Tape-Recorded Interview

Introduction

Biographical Information
Scope and Content Note: Born and raised in Milwaukee. Parents both immigrants; his father from England and his mother from Ireland. They were politically “hermaphroditic” but inclined toward conservatism.

Early Politics
Scope and Content Note: Marshall voted for the socialist candidate in his first Presidential election in 1928. He had joined the Socialist Party at age 14, and remained in that party until 1939, when he left because of the war issue. Moved to Madison in 1937 where he was UW law librarian and an active member of the teachers' union and the Socialist Party in Dane County.

Politics after Leaving Socialist Party
Scope and Content Note: Considered himself independent liberal. Did not identify at all with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, even while Roosevelt was President, as Wisconsin Democrats were more reactionary than the Republicans, and Roosevelt himself identified “almost exclusively” with the Progressives.

Andrew Biemiller and the Decision to Join the Democratic Party
Scope and Content Note: Marshall knew Biemiller when he first came to Wisconsin as Education Director of the Socialist Party in Milwaukee in 1930s. They met in Madison--Biemiller then in Legislature as a Socialist. Biemiller also disenchanted with Socialist Party for same reasons as Marshall, and planned to quit the Party. They decided their only alternative was the Democratic Party because Progressive Party leader Phil La Follette was beginning to sound like Hitler.

Robert Tehan
Scope and Content Note: Although a leading Democrat, he was at odds with the right-wing group within that Party. Tehan suggested following the Republican pattern by forming a voluntary Democratic Party organization outside the statutory organization.

Leo Crowley
Scope and Content Note: Commanded no respect, especially from Tehan and Marshall; “a phony” in their estimation. Given various government appointments by Roosevelt because Crowley was a friend of La Follette.

First Involvement with Liberalizing the Democratic Party in Wisconsin,
Scope and Content Note: Tehan first suggested assembling a small group of intellectuals. First meeting took place in Horace Wilkie, Sr.'s, office in Madison. Some of those in attendance were Marshall, Julia Boegholt, Horace Wilkie, Jr., Jerome Fox. The decision was made to attempt to build a voluntary organization within several counties in Wisconsin, with Boegholt mostly in charge because she had good contacts with Progressives throughout the state. Many other meetings followed, in various parts of the state.

Julia Boegholt
Scope and Content Note: Great source of information on the real Progressives in the state, those who would probably be conducive to a liberal type of organization. She herself had been a Progressive, but was drifting away from that party.

Characterization of Other Early Leaders and Their Roles
Scope and Content Note: Viola Lomoe, Edward Mesheski, Peter Shoemann, Wendelin Kraft, Harold (Red) Newton, Milton Schneider, Jim Doyle, Carl Thompson. Jim Corcoran of Hudson bankrolled the effort. Story of how Tehan and Marshall importuned Thomas Fairchild to run for Attorney General.

Organizational Meeting in Milwaukee County,

End of Tape 1, Side 1

Introduction

Organizational Meeting in Milwaukee County, continued
Scope and Content Note: Democratic Party regulars, led by Charles Greene, intended to pack the meeting in order to frustrate the goals of the liberals. Thus a screening procedure was established, with Vi Lomoe in charge, assisted by Myron Gordon, Mesheski, Biemiller, Tehan, Marshall, and Les Washburn. Decided in advance that Mesheski would be elected chairman. Armed deputy sheriff (Emmet Sullivan) checked “credentials” at the door.

Anecdote Concerning Use of Cannons Rules of Order at This Meeting Rather Than Roberts Rules
Scope and Content Note: There were no secret votes. Vi Lomoe even able to make some converts at the meeting.

How the Statutory Group Found Out About the Organizational Meeting
Scope and Content Note: No attempt was made to keep it a secret; each side knew what the other side was doing.

First Statewide Meeting of Democratic Organizing Committee (DOC) at Green Bay
Scope and Content Note: No attempt by the Milwaukee group to control this meeting.

Tape Inaudible

Gathering Supporters in the Early Stage
Scope and Content Note: Julia Boegholt worked with the Progressives; everyone had personal contacts; and most important were the contacts in organized labor (Newton, Elmer Beck, Rudolph Faupl, Shoemann).

The Sabotaging of Edmund Bobrowicz's Campaign for Congress in 1946
Scope and Content Note: Bobrowicz won the Democratic primary for the Fourth District Congressional seat. Tehan learned Bobrowicz was a Communist and decided he must be dumped before he embarrassed the Party. Tehan and Marshall went to Washington, D.C. where Tehan, in his role as National Committeeman, was able to pull strings and get the FBI file on Bobrowicz. The file contained a photostat of Bobrowicz's Communist Party membership card. After lengthy conversations with various labor representatives, and after considerable consumption of alcoholic beverages, Tehan, Marshall and Shoemann repaired to Marshall's house to prepare a statement for the press. Because none were in good enough condition to write a proper statement, Marshall's wife wrote the statement. As a result, Bobrowicz was defeated by the Republican in the election. [In a letter to the interviewer, dated December 17, 1976, Marshall amplified this story somewhat. He said that it was the Democratic National Chairman who phoned the Justice Department to get Bobrowicz's FBI file. Marshall also mentioned in that letter the names of several of the Milwaukeeans who were consulted before making the final decision to read Bobrowicz out of the Party.]

Factors Contributing to the Timing of the Liberalization of the Wisconsin Democratic Party
Scope and Content Note: FDR was ignoring the Democratic Party in Wisconsin; the Socialist Party position on the War had cost them many adherents; and the Progressives were sounding like Hitler. There was little choice left for Wisconsin liberals. Biemiller a prime example.

Joseph McCarthy's Defeat of Robert La Follette, Jr.
Scope and Content Note: Tehan felt strongly that unless La Follette was removed, Wisconsin would not have a real Democratic Party. La Follette would be much harder to defeat than McCarthy. Tehan made no promises or deals, but let it be known that it was important to the future of the Democratic Party to defeat La Follette in Wisconsin's open primary. Many people shared his view.

End of Tape 1, Side 2

Introduction

Necessity of Dislodging the La Follettes
Scope and Content Note: La Follettes' negative attitude in late 1930s toward a coalition attempt of Socialists, liberal Democrats, Progressives, and other liberals (Farmer-Labor-Progressive Federation) turned many potential liberals away from the La Follettes.

Dissatisfaction with Federal Patronage System
Scope and Content Note: Reactionaries, instead of liberals, were given power in Wisconsin, annoying many people. The relationship between Roosevelt and La Follette was “unwholesome” and “unhealthy.” Fault did not lie with Roosevelt. Roosevelt worked through the La Follettes even when Democrat Schmedeman was Governor.

“Old Line” Democrats Were Opposed to the Infusion of Socialists, Progressives, and Labor into the Democratic Party

Jerry Fox Was a Practical Politician, Had No Political Philosophy

Fight for Chairmanship Between Tehan and Charlie Greene
Scope and Content Note: Greene miffed because Tehan had taken positions as both state chairman and national committeeman. Greene was a nobody.

Julia Boegholt: from VIP to Disassociating Herself from the DOC
Scope and Content Note: Combination of factors caused this: personal problems; ignored by Gaylord Nelson, who wanted to replace her with Gladys Hoan; shunted aside by the younger people coming into the Party who did not understand her importance to the movement; ignored because she was a woman. Nelson was “lazy” and “insensate.”

Party Endorsement of Candidates in the Primary
Scope and Content Note: Not the burning issue it has been trumpeted to be. A question of finances; Marshall felt it stupid to use up large amounts of resources in the primary.

Doyle/Proxmire Primary
Scope and Content Note: Marshall on Doyle's campaign committee and in this instance preferred a primary battle.

Proxmire's Repudiation of Robert La Follette Sucher
Scope and Content Note: Not good for the Party. This incident not at all like that in the Bobrowicz case--motivation, time and circumstances were different. Proxmire has only one way of looking at things: “What's good for Proxmire.”

Current Democratic Politicians in Office: Are They Living Up to the Promise of the DOC?
Scope and Content Note: Mixed feelings, but very impressed with Les Aspin, better statesman than either Wisconsin U.S. Senator.

Joseph Ball, Minnesota U.S. Senator
Scope and Content Note: An example of a liberal who wound up in the Republican Party. Democrats were reactionaries and Minnesota Farmer-Labor-Progressive Federation leaders were suffering from a scandal when Ball was picking a party.

More on Andrew Biemiller
Scope and Content Note: He has not received enough credit. Biemiller the author of most of George Meany's noteworthy statements.

End of Interview