DESCRIPTION OF SERIES
PRE-COMMERCE PERIOD, 1895-1921
The Pre-Commerce Papers reflect Mr. Hoover's activities and interests from the
time he graduated from Stanford until he became Secretary of Commerce. This
subgroup is arranged in three series as described below:
General Correspondence, 1895-1921 (11 linear feet)
Letters sent and received by Herbert Hoover in the early part of his career
comprise this series. Important correspondents include Mary Austin, Charles G.
Dawes, Cardinal Gibbons, Warren Harding, John J. Pershing, Franklin Roosevelt,
and Woodrow Wilson.
Arrangement is alphabetical by name of correspondent.
Subject File, 1913-1921 (61 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, photostats of letters and
documnents, clippings, and other papers relating to the variety of interests that
claimed Mr. Hoover's attention. Typical of the subjects in the file are Edith
Cavell, Foreign Trade and Banking, Mining (printed material), Meat
Investigation, National Security League, Russia, Stanford University, War Trade
Board, and Wheat Investigation. Larger sub-series are as follows:
American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, 1913-1921 --
Mr. Hoover was president of the AIMME during 1920-1921, and
the bulk of this sub-series is from this period. Much of the
material is related to the work of the Industrial Waste Committee.
Federated American Engineering Societies, 1920-1921 -- As president
of the American Engineering Council (the governing body of the
Federated American Engineering Societies), Hoover urged that
FAES conduct a study of waste in industry. This sub-series
contains an office file of the FAES and an Industrial Waste
Committee file. The more significant correspondents include:
Samuel Gompers, Morris L. Cooke, Edward E. Hunt, Florence
C. Thorne, Vernon Kellogg, and Robert B. Wolf.
Panama-Pacific Exposition, 1913-1914 -- In January 1913, Herbert
Hoover was commissioned by the President and Congress as
special representative for the United States to promote the
Panama-Pacific Exposition celebrating the opening of the Pan-
ama Canal. Mr. Hoover attempted to mobilize support within
Germany and Great Britain for participation in the San Francisco
Exposition. World War I cut short this activity, and propelled
him into food relief work.
Presidential Campaign of 1920 -- Mr. Hoover's political career was
launched during the 1920 Presidential Campaign. This sub-series
containing correspondence, clippings, campaign materials, and
speech and statement files, sheds light on this time. Of particular
interest are the "Hoover Boom" efforts in both parties, the
California primary contest with Hiram Johnson, and the struggle
for the League of Nations.
President's Industrial Conference, 1919-1920 -- Herbert Hoover served
as vice-chairman of the Second Industrial Conference called by
President Woodrow Wilson in November, 1919. Hoover played
an important role, as the chairman, Secretary of Labor William B.
Wilson, was rarely in attendance. This sub-series contains cor-
respondence, printed reports, clippings, and other papers. In
addition, the Library has added microfilm and Xerox copies of
letters and documents of the Industrial Conference Materials
from the files of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Ser-
vices (Record Group 280) and the Department of Labor files
(Record Group 174) in the National Archives. (See: Industrial
Conference)
War Relief and Reconstruction, 1919-1923 -- This sub-series contains
bound volumes of printed bulletins and typescript copies of
documents relating to War Relief and Reconstruction in Europe
and Russia, 1918-1923. (The original documents are in the
Hoover Institution at Stanford University.)
American Relief Administration - Bulletins, 7 volumes
American Relief Administration, European Operations -
Documents - 24 volumes
American Relief Administration, Russian Operations -
Documents - 10 volumes
Supreme Economic Council (Paris Peace Conference) -
Documents - 10 volumes
Index I volume
Committee for the Relief of Belgium - Bound Clippings (London) - 140 volumes
United States Food Administration, 1917-1919 (6 linear feet)
This series consists of duplicate printed material from the Food Administration
records in the National Archives (Record Group 4).