Title: Paul A. Raushenbush and Elizabeth Brandeis Raushenbush Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1918-1980

Creators:

• Raushenbush, Paul A. (Paul Arthur), 1898-1980
• Raushenbush, Elizabeth Brandeis, 1896-1984

Call Number: Mss 803; Tape 1250A; PH 3652; PH 3652 (3)

Quantity: 9.6 c.f. (24 archives boxes), 1 tape recording, 87 photographs, and 1 piece of ephemera

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of Paul and Elizabeth Raushenbush, a husband and wife team of economists who were important in the drafting and enactment of the Wisconsin Unemployment Compensation law. In addition, Paul Raushenbush was head of the Wisconsin Unemployment Division from 1934 to 1967 and Elizabeth Brandeis Raushenbush was a professor of economics at the University of Wisconsin and a leader in the League of Women Voters. Included are his general correspondence, speeches and writings (including an edited oral history published as Our U.C. Story) and unemployment compensation materials (1932-1934) not related to administration of the Wisconsin Unemployment Division. Her papers document teaching at the University of Wisconsin, activities in the League of Women Voters (especially its Wisconsin Tax Study Committee) and the American Federation of Teachers Local 223, extensive public speaking and writing on labor-related topics, and service on various state and federal study committees.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00803

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Paul A. and Elizabeth Brandeis Raushenbush were a husband and wife team of economists whose individual and joint careers exemplified the Wisconsin Idea. They are best known for their work with Harold Groves, 1930-1932, in developing and securing the passage of Wisconsin's unemployment compensation legislation, the first such legislation in the nation. During this period the couple was also involved with similar legislation in Massachusetts and in crafting the unemployment sections of the 1935 Social Security Act. In 1934 Paul Raushenbush became head of the Wisconsin Unemployment Compensation Division, serving in that capacity until his retirement in January 1967. As administrator, Raushenbush's work was characterized by his ongoing efforts to prevent the federalization of the unemployment compensation field.

Elizabeth Brandeis Raushenbush (often referred to as E.B.) had an important career as an economist in her own right, teaching at the University of Wisconsin for over forty years and carrying out research on many labor and social issues. She was also a prolific writer and public speaker, and she carried her ideas into the public arena through many years of leadership in the Wisconsin League of Women Voters.

After their retirements Paul and Elizabeth completed a lengthy oral history interview for Columbia University. In 1978 they published an expanded version of this interview entitled Our U.C. Story (1930-1967).

Elizabeth Brandeis Raushenbush

1896	Born in Boston, Massachusetts, the second daughter of Louis D. Brandeis and Alice Goldmark Brandeis
1918	B.A., Radcliffe College
1919-1923	Assistant secretary and secretary, D.C. Minimum Wage Board
1923-1928	Graduate student in Economics Department, University of Wisconsin
1924	Faculty member, Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers
1924	Began 42-year career teaching part-time in the University of Wisconsin Economics Department
1925	Married Paul A. Raushenbush
1928	Completed Ph.D.
1928	Son Walter born
1945	Served as president of AFT Local 223
1966	Retired from University
1984	Died in Madison, April 30

Paul A. Raushenbush

1898	Born in Rochester, N.Y., the son of prominent Baptist minister Walter Rauschenbusch
1915	Graduated from East Rochester High School
1920	Graduated from Amherst College, Phi Beta Kappa
1922	Graduate student and teaching assistant in economics, University of Wisconsin
1927-1932	Assistant professor of economics and Experimental College
1931-1932	Assisted in drafting and passage of Wisconsin unemployment compensation law while on leave from UW
1932	Consultant to AFL and Massachusetts Industrial Commission
1932-1934	Consultant to Wisconsin Industrial Commission
1932-1942	Council member, American Association for Labor Legislation
1934	Appointed director of Unemployment Compensation Department
1935	Consultant to Social Security Board, drafted model state U.C. laws
1942-1943	President of Interstate Conference of Employment Security Agencies; also held various other offices and helped with establishment of ICESA
1963	Elected life member of Interstate Conference of Employment Security Agencies
1967	Retired from state service
1980	Died in Madison January 17

The papers are arranged in two series: ELIZABETH BRANDEIS RAUSHENBUSH and PAUL A. RAUSHENBUSH.

The researcher using the Raushenbush Papers may be aided by understanding some of the history of the collection. The papers were donated to the Historical Society by the Raushenbush family in many accessions over a course of several years. During his retirement Paul had attempted to organize the material, which consisted of his personal files as well as some records of the Unemployment Compensation Division, but at the time of their receipt at the Society the arrangement was inconsistent and the original order indiscernible. In the meantime Elizabeth Raushenbush had donated a small collection of her papers to the Schlesinger Library.

In 1985 SHSW catalogued all of Paul Raushenbush's papers as State Archives Series 2145 and removed Elizabeth Raushenbush's papers which were regarded as a manuscript collection. In 1991 Mrs. Raushenbush's papers were reviewed and, based on the close professional involvement of the couple, the couple's papers were redefined based on their original legal status as archival material: records relating to the administration of the Unemployment Compensation Division during Paul Raushenbush's tenure as director, 1934-1967, remained part of Series 2145, while all E.B.'s papers, Paul's papers outside the chronological scope of Series 2145, and his personal correspondence and writings were catalogued as this manuscript collection.

The manuscript collection is divided into two series: one series comprised of her papers and a second series of his papers, but given the interrelatedness of their careers and interests that distinction is not precise. Documentation on the 1930s is very rich, covering well the important position of the Raushenbushes in the social insurance legislation of that decade, both nationally and in Wisconsin. In general, personal and family correspondence addressed to both of them and their joint autobiographical writings may be found in the PAUL A. RAUSHENBUSH section of the collection. The small quantity of photographs received with the papers are also listed under his section.

The ELIZABETH BRANDEIS RAUSHENBUSH papers, which form the larger section of the manuscript collection, are organized into six categories: University of Wisconsin career, speeches and writings, League of Women Voters, governmental committees memberships, correspondence and notes, and miscellany.

E.B. began teaching as a graduate student and progressed through the instructor and professorial ranks in the Economics Department, ending as a full professor. Her teaching was entirely part-time, generally alternating between American Economic History and Labor Legislation, although she also taught in some interdisciplinary courses. In addition, she served on various faculty committees and was an active member of AFT Local 223, serving as president in 1945. All of these endeavors are represented in this section, but especially notable are notes on course development; lecture notes for her courses; and correspondence, memoranda, and statistical information gathered as part of her union activities. Correspondence with former students and others relating to her teaching is interfiled with the CORRESPONDENCE AND NOTES. Researchers on this area of E.B.'s career may also wish to consult a 1974 oral history interview held by the University of Wisconsin Archives.

Her speeches and writings are extensively documented. During her career E.B. spoke both live and over the radio on topics ranging from her support of Progressive political candidates to her interest in labor. Many of these speeches and notes contain interesting reminiscences of people she knew such as her father, John R. Commons, Clara Beyer, Selig Perlman, Pauline Goldmark, and Harold Groves. The speeches are largely arranged by date, although some material is arranged, as she did herself, by subject. In some cases both notes and final copy are included. Several additional speeches presented to League of Women Voters audiences may be found filed in that section of the collection.

The writings are arranged chronologically by date. Several files include drafts and related correspondence. Of special note is the manuscript (filed as circa 1953) on Florence Kelley begun by Josephine Goldmark which E.B. completed after her aunt's death. League of Women Voters material primarily relates to E.B.'s work with the Wisconsin League, although there is some documentation on both the national and Madison groups. Her collection augments the LWV records held by the Historical Society primarily in its documentation of the League's interest during the 1950s in the important taxation issue. Her League subject files also have parallel files in the State League records, with E.B.'s files containing useful supplementary material and notes. Some of the documentation on the Equal Rights Amendment, of which E.B. was an opponent, is from the National Committee to Defeat the Unequal Equal Rights Amendment.

Small files document Mrs. Raushenbush's membership on various government committees and commissions, especially various industry committees of the U.S. Department of Labor during the later 1930s and 1940s.

Her correspondence and notes are divided into two categories: a general chronological file covering the period 1935 to 1953 and an alphabetical subject file. However, because of the breath and complexity of her interests, the two files are not mutually exclusive. The correspondence, which includes both incoming and carbons of her outgoing letters, is largely concerned with professional interests, teaching, and publications, although because she knew so well such individuals as Felix Frankfurter, Clara Mortenson Beyer, and Mary Switzer, the distinction between personal and professional correspondence is not precise. In addition to letters, this section contains handwritten notes, writings by E.B. and others, and legislative drafts.

The general section of E.B.'s correspondence contains scattered letters from Arthur Altmeyer, Grace Abbott, John B. Andrews, Andrew Biemiller, John R. Commons, Morris Ernst, Lincoln Filene, Harold Groves, David Lilienthal, William Gorham Rice, Harold W. Story, Mary E. Switzer, and Edwin E. Witte, as well as documentation of her relationship with many governmental agencies and organizations such as the National Consumers League, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Social Security Board, and the National Child Labor Committee. There is also some correspondence here concerning Carl Raushenbush and the Raushenbush family and their respective interests in social issues during the 1930s. Correspondence with the Brandeis family includes letters to and from Josephine Goldmark and numerous items concerning management of property in Massachusetts of the Raushenbush and Brandeis families.

The subject portion of her correspondence contains files documenting topics in which she was interested, primarily minimum wage legislation, unemployment compensation, and protective labor laws for women and children. Also represented is additional correspondence with John B. Andrews, Clara Mortenson Beyer, and Josephine Goldmark. The folder containing correspondence with Louis Brandeis consists of Xeroxed copies of letters from the chief justice primarily on unemployment matters, as well as a few copies of letters from E.B. to her father. Unfortunately the Xeroxed copies are difficult to read and the location of the originals is unknown. The miscellaneous material consists primarily of informational material and writings by others unaccompanied by correspondence.

The PAUL A. RAUSHENBUSH papers consist of biographical information, correspondence, speeches and writings, and unemployment compensation files.

His correspondence consists of a chronologically-arranged general section and two alphabetical subject files. The general category begins with a 1917 form letter from Robert M. La Follette, Sr. and material pertaining to Raushenbush's overseas travel after World War I. More significant correspondence from the 1930s contains numerous exchanges with Harold Groves and E. E. Witte, as well as less frequent letters from Louis B. Brandeis, Abraham Epstein of the American Association for Old Age Security, and Aubrey Williams of the Wisconsin Conference of Social Work. Coverage of the late 1930s and 1940s is fragmentary and incomplete, while later years are more extensively covered. The majority of these later items consist of personal correspondence, especially incoming and outgoing letters from Carl Raushenbush and Winifred Raushenbush Rorty. Special files within the correspondence document Raushenbush's long professional relationship with Father Joseph Becker and his teaching experience at the University of Wisconsin Experimental College.

Speeches and writings include chapter drafts and notes for his uncompleted dissertation on labor relations in the Philadelphia transit industry and an edited version of the couple's Columbia University oral history interview which was eventually published as Our U.C. Story. Also present are drafts and final copies of speeches and writings and a recording of remarks concerning the role of Jacob F. Friedrick in the unemployment compensation effort in Wisconsin.

The unemployment compensation files in this collection cover only the period 1932-1934 when Raushenbush was working as a consultant to the Wisconsin Unemployment Compensation Advisory Committee. Included is correspondence with Arthur Altmeyer, B. J. Gehrmann, Roger Sherman Hoar, H. W. Story, and others concerning the preparation of the Wisconsin standard voluntary plan. Also related to the early days of unemployment compensation in Wisconsin is background information on the J.I. Case unemployment benefit plan, a draft U.C. handbook, and form letters to employers. Raushenbush's work as a consultant to Massachusetts is also represented here, and the correspondence with Felix Frankfurter is especially rich in that regard. Several folders relate to consultations with Tom Corcoran, Thomas H. Eliot, and other federal officials over the drafting of the Wagner-Lewis bill. Records from 1934-1967 when Raushenbush headed the Wisconsin Unemployment Division are catalogued as Public Records Series 2145.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Elizabeth, Paul, and Walter B. Raushenbush, Madison, Wisconsin, 1972-1984, and by Eugene Sasman, 1984. Accession Number: M72-189, M73-464, M76-627, M80-598, M83-359, M84-025, M84-411

Processing Information

Processed by Phyllis Holman Weisbard (Intern), 1991.

Mss 803	Series: Elizabeth Brandeis Raushenbush
	Subseries: University of Wisconsin Career, 1924-1966
Box   1 Folder   1	Thesis material, 1925-1966
	Course and lecture material
Box   1 Folder   2	Contemporary trends, 1942-1943
Box   1 Folder   3	Economic Institution, 1930-1932
Box   1 Folder   4	Economics of War, 1943
Box   1 Folder   5	Freshman Forum and Contemporary Trends, 1944-1954
Box   1 Folder   6	Labor Law, 1931-1932
Box   1 Folder   7	Labor Legislation and Social Security, 1963-1966
Box   1 Folder   8	Social Security seminar proposal, 1945
	Committees
Box   1 Folder   9	American Institutions major, 1949-1951
Box   1 Folder   10	Integrated Introduction to Social Science, 1944-1945
Box   11 Folder   11	Unemployment compensation and public administration, training proposal, 1937-1938
Box   1 Folder   12	Wisconsin population, Science study by Agricultural Experiment Station, 1940-1942
Box   2 Folder   1-3	University Committee, 1951-1954
Box   2 Folder   4-6	American Federation of Teachers, Local 223, 1932-1953
	Subseries: Speeches and writings	⇧
	Speeches and radio talks
	Dated file
Box   2 Folder   7	1933-1934
Box   3 Folder   1-7	1935-1973
	Subject file
Box   3 Folder   8	Government and labor relations, 1937
Box   3 Folder   9	Groves memorial, 1969
Box   3 Folder   10	Labor legislation, 1926
Box   3 Folder   11-12	Progressive campaign speeches, 1934, 1936
Box   3 Folder   13	Unemployment reserves, 1931
Box   4 Folder   1	Women's hours, 1931
	Articles and books
Box   4 Folder   2-8	1931-1935
Box   5 Folder   1-15	1936-circa 1953
Box   6 Folder   1	circa 1953, continued
Box   6 Folder   2	Miscellaneous writings
Box   6 Folder   3	Book reviews, 1938-1944
	Subseries: League of Women Voters	⇧
Box   6 Folder   4	National, 1950-1952
	Wisconsin
Box   6 Folder   5-9	General correspondence, 1948-1956
Box   6 Folder   10	Personal correspondence, 1952-1953
Box   6 Folder   11	Speeches and talks, 1948-1953
	Taxation Study Committee
Box   6 Folder   12-17	General, 1950-1961
	Issues and events
Box   7 Folder   1	Chicago regional economic conference, 1948
Box   7 Folder   2	Tax fight in Wisconsin Legislature, 1949
Box   7 Folder   3	Legislation supported, 1952
Box   7 Folder   4	Income tax secrecy, 1952-1953
Box   7 Folder   5	Tax kits and short memos, 1952-1953
Box   7 Folder   6	Tax questionnaires, 1952-1953
Box   7 Folder   7	Railroad taxation, 1952, undated
Box   7 Folder   8	25% tax ceiling amendment, 1953
Box   7 Folder   9	Tax yield work sheets, 1954
	Subject files
Box   7 Folder   10	Budget, 1952-1954
Box   7 Folder   11	Continuing responsibilities (CR's) of LWV, undated
Box   7 Folder   12-13	Education, State aid to, 1949-1950, 1956
Box   7 Folder   14-15	Equal Rights Amendment, 1931-1951
Box   7 Folder   16	Highway taxation, 1947-1949
Box   7 Folder   17	Indian rights, 1956
Box   7 Folder   18	Non-tax legislation, 1950-1953
Box   8 Folder   1	Reapportionment, 1951-1953
	Madison
Box   8 Folder   2	General, 1951-1955
Box   8 Folder   3-4	Tax Study Group meetings, 1947-1949
	Subseries: Governmental Committees and Commission Memberships	⇧
Box   8 Folder   5	Industry committees, U.S. Dept of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, 1939-1942
Box   8 Folder   6	Migratory Labor, Governor's Commission on, 1959-1970
Box   8 Folder   7	Wisconsin State Employment Service Advisory Council, 1934-1938
Box   8 Folder   8-9	Young Workers Advisory Council, U.S. Bureau of Labor Standards, 1951-1958
	Subseries: Correspondence and Notes	⇧
	General chronological file
Box   8 Folder   10-11	1935-1937
Box   9	1938-1942
Box   10	1943-1953
	Alphabetical file
Box   11 Folder   1-2	American Federation of Labor, 1925-1926, 1932
Box   11 Folder   3	Andrews, John B., 1935-1936
Box   11 Folder   4	Brandeis, Louis D., 1914-1941
Box   11 Folder   5-6	Child labor, 1933-1937
Box   11 Folder   7	Family planning, 1967-1969
Box   11 Folder   8-9	Health insurance, 1937-1938, 1971
Box   11 Folder   10	Hertz, Hermann, 1941-1942
Box   11 Folder   11	Human Rights, Governor's Commission on, 1966
Box   12 Folder   1	Labor law administration, undated
Box   12 Folder   2	Migrant Farm Workers Amendment to Social Security, 1967-1971
	Minimum wage
Box   12 Folder   3	Constitutionality, 1936
Box   12 Folder   4	Correspondence, 1933-1934
Box   12 Folder   5	E.B. drafts, 1967
Box   12 Folder   6	Other state legislation, 1932-1933
Box   12 Folder   7	Revisions, 1945-1946
Box   12 Folder   8-9	Wisconsin, 1933, 1939
Box   12 Folder   10	National Progressives of America, 1938
Box   12 Folder   11	National Recovery Administration, 1933-1935
Box   12 Folder   12-13	No-fault auto insurance, Saskatchewan, 1957, 1967-1971
Box   12 Folder   14	Progressive National Committee for FDR, 1936
Box   12 Folder   15	Progressive Party, 1940
Box   12 Folder   16	Refugee children bill, 1939
Box   12 Folder   17	Rice, Peter, Memorial fund, 1946-1947
Box   13 Folder   1	Street traders bill, 1937
	Unemployment compensation
Box   13 Folder   2	General correspondence, 1932-1933
Box   13 Folder   3	Chicago, 1923, 1927
Box   13 Folder   4	Miscellaneous states, 1932
Box   13 Folder   5	Tennessee, 1942-1943
Box   13 Folder   6	Wagner-Lewis bill (and Massachusetts), 1934
Box   13 Folder   7	Morton critique of E.B. position, 1945
Box   13 Folder   8	Anniversary luncheon, 1967
	Women and children's wages and hours
Box   14 Folder   1-2	1931
Box   14 Folder   3-4	, 1932 Waupun hearing
Box   14 Folder   5	1932-1935
Box   14 Folder   6	1966-1970
	Subseries: Miscellaneous Material	⇧
Box   15 Folder   3	Biographical miscellany and income tax forms, 1955-1960, undated
Box   14 Folder   7	Commons, “Preface,” undated
Box   14 Folder   8	Employment agencies' court cases, 1931
Box   14 Folder   9	Farmer attitudes toward labor relations boards (Student paper), 1939
Box   14 Folder   10	“Hogben” lecture notes, 1940
Box   14 Folder   11	Married women's names, 1974
Box   14 Folder   12	Negative income tax (Robert Lampman), 1965
Box   14 Folder   13	Personnel of Wisconsin Industrial Commission, undated
Box   14 Folder   14	Sex equality and protective laws (Richard Brockel), 1926
Box   14 Folder   15	Summer School for Workers, 1936-1939
Box   14 Folder   16	Unemployment Compensation merit rating (student paper?), 1939
Box   14 Folder   17	Wage collection memos, undated
Box   14 Folder   18	Wisconsin governmental reorganization, 1967
Box   15 Folder   1	Workmen's compensation brief (Weiss, Harry), 1937
Box   15 Folder   2	Workmen's compensation opposition, undated
	Series: Paul A. Raushenbush	⇧
	Subseries: Biographical Miscellany
Box   15 Folder   4	Resumes and Rauschenbusch genealogical information, undated
PH 3652	Photographs and ephemera concerning general career activities Scope and Content Note: Included are images concerning unemployment compensation in Wisconsin and the first unemployment compensation check.
PH 3652 (3)	Oversize items
Mss 803	Subseries: Correspondence	⇧
	General
Box   16	1918-1969
Box   17 Folder   1-7	1970-1980, undated
	Becker, Father Joseph
Box   17 Folder   8	1948, 1952-1959
Box   18 Folder   1-3	1960-1978
Box   18 Folder   4	Experimental College, 1977-1978
	Subseries: Speeches and Writings	⇧
Box   18 Folder   5-6	Dissertation drafts and notes
Box   18 Folder   7-8	Columbia oral history correspondence and insertions, 1966-1979
	Our U.C. Story
	Edited oral history draft
Box   18 Folder   9	Chapters 1-6
Box   19 Folder   1-3	Chapters 6-Appendices
Box   19 Folder   4	Correspondence
Box   19 Folder   5-10	General, 1930-1960s
Tape 1250A	Recorded testimonial about Jacob F. Friedrick, August 28, 1974, by Paul A. Raushenbush Scope and Content Note: Particularly concerning Friedrick's early advocacy for unemployment compensation legislation.
Mss 803	Subseries: Unemployment Compensation Files	⇧
Box   20 Folder   1-7	General correspondence, 1932-1934
Box   20 Folder   8	Altmeyer, Arthur, 1933
Box   20 Folder   9	American Federation of Labor, 1932
	Andrews, John B.
Box   20 Folder   10	1931
Box   21 Folder   1-3	1932-1934
Box   21 Folder   4	Bills and letters, 1932-1933
Box   21 Folder   5	Chronology of unemployment compensation, pre 1931
Box   21 Folder   6-7	Case unemployment benefit plan, 1931-1933
Box   21 Folder   8	Eliot, Thomas, 1934
Box   21 Folder   9	Employees covered, 1932
Box   21 Folder   10	Employers with ten or more employees, 1932
Box   21 Folder   11	Epstein, Abraham, 1933
Box   21 Folder   12	Form letters, rules of Unemployment Compensation Dept., 1932-1934
Box   21 Folder   13	Guaranteed employment, 1933-1934
	Handbook for U.C. Act, 1932
Box   21 Folder   14	Draft, 1933-1934
Box   22 Folder   1	Draft, continued
Box   22 Folder   2	Analyses
Box   22 Folder   3-4	Hoar, Roger Sherman, 1932-1934
Box   22 Folder   5	Industrial relations counselors memoranda, 1932-1933
Box   22 Folder   7-12	Massachusetts, 1932-1934
Box   22 Folder   6	Minnesota, 1932-1933
Box   23 Folder   1	Metropolitan Assurance, 1932-1933
Box   23 Folder   2	Miscellaneous articles and speeches, 1931-1933
Box   23 Folder   3	Miscellaneous material re U.C. Dept., 1932-1934
Box   23 Folder   4	Story, H. W., 1933
Box   23 Folder   5	Voluntary unemployment compensation plans (A.B.C. and other plans), 1932-1933
Box   23 Folder   6	Unemployment compensation bill, 1925
Box   24	Wagner-Lewis bill, Correspondence and drafts, 1934
Box   23 Folder   7	Wisconsin Manufacturers Association meeting, 1933
Box   23 Folder   8	XYZ Voluntary unemployment reserve plan, 1933