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.

Folder No.	Description
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, 1950 (January-November). 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

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

f. 672	Republican National Convention (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	Republican National Convention (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.

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Collection Guide

The Everett McKinley Dirksen Collection consists of five major groups of material: reference volumes, still photographs, audiovisual items, memorabilia, and papers. Each group is described individually in finding aids housed at The Center. Arrangement varies according to type of record.

The Dirksen Papers, the largest of the five divisions, consist predominately of files accumulated during Everett Dirksen's years as a U.S. Senator, 1951-69. Several smaller additions to the main collection include material spanning other years of Dirksen's life.

Major file groups encompass campaigns and politics, public works, legislation, constituent correspondence and casework, patronage, congressional leadership activities, remarks and releases, and clippings. Each of these sections, and smaller ones as well, are described in more detail in The Center's finding aids.

List of Collection Series

Appointment/Guestbooks, 1951-70
4.0 linear shelf feet
Office and personal appointment books and office guest sign-in books.

Chicago Office File, 1880-1972
99.0 linear shelf feet
Constituent casework, Illinois patronage, inter-office memoranda, and, notably, political and campaign files for Dirksen's four Senate campaigns and his other political activities. Includes personal files of the office's director, Harold E. Rainville.

Clippings File, 1930-70
7 linear shelf feet

Dirksen Information file, 1933-present
1 linear shelf foot
Created by Center staff, this file contains copies of articles about Dirksen, the Congressional Record index to his remarks, the New York Times Index of references to him, and the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature citations to Dirksen. For more information about Dirksen, click here for an online version of the bibliographical essay that appears in his memoir, The Education of a Senator.

Dirksen, Louella Carver, 1933-76
2 linear shelf feet
Information regarding Mrs.Dirksen's participation in various service and political organizations, letters of condolence upon Senator Dirksen's death, notes and drafts for The Honorable Mr. Marigold.

Films, 1951-69
681 films
Bulk of films are Your Senator Reports, Dirksen's weekly television broadcast. Also documentaries and miscellany. Selected films have been converted to videotape.

Financial Records, 1928-62
2.5 linear shelf feet
Bank statements, canceled checks, invoices, and ledger pages for the most part dealing with political campaigns.

Form Letters, 1951-69
In order to reply to constituents, the Dirksen office created a library of responses arranged alphabetically by subject within each year. Having these online will give viewers a quick snapshot of the legislative workload and, in a sense, Dirksen's style of representation and constituent service. The folder numbers in the list below designate the folders of the Chicago Office File in which the originals are located.

Legislative File, 1933-70
24 linear shelf feet
Copies of bills introduced, co-sponsored, or amended by Dirksen and his voting records.

Memorabilia, 1918-74
ca. 1,500 items

Newsletters: Congressional Front, 1933-46
From his first week in office in the House of Representatives through 1946, Congressman Everett Dirksen personally composed and typed weekly newsletters (while Congress was in session) to his constituents in central Illinois. Congressional Front, as it was called, covered the personalities, politics, and policies of Congress and the federal government.

Notebooks, 1932-69
4 linear shelf feet
More than 12,500 pages of outlines and texts, reference materials, and other documents collected by Dirksen and kept in a set of personal notebooks.

Pamphlets and Periodicals, 1916-69
1 linear shelf foot

Patronage, 1939-70 RESTRICTED
4.5 linear shelf feet
Material related to applicants for federal jobs and judicial appointments. Closed to research.

Personal, 1864-1969
2 linear shelf feet
Scattered correspondence and information about Dirksen's medical condition, memoir, and recordings.

Photographs, ca. 1860-1975
10 linear shelf feet

Politics, 1928-69
11 linear shelf feet
Correspondence and material related to Dirksen's campaigns and political activities, including his participation in Republican National Conventions.

Public Works File, 1931-70
55.5 linear shelf feet
The record of federally-funded projects (community projects, depressed areas, highways, and rivers and harbors) in Illinois and Dirksen's involvement in them.

Remarks and Releases, 1941-69
6.0 linear shelf feet
Drafts and transcripts of speeches; selected remarks in Congress (The Center does not have copies of the Congressional Record featuring Dirksen speeches on the floor), interviews of radio and television; Republican leadership press releases; weekly constituent newsletters; transcripts of Your Senator Reports; and, Dirksen's newspaper column. Unfortunately, Dirksen rarely composed his remarks in advance; in many cases no record of them survives.

Republican Leadership File, 1916-69
4.0 linear shelf feet
The Joint Senate-House Republican Leadership Minutes and Statements section documents the meetings of Republican congressional leaders, 1961-68. A second section pertains to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, 1949-59, which Dirksen chaired, 1952-54.

Joint Senate-House Republican Leadership Minutes, 1961-68
The minutes of the Republican leadership during the presidential administrations of John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. In their original state, each session’s minutes generally include attendance, brief summaries of topics discussed, and background “fact sheets” for statements at press conferences following the meetings. The digitized document presented here include only the formal minutes. The press conferences following the leadership meetings achieved fame as the “Ev and Charlie” and “Ev and Jerry” shows. For audio samples and curricular materials associated with a small sample of these minutes, please visit “The 1960s: A Multi-Media View from Capitol Hill” http://www.dirksencenter.org/emd_audio/index.htm.

Working Papers, 1857-1969
41 linear shelf feet
Topically arranged reference file for legislation, selected constituent cases, speeches, and other matters. The bulk contains information concerning legislation between 1964 and 1969. Topics receiving relatively substantial attention include civil rights, foreign trade, Internal Revenue Code amendments, attempts to repeal Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act, Dirksen's prayer amendment and reapportionment amendment, and the activities of the Trading With the Enemy Act subcommittee.

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