Container
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Title
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Audio
1030A/17-18
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Tape/Side
17/1
Time
00:00
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INTRODUCTION
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Tape/Side
17/1
Time
00:45
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PERSONAL BACKGROUND : Born in Rome, New York, 1898. Lived in many places in the United States and Europe. Parents were politically conscious. Gives family background. Living in Berlin when World War I started. Came to New York, then Wisconsin in 1919. Went to University in Madison--interested in dance. Married eight years, then married Amlie in 1932. Met him in law school. Became Amlie's housekeeper after his wife died. Amlie was very poor, had four children. Discusses Amlie's early years.
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Tape/Side
17/1
Time
09:45
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TOM AMLIE'S FIRST CAMPAIGN : In 1930 Tom Morrissey and a few others in Elkhorn who did not think that La Follette was radical enough suggested that Amlie run for Congress. Both Amlies were Progressives. Ran as a liberal Progressive. Phil La Follette helped campaign. Gehrta was taking care of Tom's children, could not help campaign much directly. After Tom's election Amlies lived in Washington, 1930-1932. Amlie was very poor, from the country, knew nothing about Washington.
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Tape/Side
17/1
Time
16:50
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TOM AMLIE AND THE LA FOLLETTES : Defeated in 1932 because Phil La Follette insisted that Amlie run as a Progressive Republican. Tom became a Democrat in 1934, ran for Senate in 1938. Phil La Follette very bitter that he (La Follette) lost election. Went to Germany, was inspired by Hitler's methods. Tom tried to get Progressives to join Democrats.
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Tape/Side
17/1
Time
21:50
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TOM AMLIE'S SUPPORT OF THE DEMOCRATS : Thought Roosevelt could be influenced by Progressives. Did not believe that a three party system could work. Discussion of Roosevelt's first successful campaign in Wisconsin.
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Tape/Side
17/1
Time
25:00
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END of TAPE 17, SIDE 1
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
00:00
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INTRODUCTION
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
00:30
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TOM AMLIE'S SUPPORT OF THE DEMOCRATS (continued) : Phil La Follette caused the Progressives not to enter the Democratic Party. Amlie thought that Roosevelt's programs were too conservative. Gehrta Amlie supported Roosevelt because he gave people hope and took action against widespread despair and poverty.
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
02:15
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HUNGER MARCHES ON WASHINGTON : Poor people encamped in Washington to demand social legislation. Hoover drove them out of Washington. The Amlies put up eighty people from Wisconsin in their home.
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
07:35
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POVERTY AND HUNGER : Many people hungry. 'Churches reluctant to distribute food. Many children in Elkhorn starved. People relied on each other--received no help until Roosevelt. (Description of soup kitchens, sleep-ins.) Roosevelt's actions made people aware that something could be done.
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
11:30
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HOOVER'S “INTERIM” : Hoover never appeared in public November 1932-March 1933. Was afraid of the public.
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
12:25
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TOM AMLIE, THE LA FOLLETTES : The La Follettes tried to help the poor. Amllie returned to law practice after defeat in 1932, but did not do well. Gehrta helped him campaign in 1932, told him that he must address people's personal problems rather than discussing abstract theories. (Description of campaign.) Phil La Follette charismatic, Bob La Follette not. Amlie and La Follette often spoke together. Rachel La Follette was shy, did not campaign. 1936--Amlie spoke in storefronts. Gehrta also spoke, particularly at women's union meetings. Tom Amlie did not feel that the public understood his views.
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
17:45
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THE UNEMPLOYED : Times still hard in 1936. Throughout the early 1930s unemployed people would often come to the Amlie's door looking for work or food. There was a shelter in Elkhorn for sixteen people. The Amlies fed many people.
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
20:35
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LAKE GENEVA CAMP, 1934 : Eleanor Roosevelt set up camps around the country for the unemployed. One was at Lake Geneva. The White House called the Amlies and asked them to put up people because the camp was full. They housed and fed thirty-four people.
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Tape/Side
17/2
Time
23:00
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END OF TAPE 17, SIDE 2
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
00:00
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INTRODUCTION
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
00:40
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LAKE GENEVA CAMP, 1934 (continued) : Gehrta drove the people from Lake Geneva and collected food from the Elkhorn community. This helped Tom's campaign. Some of the “campers” were puppeteers--they put on a show to raise money. People were very hungry.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
04:40
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THE NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION, THE STOCK PAVILLION RALLY : The formation of this party surprised the Amlies. Rally was not publicized much. Amlies shocked that Phil La Follette did not tell them about the rally. Arthur Altmeyer informed Gehrta about the meeting. He, Aubrey Williams and Tom Amlie came from Washington to attend rally. Phil La Follette had discussed a third party for many years and held meetings in Madison to discuss it. He was afraid that he could not control the Democratic Party.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
09:30
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F.D. ROOSEVELT : Does not recall Tom Amlie's-criticisms of Roosevelt. Tom thought that Roosevelt gave people hope.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
11:20
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DESCRIPTION OF TOM AMLIE'S PERSONALITY
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
11:50
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LABOR : Labor was major element in Amlie's election; labor support increased after Roosevelt's election.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
12:20
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TOM AMLIE AFTER HIS 1938 ELECTION LOSS : Felt very defeated. Wrote Let's Look at the Record. (Discussion of other books Amlie wrote.) Roosevelt nominated him for Interstate Commerce Commission. Not confirmed. Wisconsin legislature named him a Communist. Amlie emotionally hurt because he was not confirmed. Was broken man after 1938. Gehrta worked hard to support the family.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
18:50
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AMLIE IN THE 1950s : Meetings held at the Amlies to discuss the formation of new party. Dan Hoan was Tom's good friend. Tom lost faith that things could change. Thought that the Depression had only been alleviated by the war, that the economic system was based on war, that the military controlled the economy.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
23:10
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THE AMLIES' PART IN TRANSFORMING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY : Did not have much influence over former Progressives. Felt deeply involved but hopeless. Considered post-World War I foreign policy wrong.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
26:05
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TOM AMLIE'S VIEWS ON LIBERAL MOVEMENTS 1945-1950 : Thought they were very weak, considered situation hopeless. Left Progressives in 1934. Always more radical than Democrats, did not believe America would go Socialist. Did not believe that identifying with the Socialists was practical.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
28:30
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AMLIE'S 1938 SENATE CAMPAIGN : Ran as a Democrat, which Gehrta opposed. Amlie believed his district was growing more conservative, that he did not have a chance. After 1938 he was completely disillusioned, turned to writing.
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Tape/Side
18/1
Time
30:30
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END OF TAPE 18, SIDE 1
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Tape/Side
18/2
Time
00:00
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INTRODUCTION
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Tape/Side
18/2
Time
00:30
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TOM AMLIE'S VIEWS ON SOCIETY IN HIS LATER YEARS : Was waiting for another depression. Believed that unless the country's economy was based on “production for use”, the rift between rich and poor would grow. Very disturbed about the state of the country.
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Tape/Side
18/2
Time
01:50
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TOM AMLIE'S SON TOM : Was director of China Lake base. Now exposing the Pentagon's wasteful practices.
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Tape/Side
18/2
Time
05:10
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THE AMLIES' LIFE IN THE LATE 1940s AND AFTER : Bought and improved land and houses. Only daughter, Marian-- born in 1943, married, lives in California. Gehrta ran a nursery school. Not involved much in Democratic campaign in the late 1940s. Held meetings and donated money. Gehrta now interested in the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
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Tape/Side
18/2
Time
08:15
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END OF INTERVIEW
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