Scope and Content Note

The collection is divided into six series: Correspondence, Articles and Speeches, Miscellaneous, Letterbooks, Certificates, and Photographs.

Although other lawyers sometimes wrote him asking for advice, Rubin's CORRESPONDENCE is more concerned with labor and politics than with legal matters. He often refers to cases; but the collection contains no legal briefs, and very little detail as to cases. Scattered throughout the correspondence are personal letters and notes, as Rubin kept in fairly close touch with several members of his family.

In general, it is possible to group the correspondence by years to indicate the most predominant subject at certain periods:

1908-1912

Personal letters (small quantity total)

1913-1916

Personal letters and finances; some legal and labor correspondence; letters on the Union bank in 1912-1914

1917-1918

Personal letters; letterbooks contain outgoing mail from Rubin's firm, dealing with a variety of cases

1919-1930

Predominantly correspondence with labor leaders; personal, especially on Rubin's trial (1927-1930); some on national politics in 1924

1931-1944

Mainly state and national politics; some on labor (1937), personal, and Wisconsin Cooperative Milk Pool (1933-1939)

1945-1950

Mostly politics

The correspondence Rubin carried on with national labor leaders, other lawyers, and political associates is revealing as to his own attitude toward labor, his belief in democratic processes, and his political philosophy. This correspondence includes letters exchanged with the following persons of note:

Appleton, W. A. (Sec., General Fed. of Trade Unions, London)	From: July 20, 1922
	From: October 16, 1923
	From: January 15, 1932
	From: May 25, 1932
	From: March 1, 1934
	From: January 9, 1936
Duffy, F. Ryan	1936-1938	Many letters regarding senatorial campaign of 1938.
Evjue, William T.	1930-1942	Exchanges of letters between Rubin and Evjue were frequent. Topics include politics, power of the courts, labor, editorials.
Farley, James A.	1932-1942	Frequent exchanges between Rubin and Farley, in which Rubin often analyzes Democratic failures in Wisconsin.
Frey, John P.	1917-1938	Rubin corresponded with Frey, Metal Trades Dept., AFL, more frequently and more intimately than with any other person. Topics include labor and personal opinions. Comments to Frey reveal Rubin's thinking on Wisconsin Politics also, e.g. letters of February 17, 1933, and February 24, 1933.
Gompers, Samuel	1913-1924	Although the first letter to Rubin from Gompers was in 1913, frequent correspondence between the two did not take place until after 1917. About 34 letters are from Gompers and 63 are to him. Topics include labor in Wisconsin, nationally, and in Europe.
Green, William	1924-1949	Forty-five letters exchanged between Rubin and Green. Topic mainly labor.
Lewis, John L.	From: December 28,30, 1925
	From: January 9,13,27, 1926
	From: February 2,10, 1926
	To: February 28, 1935
Roosevelt, Franklin D.	From: November 14, 1930
	From: November 9, 1932
	From: May 20, 1935
	From: May 12, 1936
	From: November 9, 1936
	To: November 6, 1930
	To Crowley: February 4, 1938
	To: October 4,7, 1940
	To: November 3, 1941
	To: December 31, 1943
Wallace, Henry A.	From: September 15, 1944
Werner, A. Matt	From: July 14, 1938
	From: November 7, 1939
	To: January 17,29, 1940

Most of the ARTICLES AND SPEECHES in three boxes are by Rubin. They are filed alphabetically much as Rubin, himself, kept them. For instance, those concerning labor are filed under “L.”

Of the MISCELLANEOUS items in two boxes, the clippings are worth noting; these are chiefly Rubin's own writings for the newspapers, although some articles are about him. The last box is entirely filled with manuscripts giving information and lists concerning state elections of the 1930s and 1940s.

For the years 1917 and 1918 there are ten LETTERBOOKS containing copies of letters sent out by Rubin's law firm. Since he had associates, many of the letters are by others than Rubin. The firm handled damage suits, claims and notes due, estate work, criminal cases, and labor matters.

Four CERTIFICATES from these papers are in an oversize package in Madison catalogued with the following number: File Jan. 21, 1913. This package contains: Certificate of appreciation, International Molders' Union; Certificate to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, Jan. 21, 1913; Testimonial to Rubin from the United Shoe Workers of America; and a Certificate of Recognition presented by the Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators, and Paperhangers of Milwaukee.

The PHOTOGRAPHS are a group portrait of Rubin and the other Wisconsin Roosevelt and Garner electors in 1932[?] and a candid shot of Rubin and others by a “Wisconsin is for Roosevelt and Wallace” sign, Oct. 21, 1940; and portraits of family members, associates, and groups.