The Dirksen Congressional Center

The Dirksen Congressional Center promotes research and scholarship to advance the public understanding of the U.S. Congress

Politics

1928-69

1 Dirksen, Everett McKinley (1896-1969), Papers

Politics, 1928-69
11 linear shelf feet, 722 folders

The Politics series of the Everett Dirksen Papers consists of three major divisions: correspondence, reference, and Republican National Convention. The last division was received with the original gift of the Dirksen papers. Political correspondence and reference materials were gathered in subsequent acquisitions and added to the collection in February 1982.

The correspondence division (f. 1-477) contains letters and telegrams to Dirksen and some of his campaign workers, 1928-66. There are comparatively few copies of Dirksen’s responses. Subjects discussed include Republican Party principles, organization, and performance; Dirksen’s campaigns for the U.S. House and Senate; election analyses; and political or campaign issues. Information about Dirksen’s 1950 Senate campaign is particularly plentiful. The quality of documentation for other years is considerably more uneven. Related information may be found in the Chicago Office series, Politics subseries.

The reference division (f. 478-629) dates from 1928 through 1968 and includes some campaign memorabilia; issue statements, pamphlets, and position papers; political publications; certificates of nomination; reference materials for speeches; campaign data; and miscellany. Dirksen’s 1944 presidential campaign and 1950 Senate campaign are relatively well covered. Related information may be found in the Chicago Office series, Politics subseries.

The Republican National Convention division (f. 630-722), 1956-69, consists of three subdivisions: candidates, general information, and Platform Committee. The candidates file, 1968, contains letters and telegrams to Dirksen regarding Republican presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The general information file, 1962-68 contains miscellaneous correspondence regarding the convention site and arrangements, the Republican Party, and television coverage. The Platform Committee subdivision, 1956-69, relates chiefly to Dirksen’s chairmanship of the 1968 Platform Committee. It includes agendas, correspondence, platform suggestions and operations, analyses of the Republican party, and past platforms.

Each of the three major divisions of Politics is described more fully in the finding aid.

  • f. 1-7

    Correspondence (1928-39). Republican Party principles, organization, and performance; Dirksen’s candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives and his campaigns; post-1936 election analysis by Illinois Republican county officials; campaign funds, 1938; Townsend Plan. There are no letters for the years 1933-35, 1937.

  • f. 8-11

    Correspondence (1940-48). Letters of endorsement for Dirksen, including some from labor and farm organizations; letter from House Minority Leader Joseph Martin praising Dirksen; congressional campaigns; Social Security; letter from Thomas Dewey thanking Dirksen, 1948. There are no letters for 1941.

  • f. 12-78

    Correspondence (1949). Dirksen’s 1950 campaign for U.S. Senate including scheduling, financing, and organization; expressions of support for Dirksen; opinions on issues; invitations to speak; Republican Party prospects. Correspondents include campaign director and fundraisers Harold E . Rainville, H .J . Neumiller, and R .C. Ingersoll. Documents include periodic campaign reports from Dirksen. There are few copies of Dirksen’s responses to letters. Related materials can be found in the Chicago Office file.

  • f. 79-431

    Correspondence (1950). Dirksen’s 1950 campaign for the U.S. Senate including scheduling, financing, and organization; expressions of support for Dirksen; opinions on issues; Republican Party prospects; messages of congratulations upon Dirksen’s election. Documents include periodic campaign reports (e.g., June 16, July 18, October 12 and 26) and letters from Congress Members and the Republican National Committee.

  • f. 423-435

    Correspondence (1951-54). Campaign anecdotes; expressions of support for Dirksen; confidential letter establishing 1952 campaign bank account for Dirksen; 1952 presidential campaign; analysis of Dirksen’s 1950 campaign (February 25, 1952); Dirksen’s prescription for good government (March 3, 1952); observations about Robert Taft’s 1952 presidential bid; split in the Republican ranks over the 1952 presidential candidate; four-page, handwritten letter (Accession 164) from Taft to Dirksen, August 6, 1952, explaining Taft’s philosophy and conditions for campaigning for Dwight Eisenhower. There are no letters for 1953.

  • f. 436-461

    Correspondence (1955). Letters endorsing Dirksen; analysis of Jewish vote in Illinois; information gathered for use in Dirksen’s 1956 campaign; thanks for Dirksen’s help; state and national politics; campaign fundraising, including correspondence with Ralph J . Scheu.

  • f. 462-475

    Correspondence (1956). Campaign contributions; political information; suggestions for campaign strategy; endorsements; memo regarding Illinois patronage record; July 9 campaign summary; campaign workers.

  • f. 476-477

    Correspondence (1957-66). Information about Illinois politics; campaign contributions; copy of Paul Douglas letter to the White House complaining about a lack of support for Dirksen’s 1962 opponent.

  • f. 478

    Reference (n.d.). Miscellany; campaign brochure for Dirksen opponent M .R . Clark.

  • f. 479-485

    Reference (1928-37). Lists; brochures; handwritten notes; political advertising costs, 1930; precinct vote, 1930; campaign brochure comparing Dirksen and opponent William Hull; 1930 Dirksen primary petition certification; memo about Pekin’s growth, 1930; election brochure and statistics, 1932; certificate of nomination, 1934; Illinois State Republican Committee’s “Abe Lincoln’s Scrapbook, 1936”; campaign brochure, pamphlets, bumper sticker, endorsements, and speech, 1936; Illinois Republican Citizens Organizations’ bulletin, 1937.

  • f. 486-491

    Reference (1938-39). Campaign memorabilia ; statements about issues; pamphlets; endorsements; speeches and studies prepared by others.

  • f. 492-501

    Reference (1940). “The Roosevelt Record in Red!”; Dirksen’s campaign brochures, advertising copy; “The True Republican Record”; miscellaneous campaign brochures and information; endorsements; quotations from Franklin Roosevelt and Wendell Willkie.

  • f. 502-504

    Reference (1941-43). Pekin Times editorial regarding Dirksen’s support for Roosevelt’s foreign policy; Dirksen opponent James D. Carrigan’s 1942 campaign brochure; Dirksen campaign ads; endorsement; “One Man— Wendell Willkie” (1943); Fortune article about Dirksen; information gathered for 1944 campaign.

  • f. 505-545

    Reference (1944). Brochures and statements on campaign issues; Roosevelt’s desire for a fourth term; reference materials for campaign statements; documents regarding Roosevelt’s record; Thomas E . Dewey’s campaign; Dirksen’s presidential campaign including brochures, biography, advertising, congressional petition, list of contributors; statement justifying Dirksen as vice presidential choice; national presidential campaign information; Republican National Convention materials; Henry Hoke, “Black Mail”; “A Frustrated Congress”; Opinion Research Corporation, “Dewey vs . Roosevelt: An Analysis of the Presidential Campaign”; documents concerning Sidney Hillman and labor unions; Republican National Committee publications; copies of remarks by Dewey, Bricker, and others; financial report of Dirksen for President Club.

  • f. 546-551

    Reference (1946-49). 1946 campaign materials including Dirksen brochure, advertising copy pamphlets, and opponent Hans A. Spading materials; statistical analysis of 1948 election; information gathered for 1950 campaign including schedule and contributors lists.

  • f. 552

    Reference (1950). Dirksen, Everett. Endorsements; campaign brochures and policy statements; campaign letterhead samples; itinerary; Dirksen’s voting record, 1945-46.

  • f. 553-556

    Reference (1950). Lists.

  • f. 557-559

    Reference (1950). Lucas, Scott. Campaign brochures; voting record, 1945-46. Lucas announcement of candidacy, 12/27/49.

  • f. 560-561

    Reference (1950). Media. Advertising information; miscellany.

  • f. 562-567

    Reference (1950). Miscellaneous. Samples of campaign memorabilia; speech materials ; issues statements; information about the Defense Production Act of 1950, Truman-Lucas civil rights program, communism.

  • f. 568

    Reference (1950). Notes: Miscellany; fragments.

  • f. 569

    Reference (1950). Scrapbook. Clippings concerning Democrats’ performance, 1949-50.

  • f. 570-605

    Reference (Jan.-Nov. 1950). Dated reference materials. Itineraries; information about campaign issues; Dirksen campaign items; lists; bulletins; material pertaining to Scott Lucas; platform and program information for the Illinois Republican State Convention; Senate Republican Policy Committee issue reports.

  • f. 606

    Reference (1951) . Information about Illinois Dirksen for President Clubs ; Dirksen remarks at Illinois State Fair.

  • f. 607-612

    Reference (1952). Senatorial Campaign Committee folder; information about Illinois Senate bill 102, an anti-subversives bill; lengthy analysis of Adlai Stevenson’s gubernatorial administration; information about Dwight Eisenhower; Republican Party publications and compilations; 1952 bound copy of Republican National Convention program; Dirksen’s nomination of Taft remarks.

  • f. 613

    Reference (1954). Senate vote analysis; miscellany.

  • f. 614-617

    Reference (1955). Federal election law reform; transcript of Israel Bond Dinner, Chicago; information about campaign issues in 1956; memorandum on Senate staff members’ political contributions; donor lists for Dirksen testimonial dinner; speech material; press release announcing Dirksen’s candidacy for Senate; preliminary campaign activities.

  • f. 552A

    Reference (1950). Form Letters. Model letters in response to offers of congratulations. [ACC. 97/1/15-3]

  • f. 618-621

    Reference (1956) . Campaign strategy statements ; biographical material ; sample petition for nomination ; lists of possible campaign supporters ; advertising ; certification of Dirksen’s primary victory ; 1956 Republican National Convention program; copy of Eisenhower letter endorsing Dirksen.

  • f. 622

    Reference (1957). Republican National Committee, “The 1956 Elections: A Summary Report with Supporting Tables.”

  • f. 623

    Reference (1958-59). Lists of campaign contributions returned (1958); analysis of William Stratton’s popularity in bid for a third term as Governor.

  • f. 624-625

    Reference (1960-62). Clippings annotated copy of Democratic platform; memo, “A Political Assessment”; Dirksen campaign materials; certification of victory in primary election ; list of contributors to 1962 campaign.

  • f. 626

    Reference (1966). Charles Percy’s campaign for U .S . Senate; memo regarding campaign contribution to Paul Douglas.

  • f. 627-629

    Reference (1968). Dirksen statement outlining his legislative accomplishments during entire career; speech materials and campaign information from Richard Nixon’s campaign.

  • f. 630

    Republican National Convention (RNC) . Candidates. Miscellaneous (July-August, 1968).

    Dirksen, Everett M.
    Ford, Gerald
    Gardner, John
    Goldwater, Barry
    Hatfield, Mark
    Javits, Jacob
    Kennedy, Robert
    Lindsay, John
    McCarthy, Eugene
    Rockefeller, John D.
    Romney, George
    Stassen, Harold
    Wallace, George
    General candidates

    Arranged alphabetically by name of candidate and chronologically within each candidate’s file.

  • f. 630-641

    RNC. Candidates. Nixon, Richard M. (June-August, 1968).

  • f. 642-644

    RNC. Candidates. Reagan, Ronald (July-August, 1968).

  • f. 645-670

    RNC. Candidates. Rockefeller, Nelson (July-August, 1968).

  • f. 671

    RNC. Candidates. Vice-Presidency (July-August, 1968).

    Agnew, Spiro
    Baker, Howard
    Brooke, Edward
    Javits, Jacob
    Laird, Melvin
    Lindsay, John
    Percy, Charles
    Reagan, Ronald
    Tower, John
    Volpe, John
    General candidates

    Arranged alphabetically by name of candidate and chronologically within each candidate’s file.

  • f. 672

    RNC. General Information (June- September, 1968). List of convention staff assistants; congratulations from Ronald Reagan on being named chairman of the platform committee; invitation to Claude Kirk’s official welcoming breakfast; Nixon’s acceptance speech as it appeared in the Congressional Record; and other information.

  • f. 673

    RNC. General Information . Arrangements (1968). Includes responses to invitations to a Dirksen-hosted reception.

  • f. 674

    RNC. General Information. Convention Site (1959-66). Correspondence proposing Chicago as the Republican national convention site.

  • f. 675-678

    RNC. General Information. Correspondence (1967-68). Miscellaneous correspondence with Dirksen about various topics, some of which are related to the convention. Some letters voice confidence in Dirksen and the Republican party; others concern convention procedures and personalities. There are “crank” letters included.

  • f. 679

    RNC. General Information. Republican Party History (1962). Republican National Committee publication, “The History of the Republican Party.”

  • f. 680

    RNC. General Information. Television Coverage (July-August, 1968). Reactions to national television airing of the convention.

  • f. 681-683

    RNC. General Information. Temporary Committee on Resolutions (1968). Membership list and agenda and reference materials for June 19 meeting. The Platform Committee was known also as the Committee on Resolutions.

  • f. 684

    RNC. Platform Committee. Agendas (May-July, 1968).

  • f. 685-686

    RNC. Platform Committee. Correspondence, Congressional (June-July, 1968). Members of Congress express views of the platform.

  • f. 687

    RNC. Platform Committee. Correspondence, Fisher, John B. (.n.d.). Proposal for a food stamp program to be included in the platform.

  • f. 688

    RNC. Platform Committee. Correspondence, Freeman, Roger. (May 1968). Suggestions for the platform by Freeman who was associated with The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace.

  • f. 689-704

    RNC. Platform Committee. Correspondence, General (June-August, 1968). Suggestions for the platform. Topics include Vietnam, the Pueblo incident, law and order, equal rights for women, civil rights, rightto work, welfare, aging, social security, the economy, and gun control. Dirksen responded to some of the recommendations.

  • f. 705

    RNC. Platform Committee. Correspondence, Platform Committee Officers (June-July, 1968). Announcements of meetings, scheduling conflicts.

  • f. 706-707

    RNC. Platform Committee. Correspondence, Speaking Appearances (June-July, 1968). Invitations: to appear before the committee; requests to testify.

  • f. 708

    RNC. Platform Committee. General (June-August, 1968). Speech regarding the origin of the party system and the Republican party’s recent record; observation on the platform’s affect on government employees.

  • f. 709

    RNC. Platform Committee. Memberships (June-July, 1968) of the members and subcommittee assignments.

  • f. 710-711

    RNC. Platform Committee. Past Party Platforms (1956, 1960, 1964, 1968). Booklets containing the platforms of past Republican national conventions.

  • f. 712

    RNC. Platform Committee. Platform Implementation (1969). Staff memorandum to Dirksen regarding tactics for implementing the platform.

  • f. 713-720

    RNC. Platform Committee. Republican Coordinating Committee Task Force Reports (June, 1968). Summaries and recommendations on the following topics: fiscal policies, human rights, federal-statelocal governments, revenue sharing, urban education, aging, national security, crime and delinquency, job opportunities and welfare, and foreign relations. Includes comparison of past Republican platforms, Republican comments of the state of the union (1966-1968), and other Republican leadership statements.

  • f. 721-722

    RNC. Platform Committee. Speech Drafts (1968). Various drafts of Dirksen’s remarks to the convention; correspondence reacting to the speech.

Dirksen Collection