Ekern, Herman Lewis, 1872-1954. Herman Lewis Ekern papers, 1872-1954.
Title:
Herman Lewis Ekern papers, 1872-1954.
Papers of Herman L. Ekern, a Wisconsin attorney, progressive Republican, and state official, relating to progressive politics and campaigns, insurance practices and legislation, the St. Lawrence Seaway, Great Lakes water diversion, the University of Wisconsin, and programs such as social security and unemployment compensation. Primarily correspondence, the collection also includes speeches and writings of Ekern on insurance or related topics; records of the Lutheran Brotherhood, a large fraternal life insurance company which he helped found; materials collected during his studies of war-risk insurance and of social security; legal files; papers from his own political campaigns and from the La Follette-Wheeler 1924 campaign; and copies of minutes and reports of the Wisconsin Unemployment Commission, 1931-1932. The correspondence reflects Ekern's personal, political, and business interests. Early correspondence concerns family affairs and the beginning of his law practice at Whitehall, Wis. (1894-1911). With his election to the Assembly in 1902, politics and legislation become prominent topics. Ekern authored railroad retirement and teachers' retirement acts and was actively interested in other legislation involving taxation, redistricting, the county court system, and establishment of the state life insurance code. Ekern served as state insurance commissioner, 1910-1915, and letters from this period concern insurance as well as his interest in other progressive legislation and in the national progressive campaign in 1912. His 1924 files as finance chairman of the La Follette-Wheeler presidential ticket are present as are the files of Will R. McCord, a professional fund-raiser employed to direct solicitation of funds in other states. In 1926 there are letters concerning Ekern's unsuccessful bid for the Wisconsin governorship. Ekern later was in private law practice in Chicago and Madison, was an unsuccessful Progressive candidate for United States senate in 1938, and served on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1939-1943. Much of his correspondence relates to the regents, alumni activities, and University fund-raising projects. Many state and national figures are included among Ekern's correspondents: Jane Addams, Robert S. Allen, Newton D. Baker, Roger N. Baldwin, George E. Beedle, Edward A. Birge, John J. Blaine, William E. Borah, Charles E. Broughton, John R. Commons, Henry A. Cooper, Robert S. Cowie, Charles H. Crownhart, Andrew H. Dahl, Joseph E. Davies, John S. Donald, Matthew S. Dudgeon, F. Ryan Duffy, Clarence A. Dykstra, John J. Esch, William T. Evjue, Felix Frankfurter, James A. Frear, Zona Gale, Julius P. Heil, Morris Hillquit, Daniel W. Hoan, Frederick L. Holmes, Henry Huber, Merlin Hull, Charles E. Kading, Bryant Kearl, Henry Krumrey, Belle Case La Follette, Philip F. La Follette, Robert M. La Follette, Robert M. La Follette, Jr., Irvine L. Lenroot, Solomon Levitan, Louis P. Lochner, Huey P. Long, William G. McAdoo, Charles McCarthy, Francis E. McGovern, Charles L. McNary, Basil Manly, John M. Nelson, George W. Norris, Michael B. Olbrich, Samuel M. Pedrick, Emanuel L. Philipp, Gifford Pinchot, W. T. Rawleigh, Wilbur N. Renk, Oscar Rennebohm, John W. Reynolds, Alfred T. Rogers, Morris H. Rubin, Harry Sauthoff, Frank J. Sensenbrenner, Henrik Shipstead, Samuel Sigman, Isaac Stephenson, Carl Thompson, Charles R. Van Hise, George S. Viereck, Frank P. Walsh, Burton K. Wheeler, William Allen White, Edwin E. Witte, and Fred R. Zimmerman.
ArchivalResource:
36.4 c.f. (91 archives boxes)
http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/145784990 View
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