Mills, Saul, 1910-1988

Saul Mills (born Solomon Schneidmill) was born to Isidore and Celia Schneidmill in Manhattan, New York, on May 10, 1910. After his mother's death, Mills, age five, entered an orphans' home. Just prior to the completion of his elementary school education, Mills left the orphanage and returned to his father's home, which by then provided for nine other children. While attending high school Mills worked full time as a copy boy, first for the Associated Press, and later the United Press. Mills left high school during his senior year after being offered an opportunity for advancement working as a wire-filler at United Press.

Between 1927 and 1936 Mills worked in varying capacities on a wide range of newspapers which included The Long Island Press, The New York Daily News, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, The Brooklyn Standard Union, The Monmouth County Record (NJ), and The City News Association . Mills' experiences while employed at the Press and at the Eagle provided the impetus toward full time union work. Mills' association with the noted newspaper columnist, Heywood Broun, further shaped his burgeoning interest int he labor movement. When in December 1934 Broun called for the establishment of the Newspaper Guild, Mills, then a reporter on the Eagle, became one of its charter members. Mills' subsequent union activity led to his dismissal at the Eagle . It was at this time that Mills came into contact with left-wing and Communist activists within the labor movement.

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