Subseries: Gretchen Pfankuchen
Use Restrictions: No release forms were gathered from Gretchen Pfankuchen. Researchers, therefore, should not quote directly from these interviews.

1983 April 9

INTRODUCTION

POLITICAL BACKGROUND
Scope and Content Note: First involvement--went to meetings at the Amlies. Dan Hoan attended these meetings. Meetings inspired by Hoan's efforts to build new Democratic organization. Meetings very loosely organized. Supported Roosevelt. Not a Progressive. Got involved through friends.

THE LA FOLLETTE'S REPORT ON THEIR TRIP TO GERMANY
Scope and Content Note: Jane and John Gaus had meetings at their house at which the La Follettes told about their trip to Germany. Women in attendance listened to Mrs. La Follette talk about Hitler Youth Movement. La Follette very influenced by Hitler's organizational tactics, not aware of other aspects of regime.

THE DANE COUNTY CITIZENS COMMITTEE (DCCC)
Scope and Content Note: Never more than a hundred members. Members were from all over county. Multi-partisan, loosely organized. DCCC did not have ticket--its favored candidates ran on other tickets. Majority in DCCC felt that Democratic Party needed to be strengthened because former Progressives were not supporting Progressive platform, e.g. on war participation issue. DCCC endorsed candidates. Had very little money. Not in close contact with other county organizations. Julia Boegholt became National Committeewoman in 1948. Pfankuchen was DCCC Chairperson for about a year. Returning veterans provided pool of candidates, lacking while they were at war.

PFANKUCHEN'S POLITICAL AFFILIATION
Scope and Content Note: Never a Progressive. Never a Phil La Follette supporter. Always a Democrat. Father was a Progressive.

THE DANE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB (DCDC)
Scope and Content Note: The DCCC evolved into the DCDC. DCDC was DOC's effort to found an organization to raise money. DCDC became part of the DOC. DCDC found it difficult to attract candidates--did not run the full slate of candidates necessary to be effective.

DR. OLSON FROM STOUGHTON
Scope and Content Note: Olson agreed to run for coroner, a position which few people were interested in running for. Ran to fill slate but had no interest in serving. Won unexpectedly and resigned the following day.

MYRTLE HANSEN
Scope and Content Note: Long held clerk of courts post. Difficult to find someone to run against her. Jean Johnson finally defeated Hansen.

THE OLD DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Many people in DCDC were “old” Democrats.

END OF TAPE 11, SIDE 1

1983 April 24

INTRODUCTION

THE OLD DEMOCRATIC PARTY (continued)
Scope and Content Note: Old Democrats considered conservatives by Progressives but this was not so. They supported Roosevelt's principles.

PEOPLE ACTIVE AT STATE LEVEL
Scope and Content Note: Dan Hoan inspired DCCC people. Stressed the importance of raising money, and the interrelatedness of state politics. State people made contact with county organizations through State Chairman Charles Green.

EARLY ORGANIZATION OF DCDC
Scope and Content Note: Women did majority of work before men returned from the war. Hjordis Wolfe was work chairman--kept track of who did what. All labor was volunteer. Had no office. George Schlotthauer and Bill Smith's partner donated space.

THE AMERICAN VETERANS COMMITTEE
Scope and Content Note: Pfankuchen knew them as friends but did not have much contact with this organization.

DOC CONVENTION
Scope and Content Note: Pfankuchen attended some conventions. Sales tax a major issue at convention. Doyle, Reuss, Fairchild, Tehan, Boegholt, Hoan, Helen Marty from Monroe were active. Dane County sent large delegations.

PFANKUCHEN AS CHAIRPERSON OF STATUTORY COMMITTEE
Scope and Content Note: Found people to work as precinct committeepersons to enlist poll workers. Very loose organization. This was an effective way to build the Party. Pfankuchen traveled often. The board decided which campaign tasks she would implement. Precinct committee-persons selected from dues-paying members of voluntary committee. Pfankuchen was secretary of statutory committee when John McGonigle was Chairman.

END OF TAPE 11, SIDE 2

INTRODUCTION

THE STATUTORY COMMITTEE
Scope and Content Note: Julia Boegholt elected secretary. Pfankuchen served as secretary, then Chairperson. Also had ex-officio membership on voluntary Party board. Voluntary committee formed to raise money because statutory legally could not. Eventually the voluntary committee usurped all functions of the statutory committee. Not many people contended for committee jobs. (Active people listed.) Grassroots workers were mostly women--men worked at “regular” jobs.

1946 ELECTION
Scope and Content Note: McCarthy united Democratic Party. Pfankuchen's resolve to support Roosevelt reinforced when she returned from Washington to find that people in Wisconsin were not aware of what Hitler was doing in Europe. Supported Howard McMurray. Progressive Party was disintegrating, isolationist. Primaries were unimportant in early years when only one candidate ran. They became undesirable when candidates had to raise money for their campaign.

ANTI-McCARTHY ACTIVITIES
Scope and Content Note: Dr. Robert Becker was head of “Joe Must Go” movement, vigorous in Dane County. Fairchild, Doyle, Reuss, and others involved in Operation Truth. They followed McCarthy around the state and spoke in opposition. Very emotional issue.

TRUMAN CAMPAIGN
Scope and Content Note: Supported Truman, does not recall campaign.

VOTER REGISTRATION
Scope and Content Note: Labor complained that registration hours coincided with working hours. Democrats managed to open the registration office one night a week. Anecdote about actual registering on election night.

PARTY AFFILIATION IN RURAL AREAS
Scope and Content Note: People preferred to remain independent rather than join Democratic Party. Old Progressive Republicans hesitated to join Democratic Party. Matt Kalscheur from Cross Plains was precinct Committeeman for both the Democrats and Republicans.

END OF TAPE 12, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

MARY DOWLING AND THE THREE GRAHAM SISTERS
Scope and Content Note: These women lived in the fourth ward. Did not support National Progressive Association. Became staunch Democrats. Held parties for candidates in their homes. Very helpful to Party. Supported Nestingen.

PFANKUCHEN'S POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT
Scope and Content Note: Politically active by end of 1930s. Delegate to Democratic convention in Los Angeles in 1960. Ran for Assembly 1964. Worked on Ruth Doyle's campaign--held teas for her. She had hard time getting recognition as a candidate because she was a woman.

END OF INTERVIEW