INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF JULIA BOEGHOLT
Scope and Content Note: Julia Boegholt arrived in Madison in 1926 when her husband began graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. Volunteer work for Progressives in late 1920's and 1930's.

COALITION OF DISILLUSIONED PROGRESSIVES DETERMINE TO MAKE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THE LIBERAL PARTY OF WISCONSIN
Scope and Content Note: Disillusionment and dissatisfaction with the Progressive Party began amongst labor people as early as the late 1930's. Soon joined by young, non-labor liberals. Led by Dan Hoan, Howard McMurray, et al.

JULIA BOEGHOLT'S FIRST INVOLVEMENT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY ORGANIZING
Scope and Content Note: Asked by Andy Biemiller in 1942 to get Dane County Progressives to serve as Democratic election officials at the precinct level.

PATRONAGE AS A FACTOR IN DECISION TO FORM STRONG STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Scope and Content Note: McMurray, Biemiller et al. dissatisfied with Milwaukee labor's share of federal patronage. (See also, side 2, 12:05.)

INABILITY TO ASSESS LABOR'S VIEW OF ITS TREATMENT BY PROGRESSIVE PARTY

WHY JULIA BOEGHOLT AND OTHERS WERE READY TO WORK FOR A STRONG LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Scope and Content Note: National, New Deal Democrat for years. La Follette's attempt in 1938 to make Wisconsin Progressive Party a national organization in competition with New Deal Democracy. This new party more conservative than Wisconsin Progressive Party, excluded Socialists, etc. (See also, side 2, 14:15.)

FORMATION OF NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE PARTY A TURNING POINT
Scope and Content Note: Young people, especially, find it easier to switch to Democratic Party work on local level after formation of Progressive Party on national level.

PROGRESSIVES' REACTIONS TO ROBERT LA FOLLETTE'S RETURN TO REPUBLICAN PARTY IN

FIRST SUCCESSFUL STEPS BY LIBERALS IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN WISCONSIN
Scope and Content Note: McMurray and Biemiller, 1942-44, run for Congress and Senate as Democrats. Milwaukee labor/socialists were first in the movement to the Democratic Party.

ROOSEVELT, MCMURRAY, HOAN TICKET
Scope and Content Note: Referred to as a liberal ticket, not Democratic; Julia Boegholt's activities in Dane County on behalf of this ticket; becomes launch for making Democratic Party the liberal party in Dane County and Wisconsin; “to establish a patronage route.”

FIRST EFFECTIVE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN IN DANE COUNTY
Scope and Content Note: Former Progressive William G. Rice in 1946 runs as Democrat for second Congressional District seat; Democratic county ticket also; some Assemblymen elected as Democrats. [Mrs. Boegholt is two years off here. No Democrats won Assembly seats in Dane County in 1946; they did sweep all three seats in 1948.]

DANE COUNTY GOES DEMOCRATIC IN
Scope and Content Note: County ticket, assemblymen, state senator elected; success spurs young people to go statewide.

BOB TEHAN GODFATHER OF YOUNG PROGRESSIVES WHO JOIN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Serves as bridge between Milwaukee labor people and Dane County's younger, more intellectual Progressives.

HARMONY BETWEEN FACTIONS
Scope and Content Note: Dan Hoan alleviates potential discord.

DOC MEETINGS PURPOSELY HELD OUTSIDE MILWAUKEE AND DANE COUNTIES
Scope and Content Note: November 1949 constitutional convention at Green Bay, home of Progressive Reynolds family; other meetings out-state to prevent image as just Dane and Milwaukee party; Jim Doyle activities to spread the Party beyond Dane County.

TEHAN AND BOEGHOLT RESIGNATIONS FROM NATIONAL COMMITTEE POSTS
Scope and Content Note: When Dane County resident Carl Thompson replaces Tehan, Boegholt must resign so that both committee seats are not occupied by Dane County people.

GLADYS HOAN REPLACES BOEGHOLT
Scope and Content Note: Picked in order to provide socialist/labor people representation.

CHOICE OF CARL THOMPSON TO REPLACE TEHAN
Scope and Content Note: A well-known Progressive who had firmly cast his lot with the Democrats.

INTRODUCTION

INABILITY TO ASSESS TEHAN-GREENE FIGHT FOR CONTROL OF PARTY IN

BOEGHOLT'S FIRST CONTACT WITH CHARLES GREENE AND ROBERT TEHAN
Scope and Content Note: Telephone conversation with Tehan arranged by Biemiller; Tehan asks her to get 350 election officials lined up for 1946 election; reimburses her $8.80 postage; successful search for election officials.

MORE INABILITY TO ASSESS TEHAN-GREENE FIGHT

BOEGHOLT FIRST INVOLVEMENT WITH DEMOCRATIC PARTY WORK OUTSIDE DANE COUNTY
Scope and Content Note: Greene steals mailing lists; Boegholt provides Tehan with hand-copied mailing list for Second District for 1948 election.

CHARLES GREENE
Scope and Content Note: Old line Democrat; identified with conservative wing; active in teachers' union.

OLD LINE DEMOCRATS COOPERATE HEARTILY WITH NEWCOMERS
Scope and Content Note: Welcome a chance to be on the winning side; remain active in the party; no feud. Lists traditional pockets and old leaders of Democratic Party.

BELIEF IN A TWO PARTY SYSTEM ANOTHER MOTIVE OF MCMURRAY, BIEMILLER, ET AL.
Scope and Content Note: Biemiller experiences in Washington, D.C., job convinces him that Democratic Party alive and two party system most effective method. McMurray, a political scientist, arrives at same conclusion. Belief that federal patronage could be more effectively dispensed through local Democratic Party than through Progressive Party as previously.

PHILIP LA FOLLETTE'S “GREAT MISTAKE” IN
Scope and Content Note: Attempt to make Progressive Party a national organization helped convince many of the “two party system” argument. That, plus conservatism of La Follette's new party, lead many to search for alternative liberal party. [At 16:10 Mrs. Boegholt is a little confused about dates. She does not recognize the fact that Phil La Follette was elected Governor as early as 1934 on a Progressive Party ticket. She does not say as much, but seems to be assuming that there was no Progressive Party, as such, in Wisconsin until La Follette formed the Progressive Party on a national scale. This confusion, however, does not detract from her argument that the attempt to place Wisconsin Progressivism in the national arena as a competitor to the New Deal was an early and crucial factor in driving many Wisconsin Progressives to the Democratic Party on the state level. It appears, however, that the conservative nature of this national Progressive Party was also a crucial factor.]

ORGANIZING OUTSIDE DANE AND MILWAUKEE COUNTIES
Scope and Content Note: Done by “populist” type Progressives, young Progressives, out-of-state progressives, many inexperienced, mainly locals. Merlin Hull, 9th District; Tom Amlie; Pat Lucey, Crawford County; Tom Amish, Bayfield and Ashland; Larry Dilweg and John Reynolds, Green Bay; Jim Delman, Sheboygan; Jerry Fox, Chilton and Fond du Lac; Ray Ware, Oshkosh; Norman Clapp, Lancaster; Bob Lewis, farmer groups; Carl Thompson, throughout the state; a Superior newspaperman; a Polish man near Hayward; Byron Nelson, Spooner.

FORMATION OF DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Scope and Content Note: Name not consciously patterned after CIO Organizing Committees; purpose was to form an extralegal organization not subject to constraints of official political parties.

UNION PEOPLE VERY ACTIVE IN THE EFFORT
Scope and Content Note: Unions along the lakeshore, plus AFSCME in Madison.

BOB TEHAN THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE IN THE WHOLE SCHEME
Scope and Content Note: Able to raise enough money from small contributions to pay expenses of the young organizers.

ANDY BIEMILLER
Scope and Content Note: First met through Virginia North, in early 1930's; a little biography of Biemiller.