Scope and Content Note

The correspondence consists mostly of letters and telegrams between the Milwaukee headquarters, Smith, and committee workers throughout the state. As may be expected, most of it concerns publicity--letters to and from newspapers and radio stations regarding routine publicity matters, such as space, time, and cost, make up the bulk of the correspondence.

As the campaign progressed and the proposed Willkie March 17-30 tour of the state drew closer, the correspondence becomes heavier with details of arrangements. On the whole the correspondence is largely routine, but occasionally, letters of special interest appear.

The news releases are almost entirely written by Smith as the committee secretary. The contents as a rule do not directly endorse Willkie, but rather support the men running as presidential delegates to the convention. In a few cases there are revisions of the same releases; which of these were published is not apparent.

The radio scripts were composed, probably by Smith, for Vernon Thomson, George B. Skogmo, and others. The typescript copies of Willkie's speeches probably were not written by Smith.

The financial records are interesting because they tend to reflect the rather haphazard business methods which the committee followed. The copy of the official Election Financial Statement filed with the Secretary of State, is of interest because of its detail of expenditures and contributions. As the bills speak for themselves, little need be said except to point out the variety of things essential to a campaign, from rubber stamps to liquor. The other financial data is of a routine nature such as invoices, contracts, and receipts. There is also a summons served on Smith, requiring him to appear before the bar of justice for failure of the committee to pay a $2,359.50 printing bill to a Madison printer.

The balance of the collection is made up of mailing lists of persons interested in the campaign and news clippings, reprints, and other printed material relating to the local campaign.

Partial List of Correspondence in the Records

Name	Dates of Correspondence
Cake, Ralph	1944 Jan. 4, 6
Casey, Leo	1943 Dec. 23, 27; 1944 Feb. 10, 14, Mar. 7, 10, 16 [2], 29, 31
Davis, Mrs. Dudley H.	1944 circa Jan. 8, Feb. 18, 20, Mar. 30, July 28
Diem, J. Stewart	1944, Feb. 7, Mar. 4, 7, 13
Fellenz, Louis J., Jr.	1944 Jan. 10, 11, 19, 20 [2], 21, 25, Feb. 12, 15, Apr. 28, May 16, undated
Kimberly, John R.	1944 Jan. 3, Mar. 6, 15, 22, 25, 31, Apr. 11, 21, May 18, July 15
LaFrance, Alfred E.	1944 Feb. 10 [3], 16, 20, Apr. 7
Thomson, Vernon	1944 Mar. 31; Speeches
Von Spach, L. B.	1944 Feb. 22, 23, Mar. 30, May[?]
Willkie, Wendell L.	1944 Feb. 4, 11, 15, Mar. 1, 14, Apr. 21; Speeches: 1944 Feb. 3, 11, 27, Mar. 9, 18, 20, 27, 31, Apr. 5
Winnie, Russ	1944 Apr. 5, 18