Inventory of the Eunice Burton Armstrong papers
Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff and Tess McCarthy
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2015
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: Eunice Burton Armstrong papers
Date (inclusive): 1932-1941
Collection Number: 2011C28
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
5 manuscript boxes, 3 oversize boxes, 2 card file boxes, 1 oversize folder
(5.8 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Correspondence, memoranda, notes, bulletins, newsletters, clippings, other printed matter, mailing lists, and address cards
relating to the efforts of the America First Committee to ensure American neutrality during World War II. Includes issuances
of, and correspondence with, other peace organizations.
Creator:
America First Committee
Creator:
Armstrong, Eunice Burton, 1887-
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2011.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Eunice Burton Armstrong papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Biographical Note
Eunice Burton Armstrong was born in 1887 in Waterford, New York. She received a BA in English from Mt. Holyoke College, Massachusetts
in 1908 and an MA in economics, social legislation and psychology from Columbia University in 1912. Armstrong finished her
post-graduate education at the New York School of Social Work and later became a psychologist. Her career included teaching,
writing, and speaking on womens' suffrage, public health, and psychology. Armstrong married Donald Budd Armstrong, a physician,
in 1913. They raised four sons, Donald Budd, Jr., Stewart, Lincoln, and Burton.
Armstrong was assistant editor of the
Archives of Psychoanalysis and performed research for the
Encyclopedia of Social Forces. In addition to her professional writing, Armstrong became involved with writing editorials for small town newspapers. She
also wrote publicity for the amendment to the Selective Service Act prohibiting use of drafted men outside the United States.
Armstrong's work experience also included performing taxation and housing studies, as well as serving as a New York State
Factory Inspector (1910-1913). As field director of the New York City Department of Welfare, Armstrong was in charge of 140
inspectors who were investigating orphan asylums. She later was a consultant psychologist for school and private patients
for 15 years.
Armstrong became Educational Director of the America First Committee's New York Chapter in 1941. The America First Committee
was a non-interventionist, political pressure group that existed from 1940 to 1941, urging the United States government not
to enter World War II. Armstrong's other affiliations included the Massachusetts Suffrage Committee, the Westchester Planned
Parenthood League, and the District Nursing Association (Ossining, New York).
Scope and Content of Collection
Correspondence, memoranda, notes, bulletins, newsletters, clippings, other printed matter, mailing lists, and address cards
relating to the efforts of the America First Committee to ensure American neutrality during World War II and other anti-war
campaigns.
The collection contains newsletters and printed matter published by the America First Committee, as well as materials from
other peace and womens' organizations, including: the National Council for the Prevention of War (NCPW), the People's Lobby,
Women Investors in America, Women Patriots of the Republic, Women United to Preserve America, Silver Star Mothers, and We,
the Mothers, Mobilize for America.
Arrangement Statement
Files are grouped according to Armstrong's original file system. Un-filed materials were placed in existing groupings and
filed chronologically, then alphabetically. For ease of use, the bulk of the mailing labels have been separated and placed
in boxes 8 and 9.
Related Collections
America First Committee records, Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Fight for Freedom Committee records, Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Ruth Sarles typescript : A history of America First, Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War, 1939-1945 -- United States
World War, 1939-1945 -- Peace
Neutrality -- United States
America First Committee File
1936-1941
Scope and Contents
Includes minutes, correspondence, clippings, memoranda, radio bulletins, and printed matter.
The collection also contains clean and annotated copies of the America First Committee publication entitled
Bulletin, which can be found in box 4.
box 1, folder 1
Research files
1936 February-1941 August
Scope and Contents
Contains printed matter on Charles Lindberg and the "Youth for America First" report.
box 1, folder 2
Memoranda and organizational records,
1940 April-1941 October
Correspondence and clippings,
1941 January-1941 December
Scope and Contents
Includes fever charts and correspondence lists noting those who opposed or supported initiatives, as well as drafts, samples
of chain letters, congressional correspondence from Senators Joseph Ball, W. Warren Barbour and James T. Davis, and appeal
letters to House members.
box 1, folder 3
Congressional correspondence,
1940-1941
box 1, folder 4
Campaigns and events
1941
Peace Organizations File
circa 1937-1941
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, newsletters, official pamphlets, and other printed matter regarding peace rallies and other campaigns led
by organizations such as the National Council for the Prevention of War (NCPW) and the People's Lobby.
box 1, folder 6
Materials,
circa 1937-1941
box 1, folder 7
National Council for the Prevention of War records
1940 October-1941 November
America First Women's Division File
1941
Scope and Contents
Organizational records, including documentation of the May 1941 Washington, DC rally.
box 2, folder 1
Campaigns and correspondence,
1941 March-1941 October
box 2, folder 2
Finance committee records
1941 May-1941 December
Womens' Organizations Records,
1939-1941
Scope and Contents
Clippings, correspondence and printed matter from various womens' peace organizations.
box 2, folder 3
Women Investors in America and others
1939-1941
box 2, folder 4
We, the Mothers, Mobilize for America and others,
1940 September-1941 December
box 2, folder 5
Westchester League of Women Voters and Women United
1941
Women United
1941
Scope and Contents
Includes printed matter, appeal letters, correspondence, telegrams, press releases, agenda, list of womens' national organizations,
membership blanks, notes, clippings, and correspondence.
box 2, folder 6
Washington, DC rally and Save Our Sons (SOS) campaign files
1941 January-1941 August
box 2, folder 7
Correspondence and mailing lists,
1941 March-April
box 2, folder 8
Administrative records
1941 March-October
Subject File
1932-1941
Scope and Contents
Includes congressional voting records, clippings, correspondence, and other materials on the topics of conscription (Selective
Service), Lend Lease Bill (H.R. 1776), Neutrality Acts of 1937 to 1939, non-internventionalism, and anti-Semitism. Armstrong's
original order was maintained.
box 3, folder 1
Anti-Semitic and pro-Jewish materials
1932 August-1941 October
Scope and Contents
Contains clippings, correspondence, and printed matter on or about anti-Semitism, with some annotations. Also includes the
monograph, "The Jew Who Helped Save America," by Charles Spencer Hart and a brochure from the National Conference of Christians
and Jews.
box 3, folder 2
Conscription
1940
Scope and Contents
Includes petitions, volunteer sign-up sheets, letter samples, and mailing lists.
Lend Lease Bill
1940-1941
box 3, folder 3
Files,
1941 January-April
box 3, folder 4
Recruitment and "Wear Our Emblem" campaign,
1941 February-April
box 3, folder 5
Correspondence and printed matter,
1941 April-August
box 3, folder 6
Printed matter
circa 1940 November-1941 February
box 3, folder 7
Correspondence and printed matter,
1940 April-1941 November
box 3, folder 8
Repeal correspondence and printed matter,
1941 October-November
box 3, folder 9
Non-intervention files
1941 October
Printed Matter,
1940-1941
America First Committee
Bulletin
1941 February-December
Scope and Contents
Consists of issues 45 to 700 of
Bulletin, a mass-mailed publication by the America First Committee highlighting the Committee's activities. The bulletins excerpt
radio speeches, articles, quotations from political figures, and inter-chapter communications. Some topics include anti-war,
conscription, the Lend Lease Bill, and the Neutrality Act. Remarks from and about Senator Hamilton Fish and Charles Lindberg
are also included.
Bulletin is arranged by issue number where available and chronologically. Annotated bulletins follow the original order of the creator.
box 4, folder 1
45 to 199
1941 February-April
box 4, folder 6
601 to 700
1941 October-December
Other America First Committee publications,
1940-1941
box 5, folder 1
Pamphlets and ephemera
1940-1941
box 5, folder 2
National headquarters and other regional chapters
1940-1941
box 5, folder 3
Washington Newsletter,
1941 February-June
box 5, folder 4
Chapter Chatter newsletter,
1941 June-August
box 5, folder 5
America First Committee sash and ephemeral materials,
1940-1941
Clippings
1940-1941
Scope and Contents
Includes some correspondence.
box 5, folder 6
America First Committee news, polls and annotated clippings
1941 April-October
box 5, folder 7
Anti-war rallies,
1941 May-November
box 5, folder 8
Editorial cartoons on Lend-Lease bill, Charles Lindberg, and anti-war topics
1940 July-1941 October
box 5, folder 9
Pamphlets and other publications such as
Affairs and
The Commonwealth,
circa 1940-1941
Mailings
circa 1941
Scope and Contents
Mailing labels and mailing lists are organized into geographic areas and are also grouped by organization. Files contain some
indexes, while other files are a compilation of petitions with addresses. Most labels are local New York City and New York
State addresses.
Boxes 8 and 9 contain labels that cover regional and national geographic areas. Labels are gummed, perforated and typewritten
with names and addresses (about 33 people per page).
box 5, folder 10
New York, Anglican clergy and Catholic churches,
circa 1941
box 5, folder 11
Marked "Keep Separate,"
1940-1941
Scope and Contents
Contains correspondence, clippings, petitions, and lists from Massachusetts, as well as addresses in New York State.
box 5, folder 12
Marked "Scarsdale,"
circa 1941
Scope and Contents
Contains Peekskill and Ossining, New York addresses.
box 6
Card files
circa 1941
Scope and Contents note
Index cards include handwritten addresses and notes. Most are separated by geographic areas, while some are grouped according
to batches, in the original order of the creator.
box 7
Card files
circa 1941
Scope and Contents note
Index cards include handwritten addresses and notes. Most are separated by geographic areas, while some are grouped according
to batches, in the original order of the creator.
box 8
Mailing labels
circa 1941
Scope and Contents note
Typewritten address labels of various groups, including Mayflower Descendents, Daughters of American Colonists, Daughters
of the American Revolution, Gold Star Mothers, League of Women Voters, and the Womens' National Republican Club. Volume one
(box 8) includes lists of Republican groups, with a partial index of mailing lists, and volume two (box 9) includes general
New York lists.
box 9
Mailing labels
circa 1941
Scope and Contents note
Typewritten address labels of various groups, including Mayflower Descendents, Daughters of American Colonists, Daughters
of the American Revolution, Gold Star Mothers, League of Women Voters, and the Womens' National Republican Club. Volume one
(box 8) includes lists of Republican groups, with a partial index of mailing lists, and volume two (box 9) includes general
New York lists.
Oversize Material
1940-1941
box 10, folder 1-2
America First Bulletin
1941 May-December
Scope and Contents
Published by the America First Committee's New York Chapter, Inc. Includes clean and annotated copies covering topics such
as the Neutrality Act repeal and other campaigns.
box 10, folder 3
Anti-war clippings,
1941 April-December
Scope and Contents
From publications such as
The Chicago Daily Tribune,
Citizen Register (Ossining, New York),
PM Magazine, the
New York Post, and the
New York Herald.
box 10, folder 4-5
Newspapers covering anti-war topics,
1940 July-1941 December
Scope and Contents
Includes America First Committee's
The Herald (from the San Francisco-Northern California chapter), as well as
The Catholic Worker, American Mothers National Weekly, The American Guardian, The People Sentinel, and
The Progressive (founded in 1909 by Senator Robert La Follette).
box 10, folder 6
Women United mock-ups of anti-war rally posters,
1941 April-May
map_case case
America First Committee poster,
undated
