Subseries: Mari Jo and Walter Uphoff, 1982 December 8
Note: Access online.

INTRODUCTION

SUPPORT FOR AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT IN WORLD WAR II
Scope and Content Note: Hotly debated issue for years before actual involvement. Walter Uphoff attended meeting on this topic in 1940.

FORMATION OF FARMER-LABOR-PROGRESSIVE FEDERATION AND THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY
Scope and Content Note: People in the coop and labor movements, and others politically left of the La Follettes, were interested in setting up more radical organization than what the La Follettes envisioned. Henry Ohl of the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor called a meeting to this end in Appleton and, later, in Oshkosh. Attended by representatives of nine organizations. This evolved into the Farmer-Labor-Progressive Federation (FLPF). The representatives drafted a platform and decided to run people in the Progressive primary and then support whomever won the primary.

WALTER'S BACKGROUND
Scope and Content Note: Met Mari Jo in 1937. Member of FLPF. Active in Baptist student group as college student. Like many others--supported Roosevelt as a practical measure to achieve limited socialist reforms.

POLITICAL SITUATION IN NORTH DAKOTA IN THE EARLY 1930s
Scope and Content Note: Many people active in coops joined the Non-Partisan League, especially in the northwestern part of the state. Very few Democrats in state until Roosevelt's time. Many people supported Roosevelt as a practical compromise. Mari Jo, a North Dakota resident, voted for Norman Thomas in 1932. Socialists supported Bob La Follette in 1924. Difficult to place Socialists on ballot. The Socialists agreed to support the FLPF's candidate in the years that the FLPF ran candidates.

ANDY BIEMILLER
Scope and Content Note: Editor of The Wisconsin Leader. Served three terms in the legislature as a FLPF progressive, but was Socialist Party member. He quit the Socialist Party in 1940 due to its stand on the war.

AMERICAN ENTRY INTO WORLD WAR II
Scope and Content Note: Socialists empathized with European Socialists as strong opponents of the Nazis but opposed involvement in a “capitalist's war.”

HE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE DECLINE OF THIRD PARTIES
Scope and Content Note: New Deal and pressure to support World War II eroded the strength of the NPL. FLPF failed because there was no national organization. Former supporters of third parties joined Democratic Party. Strong anti-Communist atmosphere in country used against third parties, alienated ignorant rural people against all leftist parties.

COMMUNISTS AT THE OSHKOSH MEETING, W.P.A. WORKERS EDUCATION
Scope and Content Note: Communists controlled the Wisconsin Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), an organization represented at Oshkosh. W.P.A. ran training program in Madison for teachers to work in rural and urban areas, teaching parliamentary procedure, economics health care, etc. Walter attended, and later taught in rural areas. W.P.A. supported classes in general education for unemployed young people in Madison. One teacher who attended these training programs was a fanatic Communist.

END OF TAPE 6, SIDE 1, PART 1

INTRODUCTION

COMMUNISTS AT OSHKOSH MEETING (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Kenneth Goff.

END OF TAPE 6, SIDE 1, PART 2

INTRODUCTION

WORKER EDUCATION
Scope and Content Note: Many people involved in W.P.A. worker education were Socialists or Progressives. In 1925 a summer school for women workers in industry was organized through the Y.W.C.A. The Federation of Labor lobbied successfully to have the school function year round. School operated year round from 1936 until 1938, when Republican Julius Heil was elected Governor. School reverted to summer session only following report of radical politics being discussed in classes.

CONCEPT OF “PRODUCTION FOR USE”
Scope and Content Note: Discussion of definition of profit and socialism.

HEIL'S ELECTION
Scope and Content Note: Editor of Dairyman's News, influential publication of the Wisconsin Cooperative Milk Pool, sold out to the utilities and urged support of Heil in paper. This swung decisive rural vote to Heil.

COMMUNIST ACTIVITY IN EARLY 1930s
Scope and Content Note: (Anecdote about convention in Oshkosh) Walter Uphoff overheard and exposed Communist plans to involve Communist Party in organization which became the FLPF. Communists very active in CIO, not so active in Federation of Labor. Communists gained control of the Workers Alliance which thereupon fell apart. A local at Allis Chalmers had Communist leadership. Communists controlled the World News Congress in 1938.

THE PROGRESSIVE'S DECISION TO JOIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Walter Uphoff attended 1946 Portage convention as reporter. Progressives decided to join Republicans over Democrats or Socialists, both weak parties.

JOE MCCARTHY
Scope and Content Note: Did not discuss issues in primary race, very ambitious. Anti Communism not part of original McCarthy platform. (Discussion of McCarthy's career.) Democrats, CIO, The Capital Times attacked Bob La Follette for leading the Progressives into the Republican Party. They thought that by removing La Follette from the election the Democratic candidate would have a better chance.

SOCIALISM OUTSIDE OF MILWAUKEE
Scope and Content Note: Socialists had some county organizations and ran individuals in other counties. Some Farmers Equity Union members were Socialists.

THE FELLOWSHIP FARM
Scope and Content Note: Walter Uphoff came to Dane County in 1936. Farm operated 1941-1944 in Prairie du Sac, then moved to Madison. Published Wisconsin Commonwealth.

END OF TAPE 6, SIDE 2, PART 1

INTRODUCTION

FELLOWSHIP FARM (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Anecdote about William Evjue announcing on his Sunday radio program that he was donating fifty dollars to Walter Uphoff in order to help the struggling Socialist Party. Fellowship Farm had displaced persons, refugees, etc.

END OF TAPE 6, SIDE 2, PART 2

INTRODUCTION

THE FELLOWSHIP FARM (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Madison chapter of the Fellowship of Reconciliation founded 1939. Chester Graham planned to set up a Margaret E. Graham Memorial Folk School in Madison; never realized. This project developed into the Fellowship Farm Cooperative, Inc. Uphoffs operated the farm on very little money. One of many farm communes active in early 1940s. Two or three families participated. Functioned until about 1951. No overt political activity involved, ran youth hostel, took in displaced persons, had speakers and dancing.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S LABOR EDUCATION PROGRAM
Scope and Content Note: Walter Uphoff asked by the University to set up 'a labor education program in 1952 so that University could serve workers as well as other segments of society. Uphoff taught at the University of Wisconsin School for Workers in 1937.

ANDY BIEMILLER
Scope and Content Note: Editor of The Wisconsin Leader. In state legislature for six years as FLPF member. Advocate of health insurance. Legislative director of AFL-CIO. Both Biemiller and Uphoff were organizers for the AFL. Uphoff promoted a Farmers Union Federation of Labor joint board.

UPHOFF'S PARTY AFFILIATION
Scope and Content Note: Never joined Democratic Party, always a Socialist. Ran for governor as Socialist in 1944.

THE NATIONAL PROGRESSIVES ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
Scope and Content Note: Phil La Follette was not a fascist, nor was the symbol of the National Progressives of America (NPA) a swastika. Ralph Immell, attorney general, strongly supported NPA. Influence of covertly Republican controlled newspaper The Dairyman's News was major factor in La Follette's defeat.

UPHOFF'S POLITICAL ACTIVITY IN THE 1940s
Scope and Content Note: Mari Jo took care of the Uphoff children--had no time for politics. Walter ran for U.S. Senate in 1944, governor in 1946 and 1948 on Socialist ticket. Did not think he would be elected, regarded campaign as educative.

DAN HOAN
Scope and Content Note: A good mayor. Became disillusioned in 1940 when he was defeated by Carl Zeidler who won because of his charisma. Hoan then joined Democrats. Socialist Party did not function as an independent party after the creation of the FLPF.

END OF TAPE 7, SIDE 1, PART 1

INTRODUCTION

DAN HOAN (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Outline of Hoan's views on regulation. Milwaukee under Hoan had reputation of being the most graft-free city in the country. Carl Zeidler enlisted in the Coast Guard.

END OF TAPE 7, SIDE 1, PART 2

INTRODUCTION

CARL ZEIDLER, FRANK ZEIDLER, THE 1948 MILWAUKEE MAYORAL ELECTION
Scope and Content Note: Carl Zeidler killed while in Coast Guard. John L. Bohn was acting mayor while Zeidler in Coast Guard, then elected mayor in 1944. Frank Zeidler then on school board. Asked to run for mayor in 1948 by Socialists. Henry Reuss wanted to run and have Zeidler drop out of the race. Many people entered primary race. Reuss moved far to the right. Labor withdrew their support and persuaded Hoan to run. Zeidler won election. By 1948 labor identified with Democrats rather than Socialists.

WALTER GOODLAND
Scope and Content Note: Walter Uphoff challenged him to a debate when running for governor in 1946 or 1948. Goodland refused to participate.

DAN HOAN, THE SOCIALIST PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Walter Uphoff volunteered for Hoan's campaign in 1948 in Milwaukee. Close connection between all Socialists in Wisconsin. Uphoff was on Socialist Party's National Steering Committee 1942-1950. Met quarterly. Conflict between ex-Progressives and Socialists in late 1930s for control of FLPF and Democratic Party. (Anecdote about Capital Times reporter eavesdropping on FLPF meeting.) Anna May Davis and Glenn Turner, old Socialists, had joint law office in Madison. Turner ran for attorney general, involved in FLPF.

CAPITAL TIMES REPORTER JOHN HUNTER
Scope and Content Note: Tried unsuccessfully to get people on the street to sign untitled Bill of Rights. Another time, asked people the difference between Socialists and Communists--few knew.

THE DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (DOC)
Scope and Content Note: Neither Uphoffs involved in DOC. Were in Minnesota when it was active--supported Democratic Farm Labor Party. 1946-1948 worked in Minnesota and Illinois collecting signatures to put Norman Thomas on the ballot.

CARL THOMPSON
Scope and Content Note: Worked for Phil La Follette while at the university. Uphoffs knew Thompson.

GAYLORD NELSON
Scope and Content Note: Anecdote about Nelson--Uphoff dinner party.

TOM FAIRCHILD
Scope and Content Note: Uphoffs did not know him well.

KENNETH GOFF
Scope and Content Note: Part of caucus at FLPF Oshkosh convention supporting recognition of Communist Party as part of FLPF. Later became virulently anti-Communist. Goff spoke at Sheboygan meeting and was hit by a streetcar. Communist lawyers took over case from labor lawyers against streetcar company and won settlement which Goff donated to Spanish Loyalists. Goff later became star witness for the Dies Committee, and a rabid fundamentalist. He also later claimed that the streetcar accident had been arranged to raise money for the Communist Party.

END OF TAPE 7, SIDE 2, PART 1

INTRODUCTION

KENNETH GOFF (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Goff declared that the streetcar accident was intentional. Spoke in the Twin Cities and accused Walter Uphoff of being a Communist. Anecdote about Student Peace Union leafleting in Minneapolis and Goff.

END OF TAPE 7, SIDE 2, PART 2

INTRODUCTION

KENNETH GOFF (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Goff publicly called Walter Uphoff a Communist. (Uphoff outlines his disbelief in Communism.) Goff eventually joined the Soldiers of the Cross. Also worked with John B. Chapple, a religious fanatic and anti-Communist who ran against Phil La Follette in 1936. Actually Chapple ran against Wiley in the Republican primary and Wiley then ran against La Follette in the general election. Also published The La Follette Road to Communism. Discussion of anti-Communist hysteria.

END OF INTERVIEW