Seidel, Emil.Papers, 1906-1940.UWM Manuscript Collection 76.6 cubic ft. (1 archives box, and 1 small archives box) |
ABSTRACT: Contains miscellaneous papers, mostly dating 1912-1919,
of a Milwaukee political and socialist leader. Includes drafts and a manuscript
booklet on Seidel's defense of his 1910-1912 Socialist mayoral administration in
Milwaukee; the first report of the strikers' aid committee organized during the
strike against Cudahy Brothers Company and against the Illinois Steel Company in
1919; and information on the Socialists' view against World War I.
ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).
SCOPE AND CONTENT: Contains miscellaneous papers, mostly dating 1912-1919, of a Milwaukee political and socialist leader. Of special interest is drafts and a manuscript booklet on Seidel's defense of his 1910-1912 Socialist mayoral administration in Milwaukee. Seidel attempted to describe the Socialist philosophy as to the "the duty, the purpose, and the object of a real democratic government;" show what the Socialists tired to do and what they succeeded in accomplishing; and to "set right the wrong impressions" held by the opponents of socialism. Also includes a 31 December 1914 letter to Mrs. May Wood Simons in which Seidel stated his interests and position on vocational education and the role of education in building a socialist society; and undated manuscripts which provide Seidel's comparison of the management of railroads under capitalism and socialism, and the relationship of railroad terminals to city planning. Seidel's personal file includes manuscripts on the future of Milwaukee, the elimination of taxes, and a letter stating his opinion on a court for domestic relations.
The file on unions contains the first report of the strikers' aid committee (of which Seidel was a member) organized by the Federated Trades Council and the Milwaukee County Central Committee during the strike against the Cudahy Brothers Company and against the Illinois Steel Company in 1919. The files on World War I contain Liberty Loan contracts from the Cudahy Brothers; drafts of notes for anti-war speeches, in German; a report of the 1916 Conference of Socialist Parties of Neutral Countries; and proceedings of the 1917 Emergency Convention of the Socialist Party in St. Louis.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Emil Seidel was born on 13 December 1864 in Ashland, Pennsylvania and moved to Wisconsin with his parents in 1865, and to Milwaukee in 1869. He became a woodcarver and studied the trade in Germany, and converted to Socialism while in that country. Upon his return to Milwaukee, Seidel helped organize local Socialists, and promoted gradual change, political action, and reform. He was elected alderman in 1904, and reelected two years later. He unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 1908 but was elected alderman again in 1909. Seidel was elected mayor in 1910, but was defeated in 1912. He was alderman again from 1916-1920, and 1932-1936. He was the Socialist Party's vice-presidential candidate in 1912. Seidel died on 24 June 1947.
COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:
Seidel, Emil. Papers, 1906-1940. UWM Manuscript Collection 76. University Manuscript Collection. Archives. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
RELATED COLLECTION:
Seidel, Emil. Papers, 1916-1944. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection G)
ACQUISITION: The Milwaukee Public Library transferred Seidel's papers and mayoral records to the Milwaukee Urban Archives in April 1991. Seidel's mayoral records were removed and processed separately.
PROCESSING: Mark Vargas processed the collection in August 1992 at the Milwaukee Urban Archives.
MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:
| MILWAUKEE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION 76 | BOX | FOLDER |
| Board of Harbor Commissioners, Report from Secretary Ernest Bruncken, 1925 | 1 | 1 |
| Cooperative Commonwealth of the World, undated | 1 | 2 |
| Crank Letters, 1906-1916 | 1 | 3 |
| Defense of the Socialist Regime in Milwaukee, ca. 1912 | 1 | 4-5 |
| Education, 1908-1914 | 1 | 6 |
| Flood Control, 1933 | 1 | 7 |
| Health and Sanitation, 1916-1918 | 1 | 8 |
| Lenroot, Irving L., Address on the Social Center Movement, undated | 1 | 9 |
| Municipal Policies, undated | 1 | 10 |
| National Education Committee of the Socialist Party, 1912-1914 | 1 | 11 |
| Personal, 1914-1940 | 1 | 12 |
| Railroads, 1912-1918 | 1 | 13 |
| The Small Town, undated | 1 | 14 |
| Trusts, 1923-1927 | 1 | 15 |
| Unions, 1914-1915 | 1 | 16 |
| World War I, 1917-1919 | 2 | 1 |
| World War I, Drafts of Anti-War Speeches, ca. 1918 | 2 | 2 |
| World War I, Socialist Positions, 1914-1917 | 2 | 3 |
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Last edited on
Thursday, August 7, 2003.
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