of the
personne lever to you - my
object is to not repeat in 1972
the expensive of 1970.
w the my w are regards us
alm ags. sincerely John
EYES ONLY
Copy of hand-written letter
John Merrill Olin
7701 Forsyth Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63105
May 15th, 1971
Dear Dick:
When we visited briefly on March 25th at your White
House dinner - which I enjoyed very much - I apologized for not
acknowledging your letter of November 18, 1970 in which you
discussed the results of the earlier November election. I was
not able to accept the result thereof with any feeling other than
disappointment and I determined to endeavor to seek reasons
for such a result. In 1968 I undertook to organize Congressman
Tom Curtis's campaign for Senator from Missouri financial
responsibilities. The campaign was moving along quite well until
about ten days before election when organized labor contributed
a substantial sum of money for prime T.V. and radio time in
support of Tom's opponent, Tom Eagleton. This was the turning
point in Tom Curtis' campaign and resulted in his defeat by
about 30,000 votes. I make this explanation to explain my action
following the 1970 election as I determined to have the political
action of labor related to the 1970 election studied in the belief
that much of the success of the elected candidates was due to
the political acts of labor. Accordingly I arranged with Ronald
Crawford of F/P Research Associates to make a study in depth
- 4 -
of the financial contributions of labor, especially in the states
you and I regarded as critical and most promising for us to
obtain a majority of the Senate.
I am pleased to send you herewith a condensed
summary of the more impor tant findings of the study which to
me is very informative and brings into rather sharp focus the
tremendous and alarming political power of labor which if not
curbed must necessarily result in a labor controlled country -
if this has not already occurred.
The Crawford complete to date report is available
to you if you wish to have it - I have had Crawford give a
copy to Harry Dent and I have also asked Ron Crawford to
brief Maury Stans on the report and also to give a copy to
John Mitchell. Strategy with respect to its findings and use
thereof obviously should be carefully evolved and coordinated
and I do hope you will lend your tremendous knowledge, ability
and leadership to organizing an effort hopefully to overcome
the tremendous and advantageous political position labor has
SO successfully attained. My own appraisal of labor's present
political power leads me to the conclusion their power and success
stems from the preferred position they occupy to collect dues
and assessments upon a tax exempt basis from their members
who lose all control of the expenditures politically and which
gives a very sophisticated political organization money and
3 -
.
influence to accomplish a result moneywise and influence-wise
denied to any other group in t his country. It occurs to me
the remedy is to eliminate the tax exempt status of labor
politically.
I enclose the October 26, 1970 release of COPE,
also a copy of a letter from George Meany to Alexander
Barkan, Director of COPE and a clipping from the Atlanta
Constitution January 1, 1971 stating Meany's views re you
and your Administration which I send only to refresh your
memory.
Because my companies operate some forty to fifty
plants in this country you can well understand I do not wish
to be known as the sponsor of this study. I have been
motivated by a recognition of a serious fundamental problem
facing our country requiring prompt correction.
I welcome suggestions to further study as suggested
in the memo of May 6, 1971 attached from Ron Crawford.
I regret the length of this personal letter to you -
my object is to not repeat in 1972 the experience of 1970.
With my warm regards as always,
Sincerely,
s/John (Olin)