8/17/76

INTRODUCTION

PARTICIPATION IN BASEBALL,
Scope and Content Note: Hardiman played baseball in elementary school in Sussex. While in high school in Waukesha, Hardiman asked by Martin Weber, organizer of Land o' Lakes baseball and basketball leagues, to pitch for Land o' Lakes. Land O'Lakes expanded to Land O'Rivers and Land O'Brooks for younger players. Important Sunday recreation for boys in surrounding villages, games attended by 100-200 people. Hardiman helped organize Land O'Brooks and managed team at East Troy. Local businessmen bought uniforms and at games they “passed the hat” to pay for equipment. Hardiman did not make University team; high-caliber league ballplayers there, some of whom turned professional.

TEAM RIVALRIES
Scope and Content Note: Sussex and Moriches games sometimes erupted into brawls.

NORTH LAKE TEAM
Scope and Content Note: Joe Stapleton managed North Lake team composed of his nine sons.

PLAYOFFS
Scope and Content Note: Originally playoffs between four regions; later expanded to playoffs between counties. No state championship at the time.

DRINKING AT GAMES
Scope and Content Note: During Prohibition little drinking at games. Occasional wine or “near beer.” Women's Christian Temperance Union strong in area.

HARDIMAN AS PITCHER
Scope and Content Note: Hardiman had good “slider” which so baffled batters that Menomonee Falls refused to play Waukesha if Hardiman pitched. Hardiman also threw overhand drop and change-up. Never desired to turn professional.

RECALLS OLD MILWAUKEE BREWERS AND CHICAGO CUBS
Scope and Content Note: Saw Brewers at Borchert field and Cubs in Chicago. Gabby Harnett was favorite catcher.

HARDIMAN'S REASONS FOR PLAYING BASEBALL
Scope and Content Note: Pitched out of “intense desire to be in the thick of the activity” between pitcher and catcher. Baseball “kept us out of trouble.” Enjoyed camaraderie. Basic training in competition and good sportsmanship useful in later life.

NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL LIFE IN THE and
Scope and Content Note: St. Albans Church and Masonic Temple local centers of activity, held semi-monthly dances. Fire Department picnics. Social functions of church more important in Hardiman's youth than now. Frequent informal visiting.

END OF TAPE 4, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

COMMENTS ON MORE FREQUENT VISITATION BY NEIGHBORS BEFORE AUTOMOBILES

COOPERATIVE WORK IN HARDIMAN'S NEIGHBORHOOD
Scope and Content Note: Neighbors worked together at threshing rings and butchering bees. Elaborates on neighborhood butchering of cattle and hogs. Women contributed to “big meal”; very pleasant and social atmosphere. Neighbors did chores for sick neighbors, women provided bread for incapacitated farmwomen. Today's “separatism” has resulted in little concern for neighbors.

NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS
Scope and Content Note: In 1920's, narrow, graded roads. Farmers paid road tax by helping to maintain roads. Gravel spread when townships began to maintain highways. Today township highway department maintains blacktopped roads. Nearby State Highway 16 known in 1920's as Watertown Plank Road. Recalls roads not plowed in winter, sleighs driven on top of snow. Road improvement began after World War I, accelerated in late 1920's. Always competition in his neighborhood between farmers and non-farmers for road improvements. Recalls case in point: North Lake shoreline residents and township farmers.

POLITICS IN HARDIMAN'S NEIGHBORHOOD
Scope and Content Note: Stalwart Republicans, but also solid factions of progressives who supported “Old Bob” La Follette. When La Follette became a “social planner” many became Stalwarts and strongly supported such gubernatorial candidates as Emanuel Philipp and Walter Kohler, Sr. Phil and Bob La Follette, Jr. not supported as strongly as “Old Bob.”

BRONSON LA FOLLETTE SEEKS ENDORSEMENT OF WISCONSIN FARM BUREAU
Scope and Content Note: Support refused; Farm Bureau educates membership, does not endorse candidates.

DEMPSEY FAMILY IN WAUKESHA COUNTY ILLUSTRATES CHANGING POLITICS IN A FAMILY
Scope and Content Note: Dempseys devout Democrats in Stalwart area. Chester Dempsey ran unsuccessfully several times for county office on Democratic ticket, Finally elected to State Senate after he became a Republican.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ETHNICITY AND POLITICS IN HARDIMAN'S NEIGHBORHOOD
Scope and Content Note: Much discussion when Catholic Al Smith ran for President in 1928, and when John Kennedy ran in 1960. Milwaukee Germans, traditionally Democrats, united around Bob La Follette at time of World War I, influenced voters in Hardiman's neighborhood. Recalls that many Episcopalians supported Old Bob. Ethnicity not as important in politics now.

NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERINGS
Scope and Content Note: Neighbors met at feed mill, general store, picnics, and at church. People discussed topical issues. Men and women both participated actively in discussions. Much attention given to issue of women's suffrage, particularly in women's groups.

END TAPE 4, SIDE 2

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF STRIKE AT GOLDEN GUERNSEY COOPERATIVE
Scope and Content Note: Teamster employees struck Golden Guernsey demanding closed shop. Gavin McKerrow, Walter Hardiman, and others decided “No, we're not gonna knuckle under to a closed shop. . . .” Teamsters set up picket line; farmers helped deliver milk to customers after chores done. Majority of picketers from outside state; no evidence of communist involvement. Hardiman furnished gasoline when Teamsters cut off fuel supply for cooperative vehicles. Strike was militant, often violent trucks pushed over, burned, and “everything else.” Farmers thought closed shop violated constitutional rights. Before strike Golden Guernsey had employee profit- sharing system; after strike broken, profit-sharing plan retained and company union formed.

COMMENTS ON INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD (IWW)
Scope and Content Note: IWW called by Hardiman “I won't work.” Remembers several farmers in his neighborhood who supported IWW as being outcasts and disinterested in progressive farming practices.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WISCONSIN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE AND WISCONSIN MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORTING WISCONSIN EMPLOYMENT PEACE ACT
Scope and Content Note: Some substance to assertion that Council of Agriculture and Manufacturers Association collaborated. Remembers many discussions between his father and Milo Swanton, Council executive secretary. Council felt justified in wanting to help defend industry by curbing labor's power. Believed labor trampling individual rights; feared potentially “vicious mood” of labor would result in industry shutdown and loss of jobs.

REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION HELPS TO PASS EMPLOYMENT PEACE ACT

COMMENTS ON GOVERNOR JULIUS HEIL
Scope and Content Note: Born and raised near Big Bend in Waukesha County; a “great industrialist.” Great talker, had a lot of good ideas, was a “pretty good” governor. Believes Heil's jocular nature a facade; laughed nervously to “cover up some of his ineptness in some areas.” Remembers Heil campaigning against “La Follette's roller coasters.” Heil's election marked shift in Hardiman's community from support for Phil La Follette's Progressive Republicans to support for the stalwarts. Feared La Follette's programs would result in major tax increase. Compares situation then to today; necessity for halting “give-away programs of governments at all levels.”

PHIL LA FOLLETTE BEGINS NATIONAL CAMPAIGN,
Scope and Content Note: Farmers support for La Follette declined after he began National Progressive Party ticket. Many thought La Follette foolish since National Progressive Party confined essentially to Wisconsin; would be expensive to finance.

END TAPE 5, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

BEGINS TO FARM
Scope and Content Note: 396-acre G. B. Van Norman farm for sale for $29,500, but couldn't raise enough money. Decided to buy farm in town of Merton near Waukesha-Washington County line in March, 1940. Paid $5,000 down on the deal in May, 1040, on $23,000 farm and financed the balance with previous owner.

FARM HOME
Scope and Content Note: Original portion of farm home built in 1848; another portion in 1923.

BEGINS TO FARM
Scope and Content Note: Farm improvements took precedence over house. Had to sell 90 dozen eggs to purchase new mower guards to cut hay. Bought drill from canning plant for $20.00 to replace broadcast seeder for planting oats--first in neighborhood to do so. Built up herd from 12 milk cows; improved and expanded barns to hold 44 stanchions. Ultimately increased herd from original 12 milk cows to 126.

PURCHASES SECOND FARM
Scope and Content Note: Spring of 1944, bought Naylor farm for $10,000. House on second farm used for hired man and family.

DEATH OF OLDEST DAUGHTER
Scope and Content Note: Daughter's illness and death because of purpura cost Hardiman $35,000; had no insurance. Probably caused by sulfanilamide, prescribed for pneumonia in March, 1944. Hardiman sold 2-3 cows at a time to appease creditors.

IMPACT OF WORLD WAR II ON FARMING
Scope and Content Note: Milk prices went from $1.72 a hundred in 1940 to $5.25 a hundred in 1945; government also paid subsidy to dairy industry as post-war obligations; “put us in the driver's seat.” Milk checks rose to $3,500-$4,000 per month.

WAUKESHA COUNTY FARM MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
Scope and Content Note: Belonged to Association managed by Willis Freitag.

HERD IMPROVEMENT
Scope and Content Note: Bought a good Holstein bull from Canada for $900. Improved production through dairy herd improvement from 5,600 pounds of milk and 387 pounds of fat per cow to 16,000 pounds of milk and 486 pounds of fat in 1970. Raised own replacement cattle to improve herd through artificial insemination to prevent disease. Developed good herd, but in later years didn't have money to continue, and had to disperse herd in 1970.

ANECDOTE ABOUT TENNESSEE HOLSTEIN BUYER
Scope and Content Note: Long-time buyer returned in summer, 1976, to inquire about purchasing cattle from Hardiman, not realizing herd dispersed in 1970.

END TAPE 5, SIDE 2
Note: There is no Tape 6.

INTRODUCTION

GROWTH OF FARM BUREAU IN WISCONSIN AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES TO FARMERS
Scope and Content Note: Services built from old farm supply cooperative; plant foods begun in 1944. To get “thirteenth” check member required to join FB, and preferred stock induced others to purchase fertilizer. In Waukesha County, between 1930's and mid-1950's, membership climbed from 268 to 1215. State membership rose to 31,000. Mutual insurance sales also contributed to growing membership.

COOPERATIVE PETROLEUM BUYING IN
Scope and Content Note: Early plans to import gasoline at Prairie du Chien never materialized because some local county Farm Bureaus already had contracts with local jobbers. Later, FB set up Wisconsin Farm Supply (FS) to negotiate petroleum purchasing contracts from private companies. Today, all petroleum purchased through FS.

EARLY INDEPENDENT FARMERS COOPERATIVES IN WAUKESHA COUNTY
Scope and Content Note: Once many independent fertilizer and cooperative grain-purchasing elevators. Statewide, FB expanded distribution only where Midland didn't exist, or where there were few Farmers Union cooperatives.

OFFICERS OF PLANT FOODS COOPERATIVE AND COUNTY FARM BUREAU
Scope and Content Note: Officers the same.

CONTROVERSY WITHIN FARM BUREAU
Scope and Content Note: Membership has never unanimously approved any FB policy, but controversy helped make FB a strong organization.

HARDIMAN'S FARM EXPANSION
Scope and Content Note: Over the years, rented additional land for cropping and pasturing until late 1960's. Sold Naylor farm in 1973; now owns home farm of 200 acres, only 20 acres more than in 1940.

FARM LABOR
Scope and Content Note: Several former hired men now own farms in neighborhood. Paid high wages, but hard to hire competent farm labor during World War II. Unsuccessful in getting farm labor in 1960's, a factor leading to liquidation of herd and bulk of farm in 1970's as daughters married non-farmers.

DRAWBACKS OF DAIRY FARMING
Scope and Content Note: 365-day commitment has discouraged young dairy farmers. Hardiman sympathetic; realizes now dedication to success kept him and his wife from taking “time to enjoy ourselves the way we should have.” Wife now ill and Hardiman has heart condition; could have enjoyed life more and still had farm.

IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE FARMS TO SURVIVAL OF FAMILY FARMING
Scope and Content Note: Recent trend to farm corporations, composed of family members, allows farmers weekends off and occasional week-long vacations. Farm corporation “is the salvation of free agriculture.” Hardiman helped set up many farm corporations while in FB. Corporate structure eliminates death taxes; joint ownership prevents dissolution of farm.

END TAPE 7, SIDE 1

INTRODUCTION

LAND TAXATION AND VALUATION
Scope and Content Note: In 1940 purchased 180 acre farm for $23,000, paid $183 in taxes. Today farm valued at $250,000; taxed at $3,686. Land value began to skyrocket about 1969-70 due to “exodus” from Milwaukee metropolitan area. “For years we saw the farm people going to the city; now we're seeing the city people coming back to the country.” Today Hardiman's property zoned; building in town of Merton is restricted but Hardiman fears increased construction in neighborhood will lead to “slummy” conditions.

RECOLLECTION OF FIRST STATE FAIR HARDIMAN ATTENDED,
Scope and Content Note: Recalls driving to state fair in surrey. Saw horse races, twelve foot tall Uncle Sam. Unsanitary concession stands, but clean sandwiches available at dairy building.

END INTERVIEW SESSION