Subseries: Julia Boegholt, 1982 October 30
Note: Access online.

INTRODUCTION

POLITICAL BACKGROUND
Scope and Content Note: Came to Madison 1926 to work as bacteriologist. Husband was graduate student in philosophy and worked at the university. Could not work because law forbade two family members from concurrently working for the state. Only jobs in bacteriology were state jobs. Boegholt lobbied to pass legislation allowing two family members to work for state. By 1928 was acquainted with every legislator and many political activists. (Active women listed.) Boegholt did not vote until 1928, moved around too much. Actively worked for women's right to vote' since 1920. Interested in socialism, American history.

WORK FOR THE LA FOLLETTES
Scope and Content Note: Carl Boegholt drove Phil La Follette all over the state. Julia Boegholt copied poll lists, spoke to blacks door-to-door. Primary job was to keep Bill Evjue, editor of The Capital Times, informed.

FORMATION OF COOPERATIVES
Scope and Content Note: Many cooperatives formed in Madison. Current Mifflin Street Coop outgrowth of one of them. Bill Rice, Harold Groves, Harry Hamilton, very active in coops. Not all people active in coop movement were La Follette Progressives, many were Unitarians. Severe depression caused people to form coops. Students formed eating coops.

MILWAUKEE
Scope and Content Note: Dominated by Socialists. Labor just beginning to achieve strength. In 1934 Socialists and labor combined to form new party. Andy Biemiller arrived in Milwaukee from the East in 1934. Julia Boegholt knew him through Virginia North Lehman.

1934
Scope and Content Note: Worked for the La Follettes in the state elections and for the Democrats in the national elections. Took people to the polls and did other “dirty work”. Came to know many of Roosevelt's supporters. Dan Hoan traveled over the entire state speaking to former Grange people and William Jennings Bryan supporters about new liberal party. Hoan also held meetings to discuss the idea. Boegholt and others from Madison attended some of the meetings in Milwaukee.

THE LIBERAL CLUB OF DANE COUNTY
Scope and Content Note: Inspired by Hoan, some Madisonians started a Liberal Club. There were thirty or forty similar clubs around the state. In the early 1940s the organization was renamed The Citizens Club of Dane County. Gretchen Pfankuchen was president. Later renamed The Dane County Democratic Club. Helene Wheeler was president. Club tried to get local people to run as liberals. Did not identify with the Democrats until 1944. Floyd Wheeler very active. 1944, Hoan, Earl Stoneman, three others ran on Democratic liberal ticket.

END OF TAPE 3, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

HOWARD McMURRAY, THE THIRD PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Political Science teacher at Milwaukee extension. Elected to Congress from fifth district in 1942. Wanted to give Roosevelt state support, which was not coming from the La Follettes. Phil La Follette and a group of Senators, including Bronson Cutting (New Mexico) and George Norris (Nebraska) desired to form third party. McMurray lost Senate election in 1944.] Many Progressives blamed Democrats for Bob La Follette's defeat.

PHIL LA FOLLETTE AND THE ROOSEVELT DEMOCRATS
Scope and Content Note: Boegholt knew Phil very well, did not know Bob La Follette well. Phil refused Roosevelt's offer of a cabinet post in 1932 because he was personally offended that he had been defeated by a Democrat. Phil felt that the development of a liberal Democratic Party would doom plans for a third party. As Roosevelt programs succeeded, people joined the Democrats.

PHIL LA FOLLETTE, THE NATIONAL PROGRESSIVES OF AMERICA (NPA)
Scope and Content Note: After his defeat, Phil and his wife Isen traveled to Germany. Phil returned a firm believer in Hitler's techniques. Held big meeting concerning NPA in 1934. Socialists not invited to meeting. Phil, a brilliant speaker, trained in politics by father. Served as Dane County district attorney 1926-1928. Elected governor as Progressive 1934.

DAN HOAN
Scope and Content Note: Most influential person in formation of new Democratic Party. Very respected, successful Socialist. Charismatic, popular. Knew people in northern part of state because he used to hunt and fish there.

CONFLICT BETWEEN MILWAUKEE AND MADISON DEMOCRATS
Scope and Content Note: Party developed separately in each city. Andy Biemiller brought the two groups together.

TOM AMLIE, THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S BEGINNINGS
Scope and Content Note: Amlie from North Dakota, Farmer-Labor member. Had close contact with Milwaukee Socialists. Boegholt met Dan Hoan through Amlie. Amlie, Boegholt and others were invited to Hoan's meetings about the formation a new liberal party. Harold Groves was invited but refused to attend.

LIBERAL CLUBS
Scope and Content Note: Formed as a result of Hoan's meetings. Each club acted independently. Bill Evjue introduced Boegholt to many labor people.

END OF TAPE 3, SIDE 2

INTRODUCTION

LIBERAL CLUBS (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Boegholt approached many Progressives to join Liberal Club. Bill Evjue interested in involving labor in politics. Boegholt got to know union leaders, many ward people. She knew city's political makeup very well.

WOMEN'S INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS
Scope and Content Note: Boegholt gave up her scientific career to become a mother. Never ran for office. Few women elected; (lists some who were.) More women elected in Milwaukee than elsewhere. World War II made it socially acceptable for women to work.

THE DANE COUNTY LIBERAL CLUB
Scope and Content Note: After one year Club had 200 or 300 members. Held monthly meetings. Discussed bills introduced in the legislature, possible candidates for election officials, etc.; discussed management rather than policy formation. Cedric Parker, Miles McMillin, Aldrich Revell very active. All had been in University's Progressive Club. Rollie Day, Floyd Wheeler, John Lawton also active. Lawton one of first to work with AFSCME. Many doctors were involved. Glenn Frank brought many professors to the university who supported the New Deal reforms. Many of them and their wives became active.

WOMEN IN THE LIBERAL CLUB
Scope and Content Note: Gretchen Pfankuchen, Gehrta Amlie, Helene Wheeler, and Julie Miles all active in organizing the Club. Boegholt became acquainted with many Dane County Democrats and tried to enlist Progressives in the Party. She also provided all information about Dane County to people in Milwaukee.

THE OLD DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Statutory Party very conservative, patronage dominated. Pat Lucey started in this old system. Statutory Democrats not favorable to liberalization of Party. Examples of patronage system: The Dane County Ring and Bologna Club --group of about twelve men, mostly postmasters, who decided who could be appointed postmaster. Statutory Party was very weak, only strong in Milwaukee. In 1944 Democrats barely got enough votes to get on ballot. Dairy coops were strong force.

END OF TAPE 4, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

FARMERS AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Some farmers very interested in agricultural programs being formulated in Washington--pleased that farmers' needs were being considered. These farmers' groups and women's guilds were very active as social and political clubs.

ORGANIZING PEOPLE TO VOTE
Scope and Content Note: Boegholt and other women formed telephone committees to find out who needed to register, who needed a ride to the polls. Women also stuffed envelopes, handed out literature door-to-door and at factories. Boegholt older than most people involved.

POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY, WOMEN'S ROLE
Scope and Content Note: After Nelson, Lucey, Thompson, and Wilkie became politically active they held meetings in rural towns. This unprecedented activity was possible because women had become politically active, allowing (male) political candidates more freedom from clerical and grassroots work. Women's involvement in politics was more accepted in 1942 than in 1922, especially in academic circles.

BOEGHOLT'S FIRST GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING EXPERIENCE
Scope and Content Note: Talked to black women door-to-door in 1928 in Dane County. Tried to form women's groups and get them to vote.

ORGANIZING FARMERS
Scope and Content Note: Much cooperation between farmers, especially dairy farmers in Wisconsin. Largely due to university's agricultural program. Boegholt tried to organize farmers through county agents, postmasters, coop leaders, freight agents, mill owners, small business people.

ORGANIZING ACTIVITIES
Scope and Content Note: Boegholt's contact-would introduce her to local people and compile a list of names of people likely to be interested in the Party. She would later meet with these people or invite them to hear a speaker. Boegholt sometimes spoke, e.g. about how to register. Candidates for office would discuss issues. Such organizing activities built a foundation for the formation of La Follette's third party. Before the mass media became powerful, many people were not involved with politics.

EARLY ORGANIZING ACTIVITIES
Scope and Content Note: Men worked at the organizational level at the time when the Liberal Clubs existed, especially finding people to run for office. The nascent party had very little money. Raised money when people spoke and at factories. Reception to the “movement” met with greatly varied acceptance throughout the state. Some counties, especially in the north, were very difficult to organize. In these sparsely settled areas existing networks, such as the Farmer's Union, used as a base from which to organize. Much easier to organize in the cities. Ethnic communities in the state were very segregated.

THE LIBERAL CLUB'S SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY
Scope and Content Note: Clubs were not controversial, political apathy was widespread. The new Democratic movement not very radical. Clubs were anti-Communist. Opposed by isolationist, anti-Rooselvelt Republicans and old-line Democrats.

END OF TAPE 4, SIDE 2, PART 1

INTRODUCTION

THE LIBERAL CLUB'S SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Party first associated with Communism when Bobrowicz, a Communist, ran for Congress in 1946 in fourth district. Defeated Wasielewski in the primary, but lost to a Republican in the general election.

END OF TAPE 4, SIDE 2, PART 2

INTRODUCTION

ORGANIZATIONAL EVOLUTION OF NEW DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT
Scope and Content Note: Liberal Clubs evolved into Citizens Committees. In 1946 Dane County Democratic Club formed to collect money for statutory Party. In 1949 Democratic Organizing Committee (DOC) formed. Statutory group consisted of a precinct committeeperson of each precinct and the chairperson of a county. These people recommended election officials and attended to local business.

DECISION TO ENTER THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE LA FOLLETTES
Scope and Content Note: In 1946 Bob La Follette decided that it was important for the Progressives to reaffiliate with the Republican Party. There was much disagreement among Progressives about this. Labor was more inclined to join the Democratic Party. Boegholt was convinced by 1932 that the Democratic Party was the better party to join. Tom Fairchild, Gaylord Nelson, and other young people ran as Republicans in 1946. Young people who had returned from the war were unaware of post-war political reality. They ran as Republicans out of loyalty for Bob La Follette. After his defeat they started working with the liberal Democrats.

THE MOVEMENT TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Orland Loomis was only Progressive elected to a state level position besides the La Follettes. Died before he could assume governorship. Third party movement collapsed after Loomis died. Roosevelt endorsed Bob La Follette for senator in 1940. Phil La Follette would not join Democrats. Fairchild, Nelson, Wilkie, Zablocki, Reuss all subsequently elected as Democrats. Supported by publishers in Green Bay, Sheboygan, shipbuilders in Manitowoc. By 1948 old Progressives were being defeated by young Democrats.

CHARLIE GREEN-BOB TEHAN STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF THE STATUTORY PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Much inner friction in Party. Green stole files from Milwaukee headquarters, wanted Elizabeth Hawkes appointed national committee-woman. Tehan supported Boegholt. Dan Hoan worked closely with Tehan.

BOEGHOLT'S APPOINTMENT AS NATIONAL COMMITTEEWOMAN
Scope and Content Note: Tehan overwhelmingly elected party chairman at state convention. Boegholt thus became national committeewoman. Helen Marty, incumbent national committeewoman active in post at 1948 convention in Philadelphia.

BOEGHOLT'S ACTIVITIES AS NATIONAL COMMITTEEWOMAN
Scope and Content Note: Organized affairs--arranged entertainment, accommodations, etc. Recommended people for federal judgeships to the attorney general. Tried to enlist support for Humphrey's civil rights platform.

END OF INTERVIEW