White House Special Files Box 47 Folder 1

5SMALL TOWN LAWYERINixon pas sed his bar examinations in November, 1937, at age twenty-four.He went to work for the small law firm of Wingert and Bewley and, about ayear later, was made a member of the firm. The firm name became Bewley,Knoop and Nixon.From 1937 to 1942 Dick practised law in Whittier and served as Assistant CityAttorney. At that time it looked as though a career as a small town attorneymight be in store for him. Dick liked trial work but disliked divorce cases.When these came his way he often managed to reconcile the litigants.WAR TIME SERVICE rIn January, 1942, Nixon went to work for the U. S. Office of EmergencyManagement, later the Office of Price Administration in Washington, D. C.Here he gained an understanding of the problems of Federal employees andat the same time crystalized a strong dislike for centralized economicdirection.In August, 1942, Nixon was commissioned a Lieutenant (j. g.) in the Navyand, after indoctrination at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, was assigned firstto duty in Iowa and then, in May, 1943, to the South Pacific with the SouthPacific Combat Air Transport Command.He served on Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Vella Lavella, and Green Island andwon two South Pacific battle stars. He received a Letter of Commendationfrom the Commander, South Pacific Area and South Pacific Force for" m e ritorious and efficient performance of duty as Officer in Charge of theSouth Pacific Air Transport Command. II The Citation says:"He displayed sound judgment and initiative in organizingthe South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command at bothBougainville and Green Islands. He established. the ef ficient liaison which made possible the immediate supplyby air of vital material and key per sonnel, and the promptevacuation of battle casualties from these stations to rearareas. IIAfter fifteen months over seas Nixon was transferred to the Fleet Air Wing atAlameda, California and, later, the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington,D. C. At the end of the war he was engaged in negotiating the termination ofNavy Contracts with aircraft manufacturers in Baltimore, Maryland. For hisperformance on this assignment Nixon received a second Letter of Comrnendatfon,He was released from active duty in March, 1946, in the grade of LieutenantCommander.

6FIRST CAMPAIGN - 1946rIn 1946, after the war, an unusualevent started Dick on his politicalcareer.A committee of one hundred citizenshad formed in the old Twelfth Con gres sional District of California forthe purpose of seeking out the bestqualified man they could find to runfor Congress against the incumbent,Jerry Voorhis. They found Dick.TheIncumbentIi'"' - "I .WDick - theChallenger /· . After interviewing and rejecting eight applicants the Committee decided,well in advance of the p.rimaries, that Dick Nixon was their man. Theypersuaded him to make the race, and they successfully mobilized aunified effort in support of their choice.In this 1946 campaign Dick worked hard and was elected with about15,000 votes to spare. He studied the issues and mastered the pointsof his disagreement with the "Li be r a.I!' incumbent, Jerry Voorhis. Hechallenged Voorhis, who had been in office ten years and was consideredunbeatable by many, to a series of debates. The two contestants actuallymet on the same platforms in a series of discussions on the issues in allparts of the District. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents packedthe high school auditoriums to hear the candidates match their wits,their principles, and their ability to put their ideas across.At the start of the campaign few observers gave the young challengermuch of a chance to beat the "Charnp . II When Nixon won his party'snomination (with a popular vote of about 7, 000 below the iricumberrt' stotal), his supporters thought he had done well, but they dtdnt expecthim to be able to win the general election.But Dick ' s views on the is sues, expounded dramatically in the colorfuldebates where the two candidates could be compared in action, con vinced the people of the Twelfth District that Dick Nixon was the manthey wanted. When the votes were counted in November he was aheadby 15, DOC}. He had won the nod from thousands of Democrats as wellas from Republicans.The secret of his political success:He worksuntiringly; has good political sense;wife cer tainly is an asset. He has good sense of timing. Heknows the issues, and he has the ability to hit uponthe popular imagination . . . . IIIIJERR Y VOORHIS

7FIRST TERM - THE HERTER COMMITTEEtf\In Congress Dick Nixon was soon selected for theimportant "Herter Committee" to study theEuropean Recovery Program. Here his ca pacity for hard work and for dealing effectivelywith an immense volume of factual materialfound a speedy application.r:;('f.Dick won the lasting friendship of Chris Herter .;;o:;.--;;' IlI::::::::::;::::::::::: :;;;:--- and the Committee was commended for the"staggering volume and intensity of its work."Postwar Europe at the time was virtually prostrate. Pre-war ideals as wellas pre-war production facilities and civilization had been laid waste. Com munist Russia then appeared capable of overrunning Western Europe.Communist and socialist theories seemed to be spreading everywhere andfinding fertile ground among survivors in the Western Democracies.Thus, Dick Nixon's education in the problems of free world survival in theface of Communism began thirteen years ago in 1947."Dick is the best person we have, outs ide of thePresident himself, for overseas good-will mis sions. I don't know anybody who so effectivelyrepresents abroad the best qualities of America,and the kind of dedication to the ideals of our na tion which have made it respected and admired. "JOHN FOSTER DULLES- AND TAFT HARTLEYDick was also soon plunged into one of the most complexand difficult of our domestic problems by his appoint ment to the House Education and Labor Committee.Few national issues have generated more heat than didthe effort to redress, after twelve years of the admittedlyone-sided Wagner Act, the balance between labor andmanagement.Here again, however, Dick's unusual talents stood him in good stead. He wasamong the leaders in drafting and supporting the Taft-Hartley Labor ManagementRelations Act of 1947 and in the subsequent moves to amend and improve it. Forall the bitter criticism that has been aimed at this legislation, it has survived thetest of time and has come to be recognized for what it is: a piece of just legislationin the interest of the working man and of the general public. The succ e s s of thislegislation is in part a tribute to Dick Nixon's ability to analyze a problem, tolook at it objectively without partisan prejudice, and to find a workable solutionin the best interests of all the people.FROM THE FIRST, DICK GOT THINGS DONE, BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD

sSECOND CAMPAIGN - 1948Dick's extraordinary work as a freshmanCongressman won him immense popularityin his horne District. In 1948 he scored asmashing victory.He was nominated by the Democrats as theircandidate for Congress as well as by theRepublicans of his District!NixonDemocraticNomineeIn other words, the majority of the Demo crats, as well as the Republicans wantedDick for Congr e s s !NixonRepublicanNominee(California law at that time permitted candidates to file on bothtickets, and they usually did so; sometimes they "won" in theprimarie s by being nominated by both partie s . )THE HISS CASEIt was during his second term in the House of Representatives thatRichard Nixon became involved, as a result of his membership onthe House Un-American Activities Committee, in the explosive andfateful is sue of Communists in Government.The is sue was dramatized in the case of Alger His s , an importantGovernment official, a man who enjoyed the confidence of manypeople in high places and a person who seemed to many to be abovesuspicion.As a lawyer Nixon had had experience in judging the veracity of awitnes s. Now he became convinced that His s was lying about hisalleged Communist connections.Of course, Dick was fully aware of the risk to his own political careerwhich was involved in questioning the loyalty of Hiss. It would not beenough to be right. He would have to be able to prove that he wasright. There was an easy way out. He could have assumed, as manyothers did,that a man of Hiss' prominence could not possibly be taintedwith Comrnum sm .Dick took the hard way. He had a duty to pursue the facts, and heresponded to that duty. Personally, carefully, and almost alone hepersisted in drawing out the evidence. Ultimately, Hiss was con victed of per jury."Nrxon' s job on the investigation of Hiss was a monumentalperformance. He has never gotten credit for the majorpart of his accomplishment. IIAMOS J. PEASLEYThe conviction of Alger Hiss was due to your patienceand persistence alone. IIHERBERT C. HOOVERII

9THE SENATE RACE - 1950By 1950 Dick Nixon's popularity had reached new heights. It was nolonger confined to his home congressional district; it had spreadthroughout California. Dick was the logical candidate of his part} torun against the veteran, Sheridan Downey for the office of U. S.Senator from California.After Dick had announced for the race, Senator Downey wi thdr ew r, sa candidate. Conservative Democrat, Manchester Boddy, andCongresswoman, Helen Gahagan Douglas engaged in a bitter primarycontest for the Democratic nomination. Representative Douglas won,but not until after she had been identified up and down the State by herDemocratic opponents as being on the leftmost margins of theDemocratic Party.Thus. Dick Nixon was again confronted, as he had been in his fir strace for Congress, with a clear cut contest between his own conceptof constitutional government and free enterprise and the "let thegovernment do everything ' ! concepts of the "liberals" of that day. Thecampaign was a hard fought one, along these established lines. InNovember, 1950, the people of California chose Dick Nixon as theirnew Senator.In this contest Nixon won with a plurality of about 680, 000 votes, althoughDemocrats outnumbered Republicans in California by about three to two.It is evident that hundreds of thousands of Democrats voted for Dick Nixonand against Douglas." . the man whose 'bulldog determination' enabledthe government to hunt out and unravel the His scase;" a campaigner" who puts more of his heart intoa campaign . "WILLIAM F. KNOWLANDEISENHOWER AND NIXON - 1952After only two years in the Senate, Dick was involved in another campaign.This time it was a national campaign and as candidate for Vice Presidentof the United States.Dick had made such a fine record as a moderate, progressive Republican,as an articulate spokesman for his point of view, and as a scrapping, vote getting campaigner - the like of which his Party hadn't seen in years - thatnominee Eisenhower put the name of Dick Nixon at the top of the list ofthose he would like to have for a running rnate , The team of Ike and Dickwas formed. In 1952 Dick was elected Vice President.It was the first time in nearly a quarter century that a Republican had beenelected to office in nation-wide balloting; Ike and Dick broke the long adverserecord.11 A 11 the people of California are rejoicing at your success, Dick. 11The Nixon nomination "is like a breath of fresh air to this country,and I believe the people will respond to it." EARL WARREN

10A NEW KIND OF VICE PRESIDENTAs Vice President of the United States Dick Nixon has continued to set newprecedents. President Eisenhower likes him and trusts him, not only inpolitical matters on which he has been regularly consulted, but on mattersof National Policy."In the last four years you have brought to the office ofVice President a real stature that formerly it had notknown; . you have worked tirelessly and effectively tointerpr et to the people of America - and to forward the policies of this Administration. For all of this I ampersonally indebted to you . " PRESIDENT EISENHOWER, 1956The President named Dick a regular member of the Cabinet. At Cabinetmeetings Dick sits across the table from the President. He always par ticipates as a member of the Cabinet. He presides when the President isabsent."All of us in the Administration are proud, indeed,of the job you have done during these truly difficultdays, and are proud to be associated with you asthe leader who is carrying on in the President'sabsence."****"You were superb. You have no idea what yourunderstanding, integrity, courage, and leader ship mean to so many of us. IINELSON ROCKEFELLERDICK HAS BEEN TRAINED TO BE PRESIDENT

11The President also made Dick a member of the National Security Council andagain authorized him to preside in the absence of the President. Dick wasmade Chairman of the President's Committee on Government Contracts andChairman of the Cabinet Committee on Price Stability for Economic Growth."Richard Nixon's judgement of Congress' thinkingwas superb. He gradually seemed to impress theCabinet and the National Security Council, and histhinking became accepted as authoritative. "AMOS J. PEASLEYPresident Eisenhower also called on Dick Nixon for a series of nine importantmissions abroad. The Vice President has traveled more than 150,000 milesas the President's representative.In 1953 he went to the Far East, in 1955 to Central America. In 1956 he wentto Brazil for the Presidential inauguration, to Asia, and to Austria andGermany to study the Hungarian Refugee problem. In 1957 he made his trip toAfrica and Italy, and in 1958 carne his trip to South America.On this last trip, in Caracas, Venezuela, the motorcade in which Dick and PatNixon were travelling was stopped and attacked by a Communist inspired mob.The great personal courage and the cool good judgment, which Dick Nixonshowed when Pat's life and his were in danger, won him many admirers."Your fellow legionnaires share the heartfelt pride andgratitude of all Americans for the courageous and digni fied manner in which you represented the United Statesand your high office under the most difficult and tryingcircumstances." John S. Gleason, Jr.National Commander, American Legion"Allow me to express my profound admiration for the greatservice you have performed for our country and for thecause of democracy and freedom throughout the world, withyour serene conduct and exemplary fortitude in the face ofCommunist aggression during your recent visit to SouthAmerica. 'ISerafina Romualdi, Latin American Representativeof the A. F. L. - C. I. O."The unruffled composure you demonstrated in those placeswhere you were stoned and spat at generously reflects a typeof courage of the highest order. Such courage, generated byyour readiness to subordinate self to your country's interesthas enhanced American goodwill, the vain efforts of those whohave an axe to grind against America notwithstanding. IIPresident Carlos P. Garcia, The PhilippinesAfter the South American trip the House of Representatives commended Nixonfor "his courageous and dignified conduct. "

12In Nove:mber, 1958, Vice President Nixon went to England to represent thePresident at the dedication of the A:merican Chapel at St. Pauls. Here, aseverywhere, he :made friends for A:merica."Your speeches have deeply i:mpressed the public.Your per sonality and that of your char:ming wifeha s I got over' in a wonderful way. "HAROLD McMILLAN"If I :may say so, your visit to this country has been agreat success and has strengthened still further ourclose friendship with the United States. "SIR WINSTON CHURCHILLAnd in August, 1959, the Vice President went to Russia to open the A:mericanExhibition at Moscow. This was the occasion of his fa:mous debates with thePre:mier of the U. S. S. R., Mr. Khrushchev.The Vice President's trip to Moscow and to Poland have undoubtedly won hi:mwide respect and ad:miration."The Vice President is proving hi:mself a good a:mbassador.He is friendly, tough, and :most important, he radiates con fidence. That is the face A:merica needs to show to theworld. IITHE BOSTON HERALD"Vice President Nixon has been saying to theRus sians the very things that :most of us wouldlike hi:m to say." THE BIRMINGHAM POS T -HERALD"Mr. Nixon's trip to Russia has proved to be :much:more i:mportant than :many of us expected it to be.In fact it has produced a diplo:matic break-through. IIWALTER LIPpMAN

13THE PREPARA TION OF A PRESIDENT - 1960The jobs that the Vice President has held in the Executive Branch (which havebeen in addition to his duties as Presiding Officer of the Senate) have givenhim a wide experience in the critical areas of national administration.-- .p His missions to foreign countries have given him a unique opportunity to studyat first hand the problems of U. S. foreign relations, to get acquainted withthe heads of foreign states, to implement the policies of the administrationabroad, and to formulate his own opinions about how they can be best dealtwith in the future.His service in the Cabinet has made him familiar with the problems ofadministering the Executive Branch.His activities on the National Security Council have given him an intimateknowledge of the highly classified measures that are required for thenational security, and of the reasons for these decisions.His Chairmanship of the President's Committee on Government Contractshas given him a continuing role in the drive of this Administration to secureequal civil rights for all, and to eliminate differences in the treatment ofU. S. citiz.ens based on differences of race or creed.His Chairmanship of the Cabinet Committee on Price Stability for EconomicGrowth has put him in the forefront of the Administration effort to promotemaximum sustainable economic growth with price stability and, therefore,the nation's domestic well-being."Nixon knows more about the sensitivearea of government relations in theworld t an any-man who might be nomi natedand i / the most logical, widelyexperienced."THOMAS DEWEYL

14WHA T PRESIDENT EISENHOWER THINKS OF DICKII There is no man in the history of Americawho has had such careful preparation as hasVice President Nixon for carrying out theduties of the Presidency, if that duty shouldever fall upon him. For four solid yearsthere hasn't been a principal administrativemeeting among the heads of Government thathe has not attended as an active participant.He has gone on behalf of the United States tomany foreign countries on many trips. Andin every country he has visited the reportshave been that the United States has gainedmany additional friends. IIPresident EisenhowerIII have called upon him to serve on numerouscommittees . and the success attained is atribute to his dedication and his wisdom. IIPresident Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gettysburg, September 12. 1956.II By your extensive travels you have been ofinestimable service to the Secretary of Stateand to me. In addition you have gained anunderstanding of our foreign problems thatis both unusual and comprehensive. IIPRESIDENT EISENHOWER"Anyone who attempts to drive a wedge of anykind between Dick Nixon and me has just asmuch chance as if he tried to drive it betweenmy brother and me. IIPRESIDENT EISENHOWER

15THE STEEL STRIKEDick Nixon, working with the Secretary of Labor, got the steel strikesettled. He got it settled on a basis that satisfied both labor and manage ment and was fair to the public.This is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable and creditable accomplish ments of recent years. This strike had taken a bite out of U. S. productionand economic growth half as b

Campaign for U. S. Senate, 1950; Eisenhower-Nixon . Campaign A New Kind of Vice President Preparation of a President What President Eisenhower thinks of Nixon The Steel Strike Pat Nixon . III. The Eisenhower -Nixon Record . More Jobs Better Jobs and Better-Paying Jobs Prices Economic Growt