Records of Civilian Public Service Union, DG 008, Swarthmore College Peace Collection

Swarthmore College Peace Collection, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081 USA; 610-328-8557 Civilian Public Service Union
Records, 1944-1946

Document Group: DG 008

Provenance: Donated by Robert Beach and Gordon Streib

Size: 3.5 linear feet (1.04 meters)

Restrictions: None

Microfilm: None

Finding Aids: Checklist revised by Wendy E. Chmielewski, June 1994

Historical Introduction

The Civilian Public Service Union was organized at the beginning of 1944 in the CPS camp at Big Flats, New York. Men at other camps and units quickly joined the group. CPSU, a union for "drafted workers conscientiously opposed to war," was formed to provide an organized means of communication and group action among men in all sections of CPS and to combat the waste and injustice of the CPS system itself. Ralph C. Rudd served as chairman from late 1944 until CPSU was dissolved in early 1946.

Scope and Contents

The records of the CPSU were deposited in the Swarthmore College Peace Collection in June of 1946 by Robert Beach of Philadelphia, a CPSU member. A small portion of the records came to the Peace Collection in 1976 from historian Charles Chatfield. These records originated in the larger collection of CPS records given to Chatfield by Gordon Streib (see Accession 76A-84). Records include a proposed constitution, scattered minutes, correspondence (1943-1945), CPSU Newsletter, statements, releases, financial records, membership and contact lists, and research date on use of manpower in CPS. Also in the collection are the records of local units in various CPS camps, including scattered minutes, correspondence, financial records, and membership lists. Camps represented by significant amounts of material include: Big Flats, NY Camp #46; Powellsville, MD Camp #52; Middletown, CT, Camp #81; Trenton, ND Camp #94; Pownal, ME Camp #130, Germfask, NC Camp #135; and Jaundice Unit, Philadelphia, PA Camp #140. See also American Civil Liberties Union, National Commission on Conscientious Objectors, Kampelman, AFSC-Civilian Public Service, labor and peace, conscientious objection.

Arrangement

These records are divided into two sections. The first part consists of the records donated to the Peace Collection by Robert Beach. These materials have not been reorganized, and have been kept in the order in which they arrived at the Peace Collection. The records that came from Gordon Streib have been kept separate and the material organized into categories matching the Beach accession. All materials have been put into acid-free folders.

Box 1
History, constitution, and national correspondence
History Preliminary constitution, 1943-1944 Local constitutions Mailing lists Minutes of General Executive Board meeting May 5-6, 1945 Correspondence Election April 1945 Policy discussion July-August 1945 Rudd letters to Locals Correspondence Ralph Rudd correspondence Miscellaneous correspondence Correspondence with peace groups Correspondence with/about labor Miscellaneous correspondence Ralph Rudd correspondence Ralph Rudd correspondence -not CPSU (2 folders) Ed. Whiteway-organizing secretary Nat Hoffman-national treasurer, 1945 Stationary Financial statements (2 folders)
Box 2
Mimeograph materials and publicity
Mimeo 1/30/46 Mimeo 11/19/45 Mimeo 10/15/45 Mimeo 10/12/45 "Inquiry on CIO-SCMWA" Mimeo 9/24/45 "Issues at Elkton" Mimeo 9/3/45 "GEB Letter" Mimeo Aug. 30, 1945 Mimeo 8/6/45 "Letter to Secretaries" Mimeo 8/3/45 Mailing list Mimeo July 29, 1945 "Policy Discussion" Mimeo July '45 Mimeo 6/1/45 "GEB Letter" Mimeo 5/19/45 "Letter to GEB and Moninees" Mimeo Crespi Poll 1945 Mimeo May 15, 1945 "Issue at Middletown" Dependency survey Mimeo May 14, 1945 Mailing Mimeo May 6, 1945 constitution, minutes of GEB Secretary's report to GEB 5/6/45 Mimeo April 30, 1945 Mimeo April 27, 1945 Mimeo April 23, 1945 Bibliographies for GEB News releases, 3/23/45 Mimeo April 21, 1945 Rudd letter to Locals and Contacts, March 5, 1945 Rudd letter to all camps 3/24/45 Mimeo February 1945 "Release on Germfask" Mimeo 2/12/45 Letter on test case Rudd letter to all camps 2/12/45 Mimeo February 4, 1945 Mimeo February 2 Mimeo Kosch's inquiry January 17, 1945 Rudd to Union members and friends Ralph Rudd letter to GEB and Locals 12/2/8/44 Mimeo October 24, 1944 Newsletter Mimeo July 17, 1944 Mimeo "Poll at Middletown, 1945" Addresses-copies of mailing lists Union vs. USA, filing of finances Drafts for publication Relevant data and pamphlets Newsletter and files
Box 3
Correspondence re: S.S. Admin. Order #4, Unused skills in CPS
Correspondence with Henry Dyer
AFSC experience report Lew Hill Releases on Germfask Pink paper #1 Pink paper #2 "What Should Be Done" Newspaper publicity Camp system S.S. administrative instructions to hospital, etc. units Correspondence S.S. AI #4 1943-1945 Ed Mayerding &;anti-conscription work Rudd &;CPSU vs. CPS correspondence

Box 4
Survey of records of Union members
Forms
Unused skills-correspondence Correspondence on Form L #1 Form #2 completed copies Form #2 completed, selected originals Form #2 completed, rejected Form #2 completed, selected copies, not sent Form #2 completed, selected copies General Hershey letter Form #1 filled out Unused skills, copies of forms Form #2 and covering letter
Box 5
Card lists of members
Box 6
Records and correspondence with local units filed by camp or unit Units #16 to #59
Camp #16 (Kane, Pa)
Camp # 20 (Wells Tannery) Camp #21 (Cascade Locks) Camp #23 (Coshocton) Camp #26 (Alexian) Camp #27 (Mulberry, Fla) Camp #27 (Orlando) Camp #27 (Tallahassee) Camp #35 (North Fork, Ca) Camp #36 (Santa Barbara) Camp #37 (Coleville) Camp #41 (Williamsburg) Camp #42 (Wellston) Camp #43 (Puerto Rico) Camp #46 (Big Flats) 4 folders Camp #47 (Sykesville) Camp #49 (Byberry) 6 folders Chairman's file Camp #50 (Presbyterian Hospital) Camp #51 (Fort Steilacoom) Camp #52 (Powellsville) 3 folders Camp #56 (Waldport) Camp #59 (Elkton)

Box 7
Records and correspondence with local units filed by camp or unit Units #64 to #94
Camp #61 (Duke) Camp #73 (Columbus) Camp #75 (Medical Lake) Camp #76 (Glendora) Camp #77 (Greystone Park, NJ) Camp #79 (Utah) Camp #80 (Lyons) Camp #81 (Middletown, GI unit) Camp #81 (Middletown) Camp #81 minutes Camp #81 reports Camp #81 communications from the G.E.B. Camp #81 constitution and organization Camp #81 letters Camp #81 union Camp #81 (Middletown) 3 folders Camp #82 (Newtown) Camp #83 (Warren St.) Camp #84 (Concord) Camp #87 (Brattleboro) Camp #88 (Agusta, Me) Warren, Pennsylvania Camp #94 (Trenton, SD) 2 folders
Box 8
Records and correspondence with local units filed by camp or unit Units #100 to #148
Camp #100 Rutland, VT Camp #108 Gatlinburg, TN Camp #111 Mancos, CO Camp #114 Mt. Weather, Bluemont, VA Camp #115 Mass. General, Boston MA Camp #115 Minneapolis, MN Camp #115 Pinehurst, NC Camp #115 Rochester, NY Camp #115 Welfare Island, New York, NY Camp #119 New Lisbon, NJ Camp #121 Bedford, VA Camp #127 American Fork, UT Camp #128 Lapine, OR Camp #129 Pennhurst, Spring City, PA Camp #130 Pownal, ME (2 folders) Camp #131 Cherokee, IO Camp #132 Laurel, MD (2 folders) Camp #134 Belden, CA (3 folders) Camp #135 Germfask (3 folders) Camp #136 Skillman, NJ Camp #140 Jaundice Unit, Philadelphia, PA (2 folders) Camp #140 New Haven, CT Camp #148 Minersville, CA (2 folders)
Box 8 [9?]
Records from Acc. 76A-84
Constitution, mailing lists, &;misc. Minutes of meetings Correspondence Financial records News releases Reports from camps Special camp affairs
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