Subseries: Carl Thompson, 1984 December 21
Note

• Access online.
• Also on Audio 1030A/34-35.

INTRODUCTION

BIOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
Scope and Content Note: Father had been a professor of economics at the University of South Dakota and the University of Minnesota. Headed up the U.S. food survey “to feed the starving Belgians.” Died of influenza just before Carl's sixth birthday. Family moved to Stoughton, Wisconsin, to live with Carl's mother's father, a Lutheran minister. Lived there about six years, when his grandfather remarried. Two younger sisters. Mother then became home economics teacher in Stoughton school system, which position she held for 30-35 years. Carl was born March 15, 1914, in Washington, D.C.

EDUCATION
Scope and Content Note: Stoughton public schools. One year at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa; then came to the University of Wisconsin in Madison. After graduated, went to law school at University of Wisconsin, taking law degree in 1939.

WORKED FOR GOVERNOR PHIL LA FOLLETTE WHILE ATTENDING UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
Scope and Content Note: Shoveled walks, mowed grass, answered telephone. Lived in Governor's garage. Was paid fifteen dollars a month. Shared this job with Urban Van Sustern, later an ardent Joe McCarthy supporter. Occasionally would chauffeur Governor La Follette; frequently chauffeured Isen La Follette, the governor's wife.

THOMPSON'S EARLY INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY
Scope and Content Note: When the party was formed in 1934, Thompson visited Phil La Follette and William Evjue to offer his services in the coming campaign. Put together a four-page newspaper; sold ads to all Progressive candidates in Dane County. From that, he got the job with the Governor.

FOUNDING CONVENTION OF THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Thompson was the youngest delegate at the convention--only twenty years old. He went to a preliminary Dane county convention, attended by 500-700 people. Gave a speech which impressed Bill Evjue who was on the delegate nominating committee.

THOMPSON'S INTEREST IN POLITICS
Scope and Content Note: First started with a civics course as a sophomore in high school. A second course, as a senior, on the environment also impressed him.

STAYED UP ALL NIGHT TO LISTEN TO 1932 DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION

FAMILY POLITICS
Scope and Content Note: Grandfather was a moderate Republican; father was probably a Republican. Unsure of mother's politics, but she never argued against Franklin Roosevelt.

PROGRESSIVE CLUB THE MOST ACTIVE POLITICAL GROUP ON UW CAMPUS
Scope and Content Note: Interested both in party politics and campus politics. Brought in Progressive speakers, including an annual visit from Phil La Follette. Communists were the most active other political group on campus. As a junior, sought control of the three-person student governing body; formed a coalition with the sororities. Carol Morse, sister of future Senator Wayne Morse, received the most votes and was elected chair; Thompson came in second, thus becoming a member of the committee. Elected Jim Doyle as senior class president. Also, elected the Board of the Daily Cardinal, including the future Mrs. Jim Doyle, Ruth Bachhuber. The Cardinal Board named as editor someone who was accused of being a Communist, but he was replaced by a new Board before taking on his duties. Resulted in a student strike.

THOMPSON ACTIVE IN DEBATE CLUB IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE

PEOPLE ACTIVE IN UW PROGRESSIVE CLUB
Scope and Content Note: Miles McMillin, John Lawton, Gaylord Nelson. Annual picnics with free beer from one of the Milwaukee breweries drew in many students. Progressive Club had circa 300-400 members.

THOMPSON'S UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

THOMPSON BECAME A FILE CLERK IN GOVERNOR PHIL LA FOLLETTE'S OFFICE
Scope and Content Note: Would address all the postcards sent out prior to a La Follette speech in a particular area. Therefore, had access to the La Follette “Black Book,” which listed the most active members of the Progressive Party in each county.

END OF TAPE 26, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

PROGRESSIVE PARTY “BLACK BOOK”
Scope and Content Note: Because he actually copied the names from the “Black Book” on to postcards, he was probably more familiar with the names than were the La Follettes themselves. Phil La Follette's political technique was to speak on a street corner with a loud speaker and the start of the audience were those who had received postcards.

THE PROGRESSIVE-STALWART SPLIT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PRIOR TO 1934

THOMPSON RETAINED A COPY OF THE “BLACK BOOK” WHICH WAS USED IN ORGANIZING THE DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (DOC)
Scope and Content Note: Whether the people in the “Black Book” joined the Democratic Party after 1946 depended on where they lived and whether they were officeholders. Those who held office went into the Republican Party. Those who were really progressives, tended to join the Democratic Party. Lester Johnson, who was Progressive Party District Attorney from Black River Falls, was an exception to the rule of officeholders going into the Republican Party.

WHY THE LA FOLLETTES FORMED THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY IN 1934
Scope and Content Note: Many Progressive Republicans were unhappy with being Republicans once Roosevelt was elected president as a Democrat. Also, labor was against the Republicans. Bob La Follette “was the most reluctant.” Felt he could win more easily as a Republican.

BOB LA FOLLETTE'S DEFEAT IN 1946
Scope and Content Note: Went into the Republican Party because he felt he could win more easily as a Republican, just as he had felt in 1934. Lost because he did not maintain ties in Wisconsin through personal visits. The same could be said for Senator Gaylord Nelson's defeat in 1980.

IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL CONTACT IN POLITICS
Scope and Content Note: Bill Proxmire epitomizes this type of political campaigning.

FORMATION OF THE NATIONAL PROGRESSIVES OF AMERICA (NPA) IN 1938
Scope and Content Note: Thompson attended the founding event at the Stock Pavilion. Phil La Follette formed the separate party because he felt the German vote in Wisconsin would be crucial as it was during World War I; this is Thompson's personal opinion.

ANECDOTE ABOUT STRONG VOTER LOYALTY TO THE LA FOLLETTES
Scope and Content Note: A Roxbury voter told Thompson in the previous election everyone in town voted for Bob La Follette except one person and “they were running around...to find the guy so they could beat the hell out of him.”

MORE ON FORMATION OF NATIONAL PROGRESSIVES OF AMERICA
Scope and Content Note: Phil felt the German vote would be important throughout the country. Also, he had been influenced by his visit to Germany. Further, his attitude on foreign policy was “diametrically” opposed to Roosevelt's. Thus, the NPA was formed more because of foreign policy than domestic policy. On domestic policy, La Follette felt Roosevelt should have pushed the Public Works Administration (PWA) rather than the Works Progress Administration (WPA). PWA projects were more constructive, more useful.

BOB LA FOLLETTE'S DECISION TO ABANDON THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY IN 1946
Scope and Content Note: Thompson visited him in Washington, D.C., shortly before his decision and La Follette indicated he felt the Progressive Party was no longer a vehicle through which he could be elected. In 1944 the Progressive Party almost did not get enough votes to get on the ballot. He knew the stalwarts would do everything possible to defeat him.

WHY THE LA FOLLETTES NEVER SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED JOINING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Scope and Content Note: In 1946 La Follette felt the Democratic Party was not strong enough to provide him victory. In 1934, the La Follettes were too much in the habit of running on the Republican ticket and “there were just all kinds of things about the Democratic Party in Wisconsin....” The strength of the Democrats in the 1933 legislature was also a hindrance.

MORE THOMPSON BIOGRAPHY
Scope and Content Note: Set up law practice in Stoughton after graduation. Married in 1942. Was active in Progressive Party during this period. Was a member of the statutory committee in Dane County, serving as chairperson. Never ran for office as a Progressive. In spring, 1939, ran for alderman in Madison, a nonpartisan office. Was endored by the Capital Times and opposed by the State Journal on the grounds that he was “a carpetbagger from Stoughton.”

HELPED MANAGE ORLAND LOOMIS' 1940 GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN

MORE THOMPSON BIOGRAPHY
Scope and Content Note: In the military late summer 1942 to early summer 1946.

UPON RETURN FROM THE MILITARY, OFFERED HIS SERVICES TO THE BOB LA FOLLETTE SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN
Scope and Content Note: Campaign organizers told him to take his, planned vacation since La Follette's victory was not in doubt.

THOMPSON SHIFT TO THE DEMOCRATS
Scope and Content Note: Voted in the 1946 Republican primary. Then managed Bill Rice's campaign for Congress in the general election; Rice ran as a Democrat and was soundly defeated. The Republican victor died before taking office and a special election was necessary in 1947. Thompson ran and was narrowly defeated. Probably considered himself a Democrat once La Follette lost the primary. Voted for Howard McMurray, Democrat, for senator in 1946 general election.

END OF TAPE 26, SIDE 2

INTRODUCTION

THOMPSON RACE FOR CONGRESS IN 1947
Scope and Content Note: Bob Tehan and Andy Biemiller twisted his arm to get him to run. Telephone strike in the entire district, except Waukesha County. Waukesha County, therefore had a much higher voter turn out than the other counties in the district. Capital Times influence was very important in Thompson's strong showing-almost daily stories and pictures of Thompson. Capital Times did not present him as a Democrat, but as “a continuation of the Progressive Movement in Wisconsin.”

DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGNING AND BILL PROXMIRE
Scope and Content Note: Thompson never cared for it. Bill Proxmire, however, proved its usefulness. Proxmire visited every home in his district when he first ran for the assembly. Immediately after leaving a home, he would write the person a personal postcard to be mailed shortly before election day.

REASONS FOR THE RAPID DECLINE OF THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY
Scope and Content Note: Disadvantage of not having presidential candidates to lead a campaign. Importance of presidential elections to local candidates is exemplified to Andy Biemiller's congressional races; he won in presidential election years and lost in the off years. [Note: This pattern did not hold true in 1952.]

THOMPSON ADVICE TO HENRY REUSS AFTER HIS FIRST CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION
Scope and Content Note: Told him Biemiller had had a reputation for being a pawn of labor, and that Reuss needed another issue. Reuss went on to make a reputation as an environmentalist, especially for sportsmen.

MORE ON THOMPSON'S CONGRESSIONAL RACE IN 1947
Scope and Content Note: Ran generally on Progressive Party programs.

ANECDOTE ABOUT THOMPSON'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE WAS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR IN 1948
Scope and Content Note: Miles McMillin wrote the announcement, including the phrase that “the Republican Party in Wisconsin is dragging the chains of the walking dead.” Thompson wanted that phrase taken out, but McMillin insisted that it be left in. Later, the editor of the Green Bay and Appleton newspapers, a Republican, asked McMillin to have Thompson stop in when in the area because “he gives all this dramatic stuff that you can make good stories out of.”

MILES McMILLIN WROTE ALL OF THOMPSON'S PRESS RELEASES FOR HIS CONGRESSIONAL RACE AND HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR

HOW THE SECOND DISTRICT COULD ELECT A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN (GLENN DAVIS) FOR YEARS AND THEN TURN AROUND AND ELECT A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT (BOB KASTENMEIER) FOR YEARS
Scope and Content Note: Kastenmeier is probably elected more for the attention he gives to constituent problems than for his liberal political stands.

HOW CONGRESSMAN ALVIN O'KONSKI SERVED HIS CONSTITUENTS
Scope and Content Note: If a constituent wrote with a problem by return mail he would get an acknowledgement of receipt of the letter and a commitment that O'Konski would act on it. O'Konski would then follow up a week or two later saying he had visited the proper federal agency and the situation was being investigated. A third letter would finally come telling the constituent that the problem had been solved and O'Konski was the greatest, or that the problem was not solved and it was all the fault of the federal agency which could have solved it. Thompson talked to a lot of people in his gubernatorial races who said they would vote for him for governor, but for Republican O'Konski for Congress “because he really takes care of his local people.”

EFFECTIVE CONSTITUENT INPUT TO LEGISLATORS
Scope and Content Note: The worst thing is to flood a politician with standard letters. Letters should be personalized.

THOMPSON'S METHOD OF RESPONDING TO CONSTITUENTS
Scope and Content Note: His secretary, Florence Bender, who finally retired at age 80, was the fastest typist in the capitol building. They used the technique of a very short personal letter with an enclosure.

THOMPSON WAS STILL IN THE ARMY AT THE TIME OF THE LAST PROGRESSIVE PARTY CONVENTION

DANE COUNTY LIBERALS AND THOMPSON IN HIS EARLY CAMPAIGNS DOWNPLAYED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONNECTION AND EMPHASIZED THE PROGRESSIVE TIES

EVEN IN HIS EARLY CAMPAIGNS, THE BIG ISSUE WAS PROPERTY TAXES

DAN HOAN'S LIBERAL LEAGUE AND OTHER LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY ACTIVITIES IN THE MID-1940s
Scope and Content Note: “It laid the groundwork which very substantially affected the time required for the state to go Democratic.”

END OF TAPE 27, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

BOB TEHAN
Scope and Content Note: His role in the rebirth of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin is underrated. Told Thompson it important to distribute candidacies amongst the various ethnic groups. Complained that Wisconsin Democratic Party was viewed by many as being made up solely of Roman Catholic tavernkeepers.

THE 1948 STATE DEMOCRATIC TICKET
Scope and Content Note: Henry Reuss refused to run for lieutenant governor because he had just been defeated in election for mayor of Milwaukee and thought two defeats in a row would not be good for his political career. Lieutenant governor candidacy then fell to a man who was Polish and had voted against the Rural Electric Cooperatives consistently (Anthony Gawronski). Tom Fairchild won attorney general because of his respectable political family and because the Republican primary winner was a labor lawyer who was distasteful to conservative Republicans. Ticket had a good ethnic mix. By the time Reuss decided not to run for lieutenant governor, it was too late to get a candidate better than Gawronski. Ticket was picked at a meeting in a restaurant in Jefferson County.

THOMPSON'S 1948 GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN
Scope and Content Note: Used a panel truck, loaned by George Card. Would drive up and down the main street announcing over the truck's loudspeaker that Carl Thompson would be speaking at such and such a time and such and such a place. One day he spent visiting towns in Waupaca County and not one officer of the county Democratic Party came to hear the speeches. That convinced Thompson that the current officers of the statutory party had to be replaced by strengthening the Democratic Organizing Committee (DOC).

ORGANIZING LOCAL DOC UNITS--COMPETITION FOR CONTROL
Scope and Content Note: Battle in Eau Claire County between Arthur Henning, who represented labor, and Eppie Lederer, who was later to become famous as “Ann Landers.” Battle in Racine was between Sam Rizzo and labor versus Gerald Flynn and the rest of the Democrats. When Flynn was elected to Congress, however, Rizzo became his home secretary. In Forest County the fight was between “the Poles and the Kentucks.” The “Kentucks” made moonshine during Prohibition and Gerry Clifford, a Green Bay attorney and Democratic Party activist provided them legal counsel.

1948 ELECTION IN DANE COUNTY
Scope and Content Note: Virtual sweep for Democrats. No one thought Gaylord Nelson could defeat Fred Risser. Two people were convinced to run on the county ticket because they were assured they could not possibly win, but running would be good for the Party. Thompson spent two hours one night trying to convince assemblyman Earl Mullen to run as a Democrat, but was unsuccessful since Mullen felt it improper to announce as a Republican and then run as a Democrat. He was defeated by a Democrat.

MORE ON ORGANIZING LOCAL DOC UNITS
Scope and Content Note: Started with names of labor and farm organization leaders. Added people who had participated in the 1948 campaign.

LABOR'S ROLE IN THE DOC
Scope and Content Note: State AFL President George Haberman, “a Republican,” was no longer the boss of labor. Jake Friedrick and Andy Biemiller had more influence with labor in political matters.

ORGANIZING IN MILWAUKEE
Scope and Content Note: Objective was to pull in Socialists, Progressives, and old-time Democrats.

MORE ON ORGANIZING DOC
Scope and Content Note: Contacts were farm co-op people, longtime Progressives, and active Democrats. “But...unlike any other state in the country, I'll bet, these guys who had been appointed to a national position by Roosevelt and the Democrat Party, they didn't do a thing for us, the vast majority of them.” Postmasters were much more helpful than those with high level positions, like Leo Crowley. “They didn't even write a letter saying 'Glad to see you got elected.'”

FINANCING THE EARLY CAMPAIGNS
Scope and Content Note: “Shocked” by a five hundred dollar contribution by a longtime, wealthy Democrat from the northern part of the state (Jim Corcoran). Campaign collected probably less than ten thousand dollars. The CIO became active in the 1950 campaign; campaign spent between thirty and thirty-five thousand dollars. The Republican gubernatorial candidates probably spent a minimum of two hundred thousand dollars in each of those campaigns.

GREENE-TEHAN FIGHT
Scope and Content Note: Tehan was national committeeman, which was much more important then than it is now, since Wisconsin did not have a Democratic governor or senator to deal with national appointments. The national committeeman and national committeewoman “channeled through all the recommendations for appointments. And that is what, I'm sure, Charlie Greene was after,” basically control over patronage. Elizabeth Hawkes and Art Henning were amongst the few who supported Greene.

END OF TAPE 27, SIDE 2

INTRODUCTION

FORMATION OF DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (DOC)
Scope and Content Note: The Democratic Party prior to the DOC was simply not a vehicle which could be used to win elections. Activists recruited candidates for local offices.

THE EDMUND BOBROWICZ AFFAIR
Scope and Content Note: Thaddeus Waslewski, fourth district congressman, “voted more like a Republican than the Republicans.” Bobrowicz was recruited to run against Waslewski. He defeated Wasklewski in the primary, but then it was revealed that he was a Communist. The Democrats then wound up tacitly supporting the Republican candidate in the general election, and the Republican won.

CONSERVATIVE WILLIAM CARROLL WAS MADE TREASURER OF THE DOC
Scope and Content Note: “An effort was made to marry all the factions and get a united front.” Surprising to Thompson that longtime party activist Carroll did so poorly in the 1948 gubernatorial primary. An indication that many new people were coming into the Democratic Party.

BECAUSE THOMPSON WAS SO BUSY WITH POLITICS IN 1947 AND 1948, HIS LAW PARTNER SET UP HIS OWN FIRM

THOMPSON'S LEGAL BUSINESS
Scope and Content Note: During his first year out of law school and his first year out of the army, he didn't make enough money to cover his expenses.

EVENTS BETWEEN THE 1948 ELECTION AND THE FIRST DOC CONVENTION IN 1949

THOMPSON OPPOSED PRE-PRIMARY ENDORSEMENTS BY THE DOC
Scope and Content Note: However, he thought it was going too far when some people suggested that people in positions of influence should not reveal even their personal choices.

THOMPSON APPOINTED NATIONAL COMMITTEEMAN BY THE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Scope and Content Note: By request of Bob Tehan. Julia Boegholt felt he should have spent more time at meetings and in touch with the National Committee. Thompson, however, felt his time was best spent trying to organize the party throughout Wisconsin.

ANECDOTES ABOUT TRAVELLING THE STATE WITH EDDIE MERTZ AND ENDURING SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WITH LIVESTOCK

DAN ROAN
Scope and Content Note: “I don't think he had any other great hobby or great mission in life. And so he stepped in the tenth district.” Very close to Herman Jessen.

HERMAN JESSEN
Scope and Content Note: Probably came from a place where being a Socialist was an effective way of getting things done.

BOB TEHAN'S SUPPORT OF THE YOUNG TURKS AND THE DOC BROUGHT IN MANY OLD-LINE DEMOCRATS
Scope and Content Note: He would talk to people on a one to one basis. He would not talk liberal versus conservative, but simply about building the party.

CHARLES GREENE CANDIDACY IN 1950 GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY
Scope and Content Note: Greene claimed to be more liberal than Bob Tehan; so his candidacy was not an attempt to provide a conservative alternative. His candidacy was probably just a continuation of his fight with Bob Tehan.

MORE ON GREENE-TEHAN FIGHT
Scope and Content Note: To his credit, Greene did not take advantage of a potential scandal in his fight with Tehan.

IMPORTANCE OF VIRGINIA HART IN THE EARLY GOING OF THE DOC

THE ROLE OF AMVETS AND THE AMERICAN VETERANS COMMITTEE (AVC)
Scope and Content Note: Ken Kunde from Oshkosh was a leader in AmVets. AVC activists felt the existing veterans organizations “would not necessarily represent our point of view.”

END OF INTERVIEW