Interview with Gehrta Amlie, June 1, 1983, Madison, Wisconsin

Partial Transcript: Born in Rome, New York, 1898. Lived in many places in the United States and Europe. Parents were politically conscious. Gives family background. Living in Berlin when World War I started. Came to New York, then Wisconsin in 1919. Went to University in Madison--interested in dance. Married eight years, then married Amlie in 1932. Met him in law school. Became Amlie's housekeeper after his wife died. Amlie was very poor, had four children. Discusses Amlie's early years.

Partial Transcript: In 1930 Tom Morrissey and a few others in Elkhorn who did not think that La Follette was radical enough suggested that Amlie run for Congress. Both Amlies were Progressives. Ran as a liberal Progressive. Phil La Follette helped campaign. Gehrta was taking care of Tom's children, could not help campaign much directly. After Tom's election Amlies lived in Washington, 1930-1932. Amlie was very poor, from the country, knew nothing about Washington.

Partial Transcript: Defeated in 1932 because Phil La Follette insisted that Amlie run as a Progressive Republican. Tom became a Democrat in 1934, ran for Senate in 1938. Phil La Follette very bitter that he (La Follette) lost election. Went to Germany, was inspired by Hitler's methods. Tom tried to get Progressives to join Democrats.

Partial Transcript: Thought Roosevelt could be influenced by Progressives. Did not believe that a three party system could work. Discussion of Roosevelt's first successful campaign in Wisconsin. Phil La Follette caused the Progressives not to enter the Democratic Party. Amlie thought that Roosevelt's programs were too conservative. Gehrta Amlie supported Roosevelt because he gave people hope and took action against widespread despair and poverty.

Partial Transcript: Poor people encamped in Washington to demand social legislation. Hoover drove them out of Washington. The Amlies put up eight people from Wisconsin in their home.

Partial Transcript: Many people hungry. Churches reluctant to distribute food. Many children in Elkhorn starved. People relied on each other--received no help until Roosevelt. (Description of soup kitchens, sleep-ins.) Roosevelt's actions made people aware that something could be done.

Partial Transcript: Hoover never appeared in public November 1932-March 1933. Was afraid of the public.

Partial Transcript: The La Follettes tried to help the poor. Amllie returned to law practice after defeat in 1932, but did not do well. Gehrta helped him campaign in 1932, told him that he must address people's personal problems rather than discussing abstract theories. (Description of campaign.) Phil La Follette charismatic, Bob La Follette not. Amlie and La Follette often spoke together. Rachel La Follette was shy, did not campaign. 1936--Amlie spoke in storefronts. Gehrta also spoke, particularly at women's union meetings. Tom Amlie did not feel that the public understood his views.

Partial Transcript: Times still hard in 1936. Throughout the early 1930s unemployed people would often come to the Amlie's door looking for work or food. There was a shelter in Elkhorn for sixteen people. The Amlies fed many people.

Partial Transcript: Eleanor Roosevelt set up camps around the country for the unemployed. One was at Lake Geneva. The White House called the Amlies and asked them to put up people because the camp was full. They housed and fed thirty-four people. Gehrta drove the people from Lake Geneva and collected food from the Elkhorn community. This helped Tom's campaign. Some of the “campers” were puppeteers--they put on a show to raise money. People were very hungry.

Partial Transcript: The formation of this party surprised the Amlies. Rally was not publicized much. Amlies shocked that Phil La Follette did not tell them about the rally. Arthur Altmeyer informed Gehrta about the meeting. He, Aubrey Williams and Tom Amlie came from Washington to attend rally. Phil La Follette had discussed a third party for many years and held meetings in Madison to discuss it. He was afraid that he could not control the Democratic Party.

Partial Transcript: Does not recall Tom Amlie's criticisms of Roosevelt. Tom thought that Roosevelt gave people hope.

Partial Transcript: Labor was major element in Amlie's election; labor support increased after Roosevelt's election.

Partial Transcript: Felt very defeated. Wrote Let's Look at the Record. (Discussion of other books Amlie wrote.) Roosevelt nominated him for Interstate Commerce Commission. Not confirmed. Wisconsin legislature named him a Communist. Amlie emotionally hurt because he was not confirmed. Was broken man after 1938. Gehrta worked hard to support the family.

Partial Transcript: Meetings held at the Amlies to discuss the formation of new party. Dan Hoan was Tom's good friend. Tom lost faith that things could change. Thought that the Depression had only been alleviated by the war, that the economic system was based on war, that the military controlled the economy.

Partial Transcript: Did not have much influence over former Progressives. Felt deeply involved but hopeless. Considered post-World War I foreign policy wrong.

Partial Transcript: Thought they were very weak, considered situation hopeless. Left Progressives in 1934. Always more radical than Democrats, did not believe America would go Socialist. Did not believe that identifying with the Socialists was practical.

Partial Transcript: Ran as a Democrat, which Gehrta opposed. Amlie believed his district was growing more conservative, that he did not have a chance. After 1938 he was completely disillusioned, turned to writing.

Partial Transcript: Was waiting for another depression. Believed that unless the country's economy was based on “production for use”, the rift between rich and poor would grow. Very disturbed about the state of the country.

Partial Transcript: Was director of China Lake base. Now exposing the Pentagon's wasteful practices.

Partial Transcript: Bought and improved land and houses. Only daughter, Marian-- born in 1943, married, lives in California. Gehrta ran a nursery school. Not involved much in Democratic campaign in the late 1940s. Held meetings and donated money. Gehrta now interested in the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.