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Container
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Title
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Audio 881A
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Series: Clifford Krueger and Carl W. Thompson
65 minutes
: Interview with Republican Krueger and Democrat Thompson conducted December 9, 1980; including information on each man's youth, political influences, Progressive activity in Dane and Lincoln counties, Progressive leaders, and related topics.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
00:00
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
00:30
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Krueger's introduction
: Origins of Krueger family in Germany.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
01:30
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Born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Madison
: Father worked in cheese cooperative in town of Burke (Dane County), but soon moved back to Merrill.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
02:30
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Education
: Attended Merrill Public Schools; two years in commercial school in Wausau and Merrill.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
03:05
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Origins of Thompson family
: Norwegian immigrants to Minnesota and Wisconsin. Father was Agriculture Professor in Minnesota and South Dakota, then with Agriculture Department in Washington, D.C. After father's death moved to Stoughton and was educated in Stoughton and at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
04:40
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Thompson describes influences
: Courses and debating in high school important as well as father's extensive library in political science.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
05:35
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Krueger describes influences
: Republican family tradition (La Follette wing) but more important was the influence of grandparents and their lives as peasants in Germany.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
07:25
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Krueger grandparents' move to America
: Grandmother refused to raise her sons for the Kaiser's army and made the move to America a condition of marriage.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
08:40
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Krueger's first political involvement
: Ran for Lincoln County Treasurer as Progressive in 1940 but lost. In 1941 elected Alderman in Merrill. [Interviewer's note: Krueger was elected alderman in 1946].
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
09:35
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Thompson's first politcal involvement
: Active as university student in organizational meetings of Progressive Party and Young Progressive Club on campus as well as in 1934 campaign.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
12:25
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Thompson works for Phil La Follette
: Originally as custodian for Governor's garage and then as clerk in the Governor's office.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
13:05
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Activities of Young Progressive Club on UW Campus
: Took over independent political organization (i.e., non-fraternity) after struggle between progressives and communists. Dominated student government and newspaper for a time.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
14:25
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Thompson's early candidacies
: Ran for alderman in Madison and was opposed by Wisconsin State Journal as a carpetbagging student. Later became alderman, then City Attorney in Stoughton. After returning from the Army after World War II ran for Congress as a Democrat and then for Governor. Elected to the Assembly in 1952 and to the State Senate in 1959 special election.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
17:25
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Krueger describes influence of Robert M. La Follette Sr.
: Krueger joined Progressive Party largely because of the inspiration of the elder La Follette.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
18:50
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Young Progressive convention in Merrill
: First time Thompson and Krueger met. Krueger presided and Thompson made a speech. Krueger pointed out that he was probably only one there without formal education.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
20:15
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Rival delegations from Milwaukee at Young Progressive conventions
: Two delegations would arrive from Milwaukee, one Socialist, one Progressive, and both demand to be seated.
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Tape/Side
1/1
Time
20:55
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End of Tape 1, Side 1
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
00:00
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
00:35
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Krueger on Socialists and Progressive Coalition
: Socialism in Wisconsin due to German immigration after 1848. Progressives a coalition including farmers, laboring people and university people.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
03:30
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Thompson on character of Progressive Party
: Lists influences including Robert La Follette Sr., World War I, the reforms of Gov. Francis McGovern, populism, the Depression, and the milk strike. Because of the variety of influences, party attracted a variety of people. The Farmer Labor Progressive Federation represented urban wing of Party. La Follette Sr.'s support had been largely rural.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
06:40
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Thompson anecdote about influence of depression
: Anecdote of Phil La Follette telling Thompson that when wallets were thick the “ins” stayed in, when wallets were thin the “ins” were out. Discontent with existing conditions was the base of Progressive support.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
08:30
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Progressive Party activity in Lincoln County
: In 1937, Krueger's father elected sheriff on Progressive ticket. Practically entire courthouse turned Progressive and even in 1946 majority of county officers still Progressives.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
10:25
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Spirit of Progressive Party
: Krueger saw Party not just as a political party. A sense of brotherhood permeated the party, though without the ritual associated with a regular lodge.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
12:50
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Dissolution of Progressive Party at Portage in 1946
: Krueger describes picture of himself and a friend sitting under Lincoln County standard at Portage convention. Lincoln County supported Robert La Follette Jr.'s decision to return to Republican Party.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
13:40
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Progressive Party activity in Dane County
: Swept courthouse in 1934. Progressives very strong in Dane County.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
14:25
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Problems of integrating Progressives into two old parties
: Bitterness from 1938 fusion movement on Progressive side, and fears of radicalism and La Follettism on stalwart side.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
15:55
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Krueger's relations with Republicans
: First ran for Senate in 1942 as Progressive and lost to Republican. In 1946, ran as Republican and won primary over the Republican who had won in 1942. That Republican then ran as independent in general election, but Krueger won.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
19:30
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Thompson's support in early Democratic campaigns
: In both his congressional and gubernatorial campaigns, Thompson owed more to Progressive support than to Democratic support.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
20:55
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Formation of National Progressives of America (NPA)
: Krueger's father attended the meeting in the Stock Pavilion. Time was not right to start the movement and trappings were controversial. Thompson claims Phil's desire to distance himself from Franklin Roosevelt's foreign policy helped motivate him to start movement.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
24:00
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Isolationism
: Wisconsin was isolationist until Pearl Harbor, largely because of immigrant heritage. That tradition influenced Robert La Follette Jr.'s decision to return to the Republican Party.
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Tape/Side
1/2
Time
26:40
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End of Tape 1, Side 2
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
00:00
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Introduction
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
00:30
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Thompson on Robert La Follette Jr.'s return to Republican Party
: Met Bob Jr. in Washington in summer of 1945 and discussed the situation. Bob Jr. felt Democrats were not yet strong enough and that Progressive Party almost dead. He acknowledged difficulty of running in Republican primary but overestimated his strength as incumbent. All in all a better statesman than politician.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
04:10
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Thompson on Phil La Follette
: A good speaker who knew how to excite a crowd; loved to campaign. At the same time, he wanted to put through meaningful programs, and understood how to govern.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
06:10
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Thompson on Robert La Follette Jr.
: He spoke like a lecturer and did not like politics, though he did like Washington and working in the Senate. Sharp contrast between the brothers.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
07:25
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Krueger on La Follette brothers
: Bob Jr. more sedate, probably the intellectual of the two. Phil very intelligent, but quite different from his brother.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
08:25
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Krueger on Progressive leaders
: Includes Ted Dammen (Secretary of State), Sol Levitan (State Treasurer), and John Reynolds (Attorney General). Progressive Party failed to develop cadre of leadership other than the La Follettes. Loomis's election and premature death a turning point in downfall of the party; had he lived, another group of leaders might have emerged.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
14:05
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Thompson names other Progressive leaders
: Andy Biemiller (former Socialist and later head of AFL-CIO's COPE), Paul Alfonsi (Speaker of the Assembly), Merlin Hull, and Barney Gehrmann (Congressmen). Vernon Thomson a leader of the Stalwarts at the time.
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Tape/Side
2/1
Time
16:35
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End of Tape 2, Side 1. End of Interview
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