Inventory of the Eunice Burton Armstrong papers
Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Archives Staff and Tess McCarthy
Hoover Institution Archives
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA, 94305-6010
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
© 2015
Title: Eunice Burton Armstrong papers
Date (inclusive): 1932-1941
Collection Number: 2011C28
Contributing Institution:
Hoover Institution 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.
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Archives
Creator:
Armstrong, Eunice Burton, 1887-
Access
Collection is open for research.
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Publication Rights
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Eunice Burton Armstrong papers, [Box number], Hoover Institution Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Archives in 2011.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. To determine if this has occurred, find
the collection in Stanford University's online catalog at
http://searchworks.stanford.edu/ . Materials have been added to the collection if the number of boxes listed in the online catalog is larger than the number
of boxes listed in this finding aid.
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 Archives.
Fight for Freedom Committee records, Hoover Institution Archives.
Ruth Sarles typescript : A history of America First, Hoover Institution Archives.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
America First Committee. New York Chapter, Inc.
America First Committee.
United States--Neutrality.
United States--Non-interventionalism.
Women--Political activity--United States.
World War, 1939-1945--Peace.
World War, 1939-1945--Protest movements.
World War, 1939-1945--United States.
America First Committee File,
1936-1941
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 1 : 1
Research files,
1936 February-1941 August
Scope and Contents note
Contains printed matter on Charles Lindberg and the "Youth for America First" report.
Box/Folder 1 : 2
Memoranda and organizational records,
1940 April-1941 October
Correspondence and clippings,
1941 January-1941 December
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 1 : 3
Congressional correspondence,
1940-1941
Box/Folder 1 : 4
Campaigns and events,
1941
Box/Folder 1 : 5
Recruitment letters,
1941
Peace Organizations File,
circa 1937-1941
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 1 : 6
Materials,
circa 1937-1941
Box/Folder 1 : 7
National Council for the Prevention of War records,
1940 October-1941 November
America First Women's Division File,
1941
Scope and Contents note
Organizational records, including documentation of the May 1941 Washington, DC rally.
Box/Folder 2 : 1
Campaigns and correspondence,
1941 March-1941 October
Box/Folder 2 : 2
Finance committee records,
1941 May-1941 December
Womens' Organizations Records,
1939-1941
Scope and Contents note
Clippings, correspondence and printed matter from various womens' peace organizations.
Box/Folder 2 : 3
Women Investors in America and others,
1939-1941
Box/Folder 2 : 4
We, the Mothers, Mobilize for America and others,
1940 September-1941 December
Box/Folder 2 : 5
Westchester League of Women Voters and Women United,
1941
Women United,
1941
Scope and Contents note
Includes printed matter, appeal letters, correspondence, telegrams, press releases, agenda, list of womens' national organizations,
membership blanks, notes, clippings, and correspondence.
Box/Folder 2 : 6
Washington, DC rally and Save Our Sons (SOS) campaign files,
1941 January-1941 August
Box/Folder 2 : 7
Correspondence and mailing lists,
1941 March-April
Box/Folder 2 : 8
Administrative records,
1941 March-October
Subject File,
1932-1941
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 3 : 1
Anti-Semitic and pro-Jewish materials,
1932 August-1941 October
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 3 : 2
Conscription,
1940
Scope and Contents note
Includes petitions, volunteer sign-up sheets, letter samples, and mailing lists.
Lend Lease Bill,
1940-1941
Box/Folder 3 : 3
Files,
1941 January-April
Box/Folder 3 : 4
Recruitment and "Wear Our Emblem" campaign,
1941 February-April
Box/Folder 3 : 5
Correspondence and printed matter,
1941 April-August
Box/Folder 3 : 6
Printed matter,
circa 1940 November-1941 February
Neutrality Act,
1940-1941
Box/Folder 3 : 7
Correspondence and printed matter,
1940 April-1941 November
Box/Folder 3 : 8
Repeal correspondence and printed matter,
1941 October-November
Box/Folder 3 : 9
Non-intervention files,
1941 October
Printed Matter,
1940-1941
Box 4
America First Committee
Bulletin,
1941 February-December
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 4 : 1
45 to 199,
1941 February-April
Box/Folder 4 : 5
500s,
1941 August-October
Box/Folder 4 : 6
601 to 700,
1941 October-December
Other America First Committee publications,
1940-1941
Box/Folder 5 : 1
Pamphlets and ephemera,
1940-1941
Box/Folder 5 : 2
National headquarters and other regional chapters,
1940-1941
Box/Folder 5 : 3
Washington Newsletter,
1941 February-June
Box/Folder 5 : 4
Chapter Chatter newsletter,
1941 June-August
Box/Folder 5 : 5
America First Committee sash and ephemeral materials,
1940-1941
Clippings,
1940-1941
Scope and Contents note
Includes some correspondence.
Box/Folder 5 : 6
America First Committee news, polls and annotated clippings,
1941 April-October
Box/Folder 5 : 7
Anti-war rallies,
1941 May-November
Box/Folder 5 : 8
Editorial cartoons on Lend-Lease bill, Charles Lindberg, and anti-war topics,
1940 July-1941 October
Box/Folder 5 : 9
Pamphlets and other publications such as
Affairs and
The Commonwealth,
circa 1940-1941
Mailings,
circa 1941
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 5 : 10
New York, Anglican clergy and Catholic churches,
circa 1941
Box/Folder 5 : 11
Marked "Keep Separate,"
1940-1941
Scope and Contents note
Contains correspondence, clippings, petitions, and lists from Massachusetts, as well as addresses in New York State.
Box/Folder 5 : 12
Marked "Scarsdale,"
circa 1941
Scope and Contents note
Contains Peekskill and Ossining, New York addresses.
Box 6-7
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 8-9
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/Folder 10 : 1-2
America First Bulletin,
1941 May-December
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 10 : 3
Anti-war clippings,
1941 April-December
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 10 : 4-5
Newspapers covering anti-war topics,
1940 July-1941 December
Scope and Contents note
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/Folder 10 : 6
Women United mock-ups of anti-war rally posters,
1941 April-May
Map case
America First Committee poster,
undated
