Part 1 (Mss 452): Original Collection, 1888-1966
Physical Description: 36.0 c.f. (90 archives boxes) and 1 reel of microfilm (35mm) 
Scope and Content Note

The Original Collection is divided into three main series: Public Papers, Family Papers, and Organizational Records. The first of these is by far the largest component of the collection and contains Amlie's correspondence, congressional files, campaign materials, speeches, writings, and a large number of newspaper clippings concerning his career. Family Papers pertain mainly to Gehrta Amlie's activities and to her family, and the final series consists of records of a number of third party and other political organizations with which Amlie was affiliated.

The Public Papers are arranged in seven separate subseries ranging in size from one folder to seventy-one boxes. Six of these subseries, General Correspondence, Addresses and Writings, Campaign Material, Congressional Subject File, Press Releases, and Clippings, bring together like types of material; the other, Interstate Commerce Commission Nomination, contains various types of records concerning that one event.

The General Correspondence cuts across all phases of Amlie's life. It includes letters to and from family members and friends, correspondence relating to his legal practice, campaign and constituent letters, and letters relating to his role with liberal political organizations and movements.

Among the earliest letters are a few concerning Amlie's role in the 1924 La Follette-Wheeler campaign. However, the great bulk of the correspondence does not commence until Amlie began his congressional campaign in 1931. Much of the correspondence while Amlie was in congress (October 13, 1931-March 3, 1933 and January 3, 1935-January 3, 1939) can be classified as constituent correspondence. While much of this is routine and somewhat repetitive, it is also revealing as to the times. The Depression is a constant theme: job opportunities, soldiers' bonus legislation, relief legislation, the federal works program (WPA), mortgage loans, the federal budget, taxes, and the political situation. Amlie also received considerable amounts of mail in 1937 and 1938 concerning his sponsorship of the Industrial Expansion Act and the reorganization of the Supreme Court.

Much of the rest of the correspondence from the 1930's and early 1940's resulted from Amlie's affiliation with political organizations and movements. Correspondents in this regard include: Oscar Ameringer, publisher of the American Guardian; Alfred M. Bingham, co-editor of Common Sense; Paul H. Douglas of the University of Chicago; Nathan Fine of the American Commonwealth Political Federation (ACPF); George B. Galloway of the National Economic and Social Planning Association; Philip F. and Robert M. La Follette, Jr.; Floyd B. Olson, governor of Minnesota; Selden Rodman, co-editor of Common Sense; Samuel Sigman of the Farmer-Labor and Progressive League of Wisconsin; Norman Thomas; Howard Y. Williams of the Farmer-Labor party, the ACPF and the Union for Democratic Action (UDA); and William E. Zeuch of the Resettlement Administration and founder of Commonwealth College.

Foremost among the organizations whose work is reflected in the General Correspondence is the ACPF. In 1935 Nathan Fine of the Rand School of Social Science went to Washington to serve as director of the newly formed organization. Amlie furnished office space for the Federation and Fine's letters as director, are an integral part of the collection. In fact, the researcher will sometimes find it difficult to distinguish between Amlie and Fine as author of letters in instances where the signature does not appear on the carbon. Correspondence for the ACPF period, 1935-1938, not only covers the national office, but also includes many communications from state groups that tried to form a Commonwealth affiliation, particularly California, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington. Letters from Herbert Hard in Ohio, H.J. Crim in Colorado, and R.W. Hadden in California are particularly numerous. In addition to the ACPF, letters touch on activities of organizations and movements such as: American League Against War and Fascism, 1934-1936; Continental Committee for Economic Abundance, 1934-1935; Farmer-Labor Political Federation of the United States, 1933-1936; Farmer-Labor Progressive League of Wisconsin, 1934-1936; League for Independent Political Action, 1933; Progressive party, 1931-1938; and Townsend Plan, 1935. Other correspondence of the late 1930's concerns the Spanish Civil War (Amlie's brother Hans served with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade) and the controversy over his nomination to the ICC.

Correspondence for the 1940's is not as heavy as that of the previous decade. Important topics are Amlie's involvement with the UDA, 1942-1947, and with the CIO-Political Action Committee (CIO-PAC), 1944. Between 1942 and 1946 Amlie spent a great deal of time on the East Coast away from his family. Consequently there is a good deal of correspondence between Amlie and his wife Gehrta. In addition to family matters there is frequent discussion of state and national political issues and persistent mention of the family financial problems and of Amlie's inability to find a job in government. Additional correspondents for this period include Samuel Sigman, with whom he frequently discussed Wisconsin politics, James Loeb, Jr. of the UDA, Howard Y. Williams, William Zeuch, and James H. and Charles McGill. The latter two shared much of Amlie's political philosophy and also owned and managed the McGill Manufacturing Company of Valparaiso, Indiana. Correspondence with them concerns liberal political causes as well as legal work Amlie did for the company.

By 1946 Amlie had opened a law office in Madison. Letters from that date on become progressively more sparse. Included is occasional correspondence with state political figures including Andrew J. Biemiller, Danial Hoan, and Howard J. McMurray; exchanges with old friends including Paul Douglas, the McGills, Jerry Voorhis, Aubrey Williams, Howard Y. Williams, and William Zeuch; and letters relating to his legal practice. Pockets of heavier correspondence surround Amlie's campaign for the state Supreme Court in 1949 and for Congress in 1958. In addition many letters from 1950-1954 concern Amlie's attempts to promote his book, Let's Look at the Record.

In his drive to put across a third party and to advance his liberal views, Amlie did a great deal of writing and public speaking. The New Republic, June 20, 1934, referred to him as “the spokesman for the intellectual radicals as well as for all left-wing elements....” The Addresses and Writings subseries includes final versions, drafts and notes of Amlie's speeches, magazine articles, pamphlets, and book. His major works are arranged by title. These include the Forgotten Man's Handbook, a pamphlet published in 1935 shortly after the formation of the ACPF; Les Etats-Unis Sur Le Chemin De L'Abundance, a French translation of Amlie's August 26, 1935, speech before the House on the economy; “A Congress to Win the War;” “Jobs For All;” and Let's Look at the Record. Amlie considered “A Congress to Win the War,” published as a supplement to the New Republic, May 18, 1942, as his principal contribution to the liberal cause in the 1940's. Written under the sponsorship of the UDA, the 300,000 copies distributed served as a campaign document for the supporters of the Roosevelt administration. On November 27, 1943, The Nation published Amlie's “Jobs For All” as a supplement. The following year he signed a contract to expand this into a book entitled “Revolution by Consent.” Several revisions of this book appear in the collection, but it was never published. In 1950 Amlie subsidized the publication of Let's Look at the Record, a summary of the records of the two major parties since 1929, especially as reflected by the votes of members of Congress.

Other materials in the Addresses and Writings subseries are in chronological order and date from 1923, 1928, and 1931-1958. The 1923 entry concerns farming conditions and agricultural cooperatives and stems from Amlie's position with the Wisconsin Department of Markets. The balance primarily concerns politics and the economy. Most papers date from the 1930's and many of these are campaign and congressional speeches. Also included are radio addresses and articles published in Common Sense and other journals.

Second in terms of volume to the General Correspondence is the Congressional Subject File. Organized alphabetically by file heading, this subseries dates from 1928-1938 and includes printed reference material and occasional letters from constitu ents and interest groups. Extensive files are found on Prohibition (Amlie was a wet), Roosevelt's government reorganization bill of 1938, and various issues related to the economy. Also included here is a file of Amlie's congressional newsletters. See the container list (p. 9) for a complete listing of the file headings.

Clippings consist of a chronological run dated 1924, 1931-1958 and four scrapbooks dated 1931-1938. In addition to newspaper and magazine clippings some campaign memorabilia is also included. The chronological group has been microfilmed and the originals destroyed; the scrapbooks were not filmed due to the format of the volumes. The scrapbooks seem to concentrate on Amlie's election campaigns, while the chronological run documents all phases of his career with special emphasis on the ICC nomination.

The remaining subseries within the Public Papers are largely self-explanatory. These are Campaign Material, 1931-1958, consisting of leaflets, broadsides, advertisements, platforms and similar types of material from Amlie's election compaigns, Interstate Commerce Commission Nomination, 1939, including a transscript and other papers from the subcommittee holding hearings on the nomination; and Press Releases, 1931-1945, nearly all of which originated from Amlie's terms in Congress or his campaigns.

Series: Public Papers, 1911-1966

Subseries: General Correspondence

1911-November 1931

December 1931-January 24, 1932

January 25-February 18, 1932

February 19-March 18, 1932

March 19-April 18, 1932

April 19-May 24, 1932

May 25-June 1932

July-November 1932

December 1932-January 1933

February-September 1933

October 1933-February 1934

March-July 1934

August-November 1934

December 1934-January 25, 1935

January 26-February 1935

March 1-27, 1935

March 28-April 25, 1935

April 26-May 20, 1935

May 21-June 15, 1935

June 16-July 10, 1935

July 11-August 4, 1935

August 5-31, 1935

September 1935

October 1935

November 1-28, 1935

November 29-December 25, 1935

December 26, 1935-January 12, 1936

January 13-31, 1936

February 1-18, 1936

February 19-March 3, 1936

March 4-20, 1936

March 21-April 4, 1936

April 5-24, 1936

April 25-May 10, 1936

May 11-31, 1936

June 1936

July-August 1936

September 1936

October-December 10, 1936

December 11-31, 1936

January-February 10, 1937

February 11-March 10, 1937

March 11-April 5, 1937

April 6-May 6, 1937

May 7-June 20, 1937

June 21-August 6, 1937

August 7-September 1937

October-November 20, 1937

November 21-December 1937

January-February 1938

February 5-23, 1938

February 24-March 12, 1938

March 13-31, 1938

March (undated)-April 25, 1938

April 26-May 25, 1938

May 26-July 10, 1938

July 11-August 21, 1938

August 22-October 15, 1938

October 16, 1938-January 1939

February-June 1939

July 1939-October 1940

November 1940-May 1942

June-December 1942

January 1943-December 1944

1945-1946

1947-1949

1950-May 1951

June 1951-June 1953

July 1953-1956

1957-1966, undated

Undated

Subseries: Addresses and Writings

Major Works

“A Congress to Win the War” (New Republic Supplement)

Notes and Drafts

Published Version, May 1942

Les Etats-Unis Sur Le Chemin De L'Abundance

Forgotten Man's Handbook, 1935-1937

“Jobs For All” (Nation Supplement), November 1943

“Revolution By Consent”

Drafts, 1944, 1946

Miscellaneous Notes, circa 1948

Let's Look at the Record

Notes and Drafts

Published Version, 1950

Chronological File

1923, 1928, 1931-1933

1934-1940

1941-1958

Undated

Undated

Subseries: Campaign Material

1931-1958

1932-1938

Subseries: Congressional Subject File

Agricultural Relief, 1931-1933

Appropriations, 1932

Army, 1932

Banking and Banking Legislation, 1932-1938

Bills Introduced, 1932-1938

Bonus Legislation, 1932

Budget Balancing, 1932

Business Statistics, 1931-1932

Chamber of Commerce (National), 1932-1933

Chain Store Legislation, 1936

Civil Service, 1932

Coinage, Weights, and Measures, Committee on, undated

Conservation, Parks, and Forests, 1932

Consumer Research, 1931-1932

Cooper, Henry Allen (Bills Introduced by), 1930

Copyright, 1932, 1936

Crank Mail, 1932

Drainage, 1932

Economic Situation, 1931-1933

Editorial Research Reports, 1932

Education, 1932

Federal Communications Commission, 1937

Federal Construction, 1932

Federal Farm Board, 1932

Federal Housing Administration, 1937

Federal Power Commission, 1938

Federal Salaries, 1932

Flood Control, 1932

Foreign Affairs, 1932

Highway Aid, 1932

Hoover's Speech, 1928

Immigration and Naturalization, 1931

Interior, Department of, 1937

Joint Stock Land Banks, 1932

Justice, Department of, 1937

Labor, 1930-1932

Labor, Department of, 1937-1938

La Follette, Philip, 1931-1932

League of Nations, 1932

Ludlow War Referendum Bill, 1937

Legislation (Miscellaneous), 1932

Mississippi Valley Association, 1932

Muscle Shoals Power Plant (Hill Bill), 1931-1932

National Labor Relations Board, 1937-1938

National Parks, 1932

Navy Legislation, 1937

Negroes, 1932

Neutrality and Neutrality Legislation, 1936

Newsletters, 1932-1938

Oleomargarine, 1931

Pensions (Old Age), 1932

Pensions (Railroad Employees), 1931-1932

Peoples' Lobby, 1932-1933

Pepper-Coffee Bill, 1938

Pettingill Bill, 1937

Philippines, 1932

Politics, 1931-1933

Post Office Legislation, 1932-1938

Power Trusts, 1932-1933

Price Maintenance, 1937

Prohibition, 1930-1933

Processing Tax, 1937-1938

Public Works Administration, 1936, 1938

Public Works Program, 1932

Radio Legislation, 1937

Railroad Legislation, 1937-1938

Ramspeck Civil Service Law, 1937

Recovery Program, 1937-1938

Reorganization Bill

March-April 1938

May-June 1938

Sugar Legislation, 1937

Voting Record, 1931-1938

Walsh-Healy Act, 1938

Works Progress Administration, 1938

Subseries: Interstate Commerce Commission Nomination, 1939

Subseries: Press Releases, 1931-1945

Subseries: Clippings

1924, 1931-1958

Scrapbooks

1931

1931-February 1933

1931, 1934, 1936

August-September 1938

Series: Family Papers
Scope and Content Note: This series includes genealogical material on both the Amlie and Ryum sides of Thomas Amlie's family; correspondence; and some papers of Gehrta Amlie. Correspondence between Amlie and his immediate family is included in the Public Papers. Included here are letters from Germany (in German) apparently written to a close relative of Gehrta Amlie in this country. The papers of Gehrta Amlie include some of her early poetry and verse, 1928-1932. Most, however, consist of letters, financial information, and other papers relating to her operation of the Playhouse Nursery School in Madison.

Amlie and Ryum Genealogies, 1944, 1958

Correspondence, 1888-1920

Papers of Gehrta Amlie, 1928-1932, 1947-1952

Series: Organizational Records
Scope and Content Note: In the course of his involvement with third party and other political movements, Amlie accumulated minutes, newsletters, financial reports, and other types of records from the organizations listed below. Most thoroughly documented is the ACPF, which he helped found and for which he provided office space. Among the ACPF records is a card file listing members and others who showed interest in the organization. The cards are organized by state, and alphabetically thereunder, and often contain references to correspondence between the individual and the ACPF. Also well documented is the UDA, which Amlie served at various times as staff member and member of the board of directors. The other organizations are represented by similar but somewhat smaller amounts of material. Amlie's correspondence relating to these organizations is in the General Correspondence segment of the Public Papers.

American Commonwealth Political Federation

“Bulletins,” 1936

Card File

Alabama-Louisiana

Maine-New York

North Carolina-Wyoming

Financial, 1935-1937

General, 1935-1937, 1944

Minutes, 1935

News Releases, 1935-1936

Roll Call (Enrollment) Lists, 1936

CIO-Political Action Committee

Congressmen's Records, 1944

General, 1943-1946

Farmer-Labor Political Federation of the U.S., 1933-1940

Farmer-Labor Progressive Federation of Wisconsin, 1934-1939

Farmer-Labor Progressive League, 1934

National Citizens' Political Action Committee (NC-PAC), 1944-1945

Progressive Party, 1934

Union For Democratic Action

Bulletins and Press Releases, 1942-1946

Congressional Newsletters, 1943-1946

Data on Congressional Elections, 1942

Executive Board and Committee Meetings, 1942-1946

General, 1942-1947