Fourteen-page typescript letter in binder, headed Oakland, California, June 26, 1937. The salutation reads: "Nellie G. Donohoe, To Whom It May Concern"; there is no signature. A stamp on the last page verso states: "Received Div. of Women's and Professional Projects, Works Progress Administration, Jul 12, 1937". The unidentified author was evidently a writer at the Oakland branch of the WPA Federal Writers' Project; he may also have been associated with the Communist Party in California. In this letter he documents what he believes to the misconduct of the Oakland project director, George Whitmore and other members of the staff. "To this writer's knowledge, the Oakland Project has, for months, been the clearing house for propaganda of a radical nature." He describes Whitmore and others as participating in a "strike" effort with other WPA members from the Bay Area and as supporting local political candidates such as William Marshall Wilkerson, running for the Oakland City Council. These activities the author believes to be directed by subversive groups -- the Workers Alliance of California and/or the Communist Party. During this period Federal Writers' Projects throughout the country were under similar attack and thus the author seems to be participating in this national movement to discredit various WPA projects. The bulk of the letter provides historical background on the internal workings of the Oakland Project leading up to the current charges. The letter concludes with three lists: "Confidential list of directors, supervisors and member of the Federal Writers' Project active in the Communistic Party" which provides job ID numbers, home addresses, job titles and party affiliations; "Recruitng methods employed by members of Federal Writers' Project to enlist new members to Communist Party"; and "List of members of Federal Writers' Project, Oakland, California, NOT members of the Communistic Party and NON-STRIKERS of recent 'Sit-Down' Strike" which provides names and job ID numbers only. It is not clear how Nellie G. Donohoe is associated with this letter. In 1937 she was serving as Postmaster of the City of Oakland; she was also active in the Democratic Party of California.
