Register of the of Harry A. Slattery Papers, 1890-1953
[top]Descriptive Summary
TitleHarry A. Slattery Papers
Creator
Slattery, Harry A.
Extent
Linear ft. of shelf space occupied: 60
Number of items: ca. 35,300
Repository
Number of items: ca. 35,300
Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library
Durham, North Carolina 27708-0185
Language
English.
[top]
Administrative Information
Access RestrictionsCollection is open for research.
However, patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Use Restrictions
The copyright interests in the Slattery Papers have not been
transferred to Duke University. For further information, see the section
on copyright in the Regulations and Procedures of the Special
Collections Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Harry A. Slattery Papers,
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The Harry A. Slattery Papers, 1890-1953, were acquired by the
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library through deposit in 1953 and by gift in
1958.
Processing Information
Processed by Janie Morris
Assisted by Denise Dolan
Date Completed: May 28, 1992
Encoded by Alvin Pollock
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
[top]
Biographical Note
| 1887, June 13 | Born, Greenville, South Carolina |
| 1909-1912 | Secretary to Gifford Pinchot, chief forester in Theodore Roosevelt's administration. |
| 1912-1917 | Executive Secretary of the National Conservation Association, appointed by its founder, Pinchot |
| 1917-1918 | Special Assistant to Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior |
| 1919-1923 | Counsel to the National Conservation Association |
| 1923-1933 | Practiced law in Washington |
| 1925-1929 | Executive and counsel for the National Boulder Dam Association |
| 1929-1932 | Counsel for the National Conservation Commission |
| 1931-1933 | Washington representative for New York Power Authority |
| 1933-1938 |
Personal assistant to Harold Ickes, Secretary of the
Interior
Assistant to administrator of Federal Emergency Administration
of Public Works
|
| 1938-1939 | Undersecretary of the Interior |
| 1939-1944 | Administrator of Rural Electrification Administration (REA), from which he resigned after a conflict with the Secretary of Agriculture in 1944 |
| 1940-1942 | Consultant to the power subcommittee of the advisory commission of the Council of National Defense |
| 1944 | Received LL.D. from the University of South Carolina |
| 1949, Sept. 1 | Died |
Slattery attended Mount Saint Mary's College in Maryland, Georgetown University and George Washington University. As part of government efforts to indict big business for the exploitation of the country's natural resources, he was involved in Senate investigations of the Mulhall exposure during Wilson's administration and the Teapot Dome Scandal of 1921. The 1944 controversy between the REA and the Department of Agriculture over the administration of REA led to a Senate investigation. Slattery was involved in the passage of a federal coal and oil leasing measure, federal water power legislation, Alaska coal and home rule acts, and rural electrification legislation. He was a member of the National Power Policy Committee, the Energy Resources and Land Committees of the National Resources Planning Board, the Interbureau Coordinating Committee, the Federal States Relations Committee, the Society of American Foresters, the National Press Club, the Missouri Athletic Club, and Delta Theta Phi Fraternity.
[top]Collection Overview
The Harry Slattery Papers span the period 1890-1953 with the bulk
dated 1928 to 1944. They include correspondence, memoranda, writings
and speeches, printed material, clippings, scrapbooks, and indexes. The
collection chiefly concerns positions Slattery held during his years of
public service and reflect his lifelong interest in conservation. Very few
of Slattery's personal papers are included in the collection.
The bulk of the collection relates to Slattery's positions as personal
assistant to Harold L. Ickes (1933-1938), as Under-secretary of the
Interior (1938-1939), and as administrator of the Rural Electrification
Administration (REA) (1939-1944). Other papers concern his service as
secretary to Gifford Pinchot (1909-1912), as secretary of the National
Conservation Association (1912-1923), as special assistant to Interior
Secretary Franklin K. Lane (1917-1918), as a Washington lawyer
(1923-1933), and as counsel to the National Boulder Dam Association
(1925-1929). There is also information about the Teapot Dome Scandal.
While information about the REA is found throughout the collection,
information pertaining to the other topics is found chiefly in the
Correspondence, Memoranda, Writings and Speeches, Printed Material,
and Clippings Series. A typescript of Slattery's autobiography, From
Roosevelt to Roosevelt, Washington, D.C., 1948, and information
relating to the published work Rural America Lights Up, Washington,
D.C., 1940, which is attributed to Slattery, are found in the Writings and
Speeches and Scrapbooks Series. Persons studying conservation issues in
the United States and the spread of electricity to rural areas would find
this collection particularly helpful.
There is extensive material relating to the controversy surrounding
the Rural Electrification Administration, tensions between the REA and
the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, whose executive
manager was Clyde Ellis, and the conflict between Slattery and the
Secretary of Agriculture Claude W. Wickard. Correspondents include
Harold L. Ickes, Judson King, Basil Maxwell Manly, Gifford Pinchot,
Amos R. Pinchot, John Patrick Grace, Cornelia B. Pinchot, and Philip
Patterson Wells.
[top]
Subject Headings
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
- National Conservation Association.
- United States. Rural Electrification Administration.
- United States. Department of the Interior--Officials and employees.
- Boulder Dam Association.
- National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
- Ellis, Clyde T. (Clyde Taylor).
- Wickard, Claude R. (Claude Raymond), 1893-1967.
- King, Judson.
- Manly, Basil Maxwell, 1886-1950.
- Grace, John P. (John Patrick), 1874-1940.
- Pinchot, Cornelia Bryce, 1881-1960.
- Wells, Philip Patterson, b.1868.
- Ickes, Harold L. (Harold LeClair), 1874-1952.
- Lane, Franklin K.
- Pinchot, Gifford, 1865-1946.
- Pinchot, Amos, 1873-1944.
- Lawyers--Political activity.
- Lawyers--Washington (D.C.).
- Rural electrification--Law and legislation--United States.
- Teapot Dome Scandal, 1921-1924.
- United States--Politics and government--1901-1953.
- United States--Public lands.
Detailed Description of Collection
Correspondence, 1908-1953, undated(bulk 1928?1944).
Chiefly typed professional letters documenting Slattery's career. About half consists of Slattery's outgoing and incoming mail. The remainder is between other individuals. Also contains a few telegrams, cards, memoranda and clippings. One folder dated Oct., 1938contains copies of microfilmed records relating to oil scandals. Arranged chronologically.
One box of alphabetized file cards compiled by the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library staff indexes letters in the Correspondence Series written to Slattery by prominent individuals. Cards record the date of the letter, place of origination, and, in some cases, the format in which it was written. This box is filed at the end of the collection.
Box 1
1908-1923 Apr.
(19 folders)
Box 2
1923 May-1926 Aug.
(20 folders)
Box 3
1926 Sept.-1928 June
(18 folders)
Box 4
1928 July-1931 Dec.
(23 folders)
Box 5
1932 Jan.-1933-June
(17 folders)
Box 6
1933 July-1934 Apr. 7
(19 folders)
Box 7
1934 Apr. 8 -1935 May
(19 folders)
Box 8
1935 June-1936 July 20
(21 folders)
Box 9
1936 July 21-1937 July 10
(18 folders)
Box 10
1937 July 12-1938 May
(15 folders)
Box 11
1938 June-1939 Nov. 20
(18 folders)
Box 12
1939 Nov. 21-1940 June 20
(16 folders)
Box 13
1940 June 21-1941 Jan. 26
(15 folders)
Box 14
1941 Jan.27-1942 May 15
(16 folders)
Box 15
1942 May 16-1943 Feb. 10
(14 folders)
Box 16
1943 Feb. 11-July
(14 folders)
Box 17
1943 Aug.-1944 June
(14 folders)
Box 18
1944, July-1953, undated
(8 folders)
Office Calendars, 1940-1944.
Typed logs of daily visits and phone calls to Slattery's office, presumably while he was employed at the REA. Most are bound by year, with pages for each workday. Some entries also contain phone messages and schedules for meetings and speaking engagements.
Arranged chronologically by volume.
1940-1943, Feb.
(5 folders)
Box 19
1943, Feb.-1944
(6 folders)
Memoranda, 1908-1944, undated(bulk 1928-1940s).
Chiefly typed material relating to Slattery's career in the form of articles, speeches, reports, and press releases. They pertain to a variety of topics including conservation, utilities, legislation, and governmental investigations. Most speeches were given by individuals other than Slattery. Also includes correspondence; printed material in the form of newsletters, invitations, conference programs, and announcements; statements; clippings; notes; lists; meeting minutes; financial records; and a few photographs. The majority of material was not originated by Slattery.
Arranged chronologically by month, year and decade. Folders created within the chronological order for material relate to particular people and subjects.
1901-1916
(6 folders)
1916-1920s,
Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of Interior
Box 20
1916-1920s,
Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of Interior
1917-1923
(5 folders)
1924,Draft of Oil Brief by Harry Slattery on leases of Naval Oil Reserves
1924-1927
(8 folders)
Box 21
1927
(2 folders)
1927,Boulder Dam
(3 folders)
1927-1928
1928
(7 folders)
1928, story of Teapot Dome Oil Scandal
1928,Boulder Dam
1929
(2 folders)
Box 22
1930-1932
(16 folders)
Box 23
1933-1935
(14 folders)
1935,Bonneville Dam Project (photographs)
1935-1938,
Kiplinger Washington Newsletter, with annotations
Box 24
1935-1938,
Kiplinger Washington Newsletter
1936-1939
(16 folders)
Box 25
1939
(2 folders)
1939,Addresses given at special meetings by Slattery
1930s
1940
(8 folders)
1941
(3 folders)
Box 26
1941
1941-1944, slattery's personal files
(2 folders)
1942
(4 folders)
1942,REA:
Daily Press Digest
Directory
1942,Winder/Pollock Investigation
1943
(7 folders)
Box 27
1943
(3 folders)
1943,
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association – Rural Electrification Administration controversy
1944-1953
(9 folders)
1940s,Democratic state leaders
undated
(2 folders)
Box 28
undated
Writings and Speeches, 1906-1940s, undated(bulk 1920-1940s).
Typed copies of articles, speeches, memoranda, and press releases by a number of authors; a book and book manuscript; and book orders and other miscellaneous material relating to Slattery's political career. Arranged chronologically. Slattery's two works are placed at the end of the series.
1912-1940s, undated
(3 folders)
Autobiography: From Roosevelt to Roosevelt,1906-1946(7 folders, 1 vol.)
Rural America Lights Up,
1940 and undated
Miscellaneous, 1910s-1944, undated
Photographs, notes, legal papers, reports, memoranda, clippings, receipts, copies of legislation, and lists. Arranged chronologically, then alphabetically by topic. The subseries Financial Papers
is placed at the end of the series.
1910s-1944, undated
(2 folders)
1930-1931,
Louis T. McFadden
1921-1939, undated,Pictures
1914-,Relief provisions relating to oil and gas
1939, undated,
Rural Electrification Administration (REA)
1927-1928,Walsh bill and resolution
Financial Papers
1921-1943, undated
Cards and Invitations, 1930s-1945, undated
Calling cards, greeting cards, and invitations to banquets and other public events; both personal and professional in nature. Arranged chronologically.
1930s,Cards and invitations
Box 29
1930s-1945, undated
(5 folders)
Printed Material, 1907-1945, undated(bulk 1920-1945).
Primarily booklets of speeches, articles, and government reports. Also includes brochures, programs, bulletins, addresses, periodicals, articles, reports, pamphlets, and government publications. Arranged chronologically.
1907-1922
(9 folders)
Box 30
1922-1924, undated,Teapot Dome
1923-1928
(10 folders)
1928,Hoover campaign material
1929
(2 folders)
Box 31
1930-1944
(15 folders)
Box 32
1944-1945, undated
(4 folders)
Clippings, 1910-1940s, undated(bulk 1920-1940s).
Mostly newspaper, but also some magazine clippings, from a variety of sources. Most are loose, but some are glued on paper. Includes sections of the Congressional Record relating to rural electrification. Arranged alphabetically by topic. There is a “Persons”
subsection within this order in which folders are arranged alphabetically by last names of individuals.
Chester Lake Hunger Strike,
1944
Conservation and Boulder Dam,
1910-1930s, undated
(6 folders)
Conservation and Reclamation,
1913-1932
(5 folders)
Box 33
Conservation and Reclamation,
1933-1940s
(3 folders)
Democratic Party and Politics,
1921-1941
Ku Klux Klan,
1929
Nye (Gerald) Committee,
1929-1931
Persons
Appleby, Paul,
1941-1944
Brandeis, Louis,
1927-1941
Byrnes, James,
1942-1943
Carmody, John M.,
1941
Corcoran, Thomas,
1937-1942, undated
Davis, Chester,
1943
Henderson, Leon,
1941-1942
Hoover, Herbert,
1915-1932
(9 folders)
Huston, Claudins Hart,
1924-1942
Ickes, Harold LeClair,
1933-1943
Lane, Franklin K.,
1916-1920s
LaFollette family,
1924-1934
Morgan, John Pierpont,
1927-1937
Morrow, Dwight Whitney,
1927-1931
Nelson, Donald,
1941-1943
Norris, George William,
1927-1943
Pinchot, Gifford,
1919-1925
Box 34
Pinchot, Gifford,
1926-1944, undated
(12 folders)
Reed, James Alexander,
1927-1929
Box 35
Roosevelt, F. D.,
1923-1944, undated
(5 folders)
Slattery, Harry A.,
1930's-1944
Slemp, Bascom,
1923
Smith, Alfred E.,
1927-1929
Vare, William Scott,
1926-1929
(2 folders)
Wallace, Henry,
1937-1943
West, Ray O. and Charles West, 1928-1937
Wickard, Claude W.,
1940-1945
Wilkie, Wendell,
1940-1941
Price control and priorities,
1941-1943
Public works and utilities,
1906-1928
(6 folders)
Box 36
Public Works and Utilities,
1928-1944, undated
(11 folders)
Radio,
1930-1932
Red Cross,
1931
Rural Electrification Administration (REA),
1940-1945, undated
(6 folders)
Teapot Dome oil scandal,
1915-1921
(2 folders)
Box 37
Teapot Dome oil scandal,
1922-1933, undated
(12 folders)
Miscellaneous,
1915-1944, undated
Scrapbooks, 1890-1944.
Includes newspaper and magazine clippings from a variety of sources, press releases, pamphlets, correspondence and excerpts from articles chiefly relating to Slattery and issues which arose while he was administrator of the REA. Arranged chronologically. See Oversize Material section of the inventory.
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, 1943-1944(2 vols.)
Rural Elecrification Administration,
1944
Indexes, 1909-1944.
Three boxes contain indexes, presumably prepared by REA staff, referring to letters in the Correspondence Series and may also refer to material in other parts of the collection as well. These contain typed index cards filed alphabetically under the names of individuals. They include the date of correspondence, place of origination, and topic or type of material sent. Some refer to outgoing as well as incoming mail. Arranged alphabetically.
Box 38
Rural Electrification Administration Indexes, 1939-1944(3 boxes)
Oversize Materials
Correspondence
Oversize Cabinet
OC:IV:13:
Correspondence,
1924-1944
Memoranda
Oversize Cabinet
OC:IV:13:
Memoranda,
1920-1928, undated
Writings and Speeches
Oversize Cabinet
OC:IV:13:
Writings and Speeches,
1940
Miscellaneous
Oversize Cabinet
OC:IV:13:
Miscellaneous,
1928-1941
Ovsz. Box 78
Miscellaneous: Photograph Album, 1935-1941(Photographs of people connected with the REA)
Cards and Invitations
Oversize Cabinet
OC:IV:13:
Cards and Invitations,
1936-1937, undated
Printed Material
Oversize Cabinet
OC:IV:13:
Printed Material,
1909-1944, undated
Scrapbooks
Scrapbook,
1890-1939, Aug.
Scrapbook,
1939, Sept.-Dec.
Ovsz. Box 75
Scrapbook,
1940, Jan.-Sept.
Scrapbook,
1940, Sept.-1941, Sept.
Ovsz. Box 76
Scrapbook,
1941, Sept.-1942, July
Scrapbook,
1942, July-1943, Mar.
Ovsz. Box 77
Scrapbook,
1943, Apr.-1944, Oct.
Scrapbook, 1940-1941 (Clippings relating to Rural America Lights Up)
