Physical Description

1 box

Physical Description

1 box

Physical Description

1 box

This subseries contains various manuscripts written by or for Lee. The materials in this subseries are almost entirely unpublished manuscripts. The volume "Notes on a Trip Over the Harriman Railroads," (the Union Pacific, the Southern Pacific, the Oregon Railroad, and the Oregon Shortline) documents in great detail Lee's activities and observances on the operations of these railroads. During his 40-day trip in 1907 he recommended various forms of publicity for the lines and described the general and economic conditions in the areas traversed. Other writings concerning railroads include lectures for a "Railway Transportation Class," the "Technique of Publicity," written for the Electric Railway Journal in 1917, and "What Ails the Railroads."

The majority of Lee's writings concern the art of publicity. Lee explored the idea of publishing a series of lectures he gave May 14 and 15, 1924 at Harvard University under the title "The Meaning of Publicity." Also in this subseries is "Publicity: The Profession of Persuading the Public," a compilation of articles and speeches most likely written in the mid-1920s to educate the business leaders on the use of publicity. Other manuscripts on publicity include, "The Public Eye" (mid-1920s), and its revision "An Intelligent Citizen's Guide to Propaganda," which attempts to explain the sound and unsound aspects of propaganda. In 1928 Lee had his staff assist in the editing of another publicity book, "Mr. Lee's Publicity Book, 'an exposition of the methods and objects of publicity.'" The purpose of the manuscript was to show how public relations with its dissemination of information is important to the functioning of a democratic society. "Constructive Publicity," compiled most likely in the late 1920s is a collections of material on public relations and advertising. The last manuscript Lee prepared was "Problems of Propaganda: A Challenge to Democracy" in 1930. This volume is a series of addresses in which Lee "attempted rather to suggest enquiry...[in]to the problems which are raised in the present-day discussion of what are popularly and loosely termed 'publicity' or 'propaganda' activities." All the above manuscripts were never published.

Lee also wrote on financial matters, particularly war reparations and their effect on the world economy. The "Gold Standard Memorandum" dictated September 28, 1930, reflects the view of some English leaders on the effects of the world-wide depression and gold distribution in the world market. "Gold Resumption in Great Britain," gives a very concise history of Great Britain's economic history from World War I to 1933 with the resumption of the Gold Standard.

Also contained in this subseries is a manuscript written in 1930 that illustrates Lee's continuing interest in the Soviet Union. "Russia," is a series of information strung together on communism and many aspects of Russian social and political life from religion and women to the Comintern. The manuscript makes an attempt to synthesize much of the knowledge Lee had acquired and collected on the Soviet Union.

Arranged chronologically.

Physical Description

3 boxes

Lee on occasion would hire an individual or have his office staff prepare manuscripts from his notes on various topics because he did not have the time to do so on his own. "Capitalism" was written by Malcolm McComb for Lee and later revised by Lee. The manuscript offers a description of capitalism for the lay person. "Wall Street" was written by Frank Bellamy to illustrate who the leaders of Wall Street were and what Wall Street was like in the 1920s.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

1 box

Ivy Lee's speeches encompass all the issues he was interested in throughout his life including economics, foreign relations, transportation, and public relations. He was well known for his capabilities as a speaker and was eager to express his views through speeches. Many of the speeches duplicate each other in part but the speeches are one of the best methods for researching Lee's thoughts, theories, and observations on all matters that interested him.

The majority of the speeches from 1910 to 1924 relate to the "railroad question, situation, or problem," as Lee termed it. Generally this referred to the biggest single issue affecting the railroads at the time. For example, while Lee was executive assistant to the President of the Pennsylvania Railroad (1912 through 1915), many of the railroad speeches concern the campaign to raise freight rates. Most of the railroad speeches from 1917 to 1919 discuss government control of the railroads during the war.

The November 1920 speeches and some early 1921 speeches offer Lee's recollections of conditions in Europe. Interspersed from 1921 to 1923 are also speeches on capitalism, personalities, the social order, the current situation in Europe, and publicity. All the 1924 speeches pertain to the railroad situation whereas the 1925 addresses only refer to public relations with the exception of a transcript of a debate between Lee and Charles Solomon titled "The Interests of Humanity can Best be Served Under Capitalism." In 1926 Lee spoke on all the subjects mentioned previously. Lee in 1927 and 1928 talked almost exclusively on Russia coinciding with the publication of U.S.S.R. A World Enigma, with the exception of a few speeches discussing publicity, and international relations. A majority of the speeches in 1929 discuss, "Protecting the Public from Propaganda." Most of the early 1930 speeches reflect Lee's interest in Asia having just returned from the meeting of the Institute for Pacific Relations in Kyoto, Japan. In the latter half of 1930 Lee's speeches turned toward public relations. The 1931 speeches document Lee's interest in the railroad situation and Russia. The 1932 speeches relate to war debts and reparations, newspapers and news makers, and publicity and advertising. The subjects of 1933 speeches are "The Outlook for the Railroads," "Use of Publicity in Sales Promotion," and "The Virtues and Defects of Capitalism." "The Contracts of Nations and A New Technique of Helpful International Propaganda" are the only speeches Ivy Lee delivered in 1934.

Arranged chronologically.

Physical Description

3 boxes

No arrangement action taken or arrangement information not recorded at the time of processing.

The bulk of the personal correspondence is with Reverend James W. Lee, Ivy Lee's father. At times they would correspond daily, and Lee discussed all major decisions with his father until Rev. Lee's death in October of 1919. Unfortunately, correspondence from 1913 through 1915, when Lee made some of the most important decisions of his life, is missing. The correspondence in 1917 and 1918 documents Lee's Red Cross work during World War I. Lee's mother Emma Eufaula Lee wrote about caring for Rev. Lee before his death and recorded observations on a trip she took around the world in 1927.

During World War I, Ivy Lee wrote daily to Cornelia Lee, which provides a record of his day to day activities at the time.

Correspondence between the children and their parents is also included here. Most of Alice Lee's correspondence is from trips overseas. Ivy Lee, Jr.'s correspondence is to his parents while in school or overseas. The correspondence of James W. Lee, II is of the most interest because he was in Germany from 1933 to 1934 to assess the German situation for Lee's work for I. G. Farben Industries. He was rather frank when writing to his mother about Nazi Germany, but he did not include much information on I. G. Farben. A letter of November 15, 1933 from Lee to James illustrates his thoughts on the work for I. G. Farben Industries. There is also correspondence from James on a trip he took to Chile as part of a delegation to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the first shipment of Chilean Nitrate of Soda (an Ivy Lee & Associates account) to the United States.

Physical Description

4 boxes

No arrangement action taken or arrangement information not recorded at the time of processing.

These letters express sympathy to Cornelia Lee and her sons at the death of Ivy Lee in November of 1934. Included is a listing of all letters received.

Physical Description

2 boxes

The diaries are generally concerned with day to day activities starting from the hour Lee arose. The diary from 1895 to 1898 gives the researcher a sense of what it was like for Lee to attend Emory University and Princeton University, especially his extra-curricular activities. The journal from Europe in 1905 was written expressly for Cornelia Lee. Included in it are memorabilia and descriptions of his travels.

Arranged chronologically.

Physical Description

2 boxes

Ivy Lee's interest in Gothic cathedrals began during his first trip to Europe in 1905. He contracted with Orton Tewson in 1933 to begin compiling a book on Gothic architecture using Lee's many books and notes on the subject, but the project was never completed. In 1930 Lee attempted to create a memorabilia book with the aid of his office staff but the project was also never completed. The manuscript consists of a collection of clippings on Lee and his activities throughout his professional life.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

2 boxes

No arrangement action taken or arrangement information not recorded at the time of processing.

Lee was concerned with publicity for himself as much as for his clients. He had his office write up a number of biographical sketches on him and would reprint favorable articles on himself for interested individuals. Many of the biographies are rather short and repetitive. Included in this subseries is an interview with Ivy Lee, Jr. concerning his father and a masters thesis on Lee, Ivy Lee: Founder of the Public Relations Concept. The researcher may also want to consult various Princeton University senior theses on Lee, listed under "Related Material."

Physical Description

1 box

Lee planned a trip with his family and a few friends across the country by rail in the summer of 1926, saving the itinerary and many news clippings of the trip collected over the journey. "The Trip Over the Harriman Lines" volume from 1907 contains letters of introduction, itineraries, and rail passes, along with various souvenirs collected during the journey.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

1 box

This subseries contains material relating to Ivy Lee's immediate family. Alice Lee kept a diary of her trip to Egypt in 1926 for her family's benefit. She writes long descriptive passages on all she sees. Included are some letters of Cornelia Lee written when she was a child to her friend Grace Newton. Cornelia Lee saved information on her father's death in 1894, providing the researcher with information on the Bigelow family.

Information related to Rev. James W. Lee consists of some miscellaneous correspondence with Ivy Lee's business partner George Parker and a manuscript Rev. Lee never completed titled "A Call to American Churches." The letters of condolence were written to Emma Eufaula Lee and Ivy Lee. Included in this folder are remarks made at Rev. Lee's funeral.

James W. Lee II's materials give a first hand account of the first two years of Nazi Germany. James kept a diary while living in Berlin in which he recounts many of his daily activities, as well as various Nazi rallies and the notables who were present. The August 27, 1933 entry contains a long description of a Nazi rally in East Prussia. James Lee's memoranda and correspondence to the office in New York also discuss various aspects of the Nazi regime. The researcher may also want to consult the Visual Materials series for photographs taken by James while in Germany.

The correspondence between James and Ivy, Jr. gives some insight into their relationship with other members of the staff while working at Ivy Lee & Associates. One of Ivy Lee, Jr.'s first responsibilities as a member of the firm Ivy Lee & Associates was to prepare a report on the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

2 boxes

This subseries contains any long descriptive articles from newspapers and magazines across the country written about Lee, collected by Lee or the family arranged alphabetically by author. Since Ray Heibert wrote a substantial amount of material on Lee this has been separated into its own folder, including book reviews Of Heibert's biography of Lee, Courtier to the Crowd.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

2 boxes

The memorabilia consists of awards and citations, Lee's Emory College yearbook, and clippings from Ivy Lee day in Cedartown, Georgia (October 6, 1965). The material concerning the Pennsylvania Railroad consists of invitations, menus, railroad passes and the like.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

1 box

The news clippings span Lee's college days to 1958 when Nelson Rockefeller was elected governor of New York state. Lee was featured in many of these articles as the figure who changed the image of the Rockefeller family. The news clippings where collected by Lee and his family from around the country. The news clippings are smaller pieces that do not feature Lee as prominently as the articles but all contain at least a reference to Lee. The news clippings chronicle all of Lee's professional career. Some are separated into folders containing just one important topic such as Lee's appointment to the personal staff of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., or the publication of a book authored by Lee. Though an attempt has been made to remove duplicate material some may still be included especially when the source was a national wire service release.

Arranged chronologically.

Physical Description

6 boxes

This subseries includes printed material other than books written by Lee. The majority of the miscellaneous articles deal with the railroads but also included are articles on American Red Cross work, public relations, Russia, and other areas of interest for Lee or his clients. "The Problem of International Propaganda" (1934) was a showcase for Lee's views on how to help promote world peace. "Publicity: Some of the Things It Is and Is Not," is a series of addresses delivered in 1924 explaining the difference between news and advertising in addition to other concerns of a public relations practitioner. Lee wrote a column entitled "American Notes of the Week" discussing United States current affairs in digest form for the Spectator an English magazine from April 1929 to July 1930. Printed writings Lee did as a journalist are included in the oversize series. Many speeches, though printed, are included in the speeches subseries.

Arranged chronologically.

Physical Description

1 box

No arrangement action taken or arrangement information not recorded at the time of processing.

This subseries includes articles, manuscripts and news clippings concerning Rev. James W. Lee. This is a good source of information to explore the professional life of Rev. Lee. Much of the news clippings were collected in a scrapbook by Ivy Lee. Also included are various pamphlets, generally on religious matters, written by Rev. Lee.

Physical Description

1 box

This subseries contains miscellaneous materials concerning the running of Ivy Lee & Associates. In 1921 Lee explored the possibility of opening up an Advertising Agency to work in conjunction with the public relations firm. The Advisory Board file (1927) contains letters and information used to consider creating a board to meet and discuss various problems of the Lee firm. Also contained in this subseries are speeches by various members of the firm.

The Firm History file contains bits and pieces of information concerning major changes in the firm. The Office Conference file contains important information on a new change of direction for Ivy Lee and the firm. As of January 1927 Lee planned to "divorce" himself from the public relations work of the office to devote his time to "thinking out problems of policy and helping our clients to do the things which if done will provoke a favorable public reaction." This file includes a speech by Lee to the firm addressing his reasoning behind the decision and an overview of his previous public relations work. The Notes by Staff Members includes material on public utilities, labor, and capitalism. The Office Manual of 1921 describes how business is to be properly conducted including organizational charts portraying who is in charge of which accounts and what types of letterhead are to be used in various situations.

The subseries includes material pertaining to the firm after Lee's death, including the partnership agreement of the remaining members of the firm, signed in January of 1935, and material concerning the name change to T. J. Ross & Associates in 1961. "Public Opinion Trends" from October 1944 to March 1946 was issued occasionally by the firm offering a summary of various public opinion polls on miscellaneous topics, from elections to financial and social matters.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

1 box

The Client Files contain material on various clients that was not sent out as public relations material. This subseries is relatively small, and does not provide adequate representation of all of Lee's clients. The Amtorg Trading Co. (a company doing business in the Soviet Union) file contains a memorandum from Lee on "the present attitude of American public sentiment toward the Russian government." Many of the files contain memoranda concerning publicity options for various companies, including Anaconda Copper Co., and the Association of Railroad Executives Files. The Colorado Fuel and Iron Co. file contains selected transcripts that make reference to Lee from the U.S. Congress, Senate, Commission on Industrial Relations hearings on publicity for the mine operators. The Eastern Presidents Conference file presents a summary of work performed for that organization. Investment Banking Memoranda is a public relations plan to improve the image of banks as a result of the depression. All the publicity material done by Lee for the New York mayoral campaign of John P. O'Brien is included in this subseries. Lee wrote many speeches and statements for the mayor to use in the campaign. The United States - French Financial News Agency was a company set up by Lee to help expedite publicity for a loan to France waiting authorization by the French government.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

2 boxes

This subseries contains miscellaneous material printed by Ivy Lee & Associates. The researcher will find various publications issued by the firm including; Notes and Clippings, and Public Relations. These publications presented Lee's views on various matters while also highlighting concerns of many of his clients. The publications were sent to his many acquaintances and clients as a method of public relations for the firm. These publications, along with later ones in the oversize series (Information) and the memoranda, are a good way for the researcher to understand what interested Lee at any given time. Included in the miscellaneous folder are various publications written by others, such as the "Occasional Papers" series.

The Memoranda have been organized by subject category and are an excellent source for ascertaining Lee's views on various issues. Lee made a habit of writing and printing memoranda on a wide variety of subjects. While the speeches give a good description of how Lee saw the railroad situation, many of the memoranda were written in later years and portray a greater range of subject matter including a few focusing on client concerns. Lee went as a representative of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce to an appointment with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, where he articulated many of the concerns of the automotive industry. The other memoranda deal with a variety of issues, from financial matters to the railroads.

Arranged alphabetically.

Physical Description

2 boxes

This is the largest subseries and encompasses all the public relations material that Ivy Lee and Associates made available to the press and other interested individuals for its varied clients. In the letter of gift T. J. Ross states that the MSO material was "produced by him [Ivy Lee] or under his direction, as well as those representing an extension of his life's work." This series does not represent a comprehensive list of all of Lee's clients, since he may have only been a consultant and advisor for many companies and did not distribute materials to news organizations. The MSO material represents quite a variety of materials. Much of it is typed sheets of information sent to major newspapers to be printed as news and was not meant as advertising copy, although some companies do have advertising material in the collection. Many of these were composed at the last minute in relation to crises such as accidents, strikes, company buyouts, and congressional investigations. Also included are speeches distributed in full or part to area news organizations. Many of these were written by Lee, or with his help and expertise. The printed material includes annual reports, advertisements, speeches, and informational pamphlets.

Since this subseries comprises 87 boxes explaining in detail the contents of each box would be too time consuming and tedious. For descriptive purposes I have grouped together companies doing the same type of business, some of the smaller companies and organizations are not noted at all in the description that follows. Therefore, if the researcher is only interested in Ivy Lee's work for the railroads one can read through that section. A researcher interested in one specific company should go directly to the folder listing to request boxes of interest. The researcher will also want to examine the oversize materials and photographs series to make sure there is not information on a client in these series. The first use of a company or organization name has been highlighted making it easier for the researcher to identify an area of interest. The dates given after in parentheses represent the span of years for the public relations material in the Ivy Lee Papers and not necessarily the years that the company or organization was in existence.

Lee was a proponent of trade industry associations believing that cooperative effort would help improve production and expand markets. Many of the clients represented in this subseries were trade associations created with Lee's urging. The Cotton Textile Institute, American Petroleum Institute, the Copper and Brass Research Association, Eastern Presidents Conference, Association of Railroad Executives, Anthracite Operators, and the National Board of Fire Underwriters are among the associates represented. For descriptions of the these holdings please see the subject groupings they fall into.

The subject groupings are:

Miscellaneous

Entertainment Industry

Financial Interests

Food Producers

Natural Resources (including coal, petroleum, and minerals)

Non-Profit Organizations

Public Utilities

Rockefeller Interests (including family information and non-profit work)

Transportation (including railroads, subways, ships, and automobiles)

MISCELLANEOUS

This subseries contains the public relations output for a variety of Ivy Lee & Associates clients that do not fit into the other classifications. Description for only the larger companies has been printed. The miscellaneous descriptions are arranged in alphabetical order by company name.

Allied Liquor Industries Inc. (1941-1946) was an organization composed of principal distillers, importers, rectifiers, and whiskey brokers founded in 1941. The aim of Allied was to support public relations activities of the liquor industry as a whole. Their main worry was to prevent the enactment of prohibition laws during war time and to help the industry cooperate with the government during war. The majority of the miscellaneous MSO material consists of speeches, minutes, press releases, polling information on prohibition, and statistical reviews of liquor sales.The printed material consists of newsclippings, and informational pamphlets. Newsletters were put out weekly to keep members up to date on issues affecting the industry such as legislation. In 1943 Allied created a Women's Bureau to promote the cause of moderation as opposed to prohibition. Women Today was put out weekly by the Women's Bureau consisting of chatty articles on current events and providing information on all subjects, not just on the liquor industry. Licensed Beverage Industries (1946) was formed by a merger of Allied and the Conference of Alcoholic Beverage Industries. This organization was a nationwide community relations organization formed "to merit and maintain favorable public opinion." The MSOs document its first public relations activity, "Clean-Up-For-Good-Will," to convince liquor retailers to maintain attractive establishments.

The American Tobacco Company (1928-1943) was the producer of Lucky Strike cigarettes. The American Cigar Company was a subsidiary that produced Cremo Cigars. The miscellaneous MSO material consists of press releases on the health benefits of smoking, facts on the tobacco industry, taxes paid by the industry, information on exports, sales figures, statistics especially on women's smoking habits, and stockholder information. The printed material consists of annual reports, stockholder information, public relations pamphlets, newspapers articles, and advertisements.

Bethlehem Steel Company (1916-1930) was one of Ivy Lee's first major clients. Lee was called in to help advise and create public relations material concerning the production of armor plate used in the building of war vessels. Believing that United States entry into the war was inevitable, the company had invested a good deal of money into building new facilities. Around the same time Congress passed a bill authorizing the government to build an armor plate facility. Ivy Lee orchestrated a large public relations campaign to halt the government plant as a waste of taxpayer money. The MSO's from this period contain press releases and speeches by Charles Schwab and Eugene Grace, Bethlehem Steel leaders. After the war the Bethlehem Steel public relations material illustrates the peace time industries of the company in an attempt to help raise capital. The post war material contains press releases concerning construction and plant information, speeches, financial and stockholder information, and information on "The Bethlehem Plan," a company-sponsored plan for employee representation designed to preclude organization of a union. The printed MSOs cover the same topics as the miscellaneous MSOs. The Bethlehem Review was a bulletin of news for the employees of the company.

The Cotton Textile Institute (1926-1931) was founded in 1926 in part through the urging of Lee. The Institute was an association of cotton manufacturers who came together "to promote the progress and development of the cotton industry." Contained within the MSO material are press releases discussing the increased use of cotton in textiles especially for clothing, information and news, new uses of cotton along with the erosion of old uses, and merchandising material. Many of the MSOs are related to the use of cotton in the fashion industry. The printed MSOs contain articles, addresses, annual reports, pamphlets on fashion and new uses of cotton. The Association of Cotton Merchants of New York (1926-1930) contains the same type of information found in the Institute files. Also included are sales figures and a lot of material on fashions.

The Harmon National Real Estate Development Corporation (1926-1927) was a builder and seller of suburban tract housing mostly in the New York Metropolitan area. The MSO material was used to encourage buyers proclaiming the wonders of home ownership. The Harmon Review was sent to customers monthly, giving them news on the activities of the corporation.

The National Board of Fire Underwriters (1943-1946) includes public relations material responding to charges that underwriters acted as a monopoly. The press releases consist of news to members, information on a Department of Justice anti-trust investigation and the government laws proposed in relation to the investigation, as well as speeches. In addition there is information on two radio news shows underwritten by the Board giving schedules for the shows and commercial information. The printed material covers the same subject matter as the miscellaneous MSOs plus information on fire prevention.

The material for the Western Union Telegraph Company (1939-1946) includes stockholder information, speeches of the president, company history, and press releases on the purchase of the Postal Telegraph Company in 1943. The printed material consists of annual reports and agreements with the union.

The Wickwire Steel Company (1941-1946) materials are all printed consisting of information on the war products produced by the company and many advertisements. The researcher will also want to consult the oversize folder for Wickwire.

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) (1932-1934) hired the Lee firm during the early 1930s. The firm created publicity to provide a better public image for ASCAP to counteract a suit brought by broadcasters, alleging that the royalties ASCAP demanded were too high. The material for Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1930-1946) was mostly created by the firm after Ivy Lee's death. The material contains miscellaneous press releases giving information to stockholders and on various broadcast procedures. The majority of material is printed. The miscellaneous printed material consists of annual reports, pamphlets and brochures generally on radio and two serial publications. Talks was a quarterly digest of the more thoughtful speeches broadcast over the CBS network. Listen contains reprints from CBS advertisements where the material was culled from various publications about CBS programs and shows. Marine Studios (1937-1939) was an aquarium built in Florida for tourists to view all types of ocean life. The firm did publicity during building and immediately after to attract tourists to what was the largest aquarium of its time. The researcher will also want to consult the visual materials series since much of the publicity was visual. One folder of material is available for United Artists, the National Association of Broadcasters and Muzak Inc.

FINANCIAL INTERESTS

Lee had considerable experience in financial matters from his days as a Wall Street reporter and his work for Harris, Winthrop & Co. which led to many clients in the financial world. Otto Kahn (1916-1931), head of Kuhn Loeb & Co., was a long standing client of the firm. Kahn publicized many of his memoranda and speeches on world financial matters through Ivy Lee & Associates. Many of the investment firms Lee represented distributed bulletins as a source of information for their investors and the general public. Dominick & Dominick (1924-1932) produced a bulletin of this sort and also distributed press releases on matters of concern to the investment house. Bankers Trust's (1920-1927) bulletin was Foreign Information and provided information on Europe generally dealing with financial and commercial matters. Liberty National Bank (1920-1921) a forerunner of New York Trust Company (1921-1946) distributed Present Day Scandinavia and The Index. New York Trust continued to produce The Index providing information for investors. Investment houses sparsely represented are Speyer & Co., Dillon Read & Co., Frazier Jelke & Co., and Kuhn Loeb & Co.

The researcher interested in the public relations efforts for various foreign loans will want to consult the Poland, Rumania, and United States-French Financial News Agency files.

FOOD PRODUCTS

The firm engaged in public relations for a number of food producers and distributors. Armour Inc. (1923-1935), the meat packing company, was the largest food producer client of Ivy Lee & Associates. The material on Armour consists of stockholder information, the acquisition of Morris and Co., press releases, and consumer information. The printed material consists of information on the Packers Consent Decree, pamphlets offering information on the meat packing industry, financial reports and consumer information among others items.

Another client was General Mills Inc. (1928-1945) and its predecessor the Washburn Crosby Company. These files consist of press releases and pamphlets providing information on flour milling, sales, wheat production, the first Betty Crocker recipes, along with stockholder information.

The papers include a variety of small companies and organizations involved in the production of Cuban sugar; these have been combined under the heading Sugar Interests (1922-1934). The files contain reports on the current sugar market and production information on Cuban sugar. The later material refers to the International Sugar Council, an organization Lee helped established, that called for cooperative efforts to stabilize sugar prices throughout the world under the Chadbourne Plan. The papers contain one folder of information on Bacardi Rum.

NATURAL RESOURCES

Since the supply of coal and petroleum were very important to most industries, Lee took a strong interest in the production and distribution of natural resources. The oldest material found in the MSO subseries is from the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co. (1915-1927). Rockefeller first consulated with Lee over strikes at the company in 1914. The MSO material from 1915 and 1916 is almost exclusively on John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s testimony before the U.S. Commission on Industrial Relations concerning the strike of 1914. The other MSO material is on later strikes.

The Petroleum War Service Committee (1917-1918) and its predecessor the American Petroleum Institute (1919-1922) was an organization of petroleum producers created to coordinate the petroleum supply during the war and cooperate with the government. After the war its main focus was to promote the general interests of the petroleum industry. Publicity material consists of informational pamphlets, press releases, and bulletins with useful information to member companies. A. C. Bedford was chairman of the committee and institute and also director of Standard Oil Co. (1917-1942) another client of the firm. The Standard Oil Co. files contain many addresses by Bedford that relate to the condition of the petroleum industry. The 1927 file contains publicity material from a proxy fight involving John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to force Colonel Stewart the current Standard Oil Co. director to resign. Ivy Lee and Associates also did public relations work for Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. (1935-1944) producers of Mobil gas and a division of Standard Oil. The MSO material consists of press releases, annual reports, and information for stockholders.

Some of Lee's earliest public relations work was for anthracite coal operators during a 1906 coal strike. This association with coal producers continued when the Anthracite Operators (1921-1926) asked Lee to produce public relations material for them in regard to labor unrest. The firm also supplied press releases on coal production, a major concern when coal was the primary source of heat.

Other mining concerns that turned to Lee for public relations counsel were, the Anaconda Copper Co. (1923-1926), the Copper and Brass Research Institute (1921-1930), and American Smelting and Refining (1923-1930). The MSO's of American Smelting and Refining, a miner and producer of silver, refer to financial matters, annual reports, and employee relations. Lee developed the idea of the Copper and Brass Research Institute while providing advice to Anaconda. The Institute was composed of large copper manufacturers that carried out an extensive publicity campaign to stimulate use of copper and brass. The MSO material consists of advertisements, press releases, speeches, research findings, and informational brochures suggesting various novel and common uses of these metals. The researcher will also want to consult the additional materials in the oversize series. The Anaconda material closely resembles what was created for the Copper and Brass Research Institute.

Another mining concern was the production and sale of Chilean Nitrate of Soda (1930-1946). Nitrate was used as a fertilizer and the producers hired the Lee firm to help increase awareness and sales of the mineral to American farmers. The miscellaneous MSOs consist of press releases on production, uses of nitrogen, scientific experiments, and general business information on Chile. Farm for Victory was published by the Chilean Nitrate Education Bureau to provide information to farmers and gardeners to help increase the nations food production during World War II.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

In the philanthropic field Lee is most well known for his work for the American Red Cross (1917-1920) during World War I. The Red Cross material consists of appeals for funds in various forms, press releases explaining the work of the Red Cross, and other material to make the fund raising campaign successful. Other fund raising campaigns include the United Hospital Fund (1916-1925), to collect funds for needy patients in New York city's private hospitals; the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (1922-1924); the Henry Street Settlement (1916-1918); and the Association for the Aid of Crippled Children (1940-1944). Please consult the folder listing for a complete roster of the charitable organizations that worked with the firm.

Lee did public relations work for a number of religious organizations. He distributed publicity material for the Park Avenue Baptist Church (1922-1928) later to become the Riverside Church (1929-1946). Much of this work stems from John D. Rockefeller, Jrs. connection to the church. The material refers to the building of the Riverside Church and the use of its carillon. Lee had printed some of the sermons of Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick pastor of the Riverside Church. Lee helped in public relations work for various units of the Episcopal Church including, the Pension Fund, Theological School, and Church War Commission. For the Presbyterian Church, USA Lee did public relations work for the Layman's Committee. The Laymen's Inquiry into Foreign Missions affiliated with the Baptist Church, had a number of reports written with the help and advice of Ivy Lee & Associates. The researcher interested in this group will also want to consult the oversize series. The firm did public relations work for the William A. Sunday Evangelistic Association fundraising campaign in 1917. The firm did publicity for various projects of the Young Men's and Women's Christian Association.

Lee helped persuade Daniel Guggenheim to create a fund for the promotion of aviation which became the Daniel Guggenheim Foundation (1924-1942). Lee worked as public relations counsel for the Foundation. The firm produced press releases, booklets, pamphlets, and brochures. Some of the material is about ground breaking flights by Charles Lindbergh and Admiral Richard E. Byrd.

Lee was always willing to offer public relations counsel to his alma mater, Princeton University (1919-1926) but in addition to Princeton the firm also did public relations work for Harvard University, Brown University, and the University of Virginia. The work for Princeton, beside consultation, included creating materials for the Endowment Fund campaign in 1919 and 1920, and miscellaneous material for the University during the 1920s. Harcourt Parrish, a partner in the firm, was an alumni of the University of Virginia and did public relations work for the University.

PUBLIC UTILITIES

United States public utilities executives were especially concerned with the possibility of nationalization of utilities during the Depression. The Committee of Public Utility Executives (1935-1936) and the Commonwealth Southern Corp. (1935-1940) came to Ivy Lee and Associates to launch a public relations campaign against passage of the Wheeler-Rayburn Bill (Public Utility Holding Company Act). The material for the public relations campaign consists of legal opinions, excerpts from House and Senate testimony, reprints of editorial comments and press releases. Wendell L. Wilkie as president of the Commonwealth Southern Corp. played an active role in the campaign battling the Tennessee Valley Authority.

ROCKEFELLER INTERESTS

Lee created a wide range of material on the Rockefeller family and its philanthropic interests. Companies that the Rockefeller family had a major interest in have been separated from this section such as Standard Oil and the Colorado Fuel and Oil Company. Here the researcher will find public relations material, generally press releases, for the General Education Board (1914-1941), International House (1932-1938), Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial (1922-1923), Rockefeller Center (1935-1938) (see also Metropolitan Square material), the Rockefeller Foundation (1915-1920), Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (1915-1939), and the Bureau of Social Hygiene (1917). The information on the family refers to weddings, John D. Rockefeller Sr.'s birthday, and press releases about John D. Rockefeller Jr. Much of the printed material on philanthropic concerns consists of annual reports, and pamphlets about the work of the organizations. The printed material on John D. Rockefeller, Jr. is of speeches, statements, and books he wrote such as the Colorado Industrial Plan. The researcher may want to look at the section on non-profit organizations. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. was very involved in the Riverside Baptist Church.

TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIES

Transportation industries represents the largest set of MSO files with companies from the commercial shipping, railroads, and the automotive industry. MSO's on commercial shipping are relatively small. Clients of interest are the Committee of the American Shipbuilders, and the American Shipping and Commerce Corporation, these files dating from 1920 and 1921 and the Steamship Conference of 1925.

With his work for the Pennsylvania Railroad (1920-1946) much of Lee's early client base was formed. Material for the Pennsylvania Railroad comprises 13 boxes. Much is general public relations material sent out by the company, including information on accidents, changes in schedules, acquisitions, financial information and the like. Also included are speeches made by W. W. Atterby, Elisha Lee, George D.,Ogden, and Samuel Rea and other officials of the railroad. Public relations material for the Long Island Railroad is included here since it was a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The menu's for the railroad also include public relations material in the form of short articles on destinations of the Pennsylvania line, or information about the running of the railroad. The printed MSO's contain a variety of public relations information on the line. The researcher will find selected Pennsylvania News publications in the oversize series.

Lee was well known for his public relations work for the Interborough Rapid Transit Authority (1916-1932) or more popularly known as the IRT, part of the New York City subway system. The MSOs for the IRT, document the general public relations work done for the company along with newspaper advertisements, annual reports, strike material, and printed material such as the Interborough Bulletin. The early IRT material relates to a major strike in 1916. Much of the later material relates to a continuous campaign to raise the subway fare above five cents. The researcher will find the Subway Sun and Elevated Express in the oversize series.

Lee's work with the Pennsylvania Railroad and the IRT brought him into contact with other railroad organizations. The Association of Railroad Executives (1919-1922) was an organization formed after World War I to improve the image of the railroads once government control was abolished. He provided public relations counsel and advice to the Committee on Public Relations of the Eastern Presidents Conference (EPC) (1923-1925) an organization of railroad executives that sent public relations material to members and worked as a clearing house of information. The EPC produced a broadside at regular intervals titled Railroad Data that is in the oversize series.

The firm also had as clients some smaller railroad firms including; the American Locomotive Co., American Railway Association, Electric Railroads of New York State, Georgia Railway and Power Co., New York Railways Co., Trenton and Mercer County Traction Co., and the York Railways Co.

Chrysler Corporation (1929-1946) public relations materials are extensive. The MSO's consist of stockholder and financial information, the construction and occupancy of the Chrysler building in New York (1929-1930), and speeches especially by Walter P. Chrysler. During the early 1930s and onward, general sales figures and information, especially concerning Chrysler's introduction of its low end Plymouth line as competition with Ford's Model T, are included in the MSO's. During the 1940s much of the public relations material highlights the war work that Chrysler performed. The Printed MSO's contain annual reports, Chrysler Building material, advertisements, speeches, reference to the 1939 strikes, and publicity material on various cars. World War II produces much material on Chrysler's war effort including the publication of six books highlighting various aspects of the company's war work.

Ivy Lee and Associates also performed work for companies that supplied parts to the automobile industry. Briggs Manufacturing Co. (1933-1946) built car bodies and later tank bodies, and aircraft wings along with other metal work done during the war. The public relations material consists of information pertaining to strikes (1938-1941), annual reports, production information, and their contribution to the war effort. Photographs from Briggs during the war are included in visual materials series. The Kelly-Springfield Tire Co. (1936-1937) material consists of press releases on strikes. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (1936-1939) material is on a variety of topics including strikes (1936-1937), advertisements, annual reports, research developments, pamphlets, along with financial and stock information.

See also Series 8: Oversize

Originally the firm pasted the material on manila sheets and bound these chronologically. The material has been disbound and arranged in alphabetical order by company, individual, or organization name. When the material for a company comprised more than one folder, in many cases the printed matter was separated into its own folder preceding the miscellaneous material. Included is one folder of miscellaneous MSOs, compromising only one item for these companies and it is arranged alphabetically within the folder.

Physical Description

90 boxes