Carl Haessler
Encyclopedia
Carl Haessler was an American political activist, conscription
resister, newspaper editor, and trade union
organizer. He is best remembered as an imprisoned conscientious objector
during World War I
and as the longtime head of the Federated Press
, a left wing news service
which supplied content to radical and labor newspapers around the country.
of ethnic German parents. His father was a building contractor and his mother was a teacher in the Milwaukee public school system. Carl attended public school in Milwaukee and went on to college at the University of Wisconsin in Madison
, from which he graduated in 1911 with a bachelor's degree
in Latin
.
During his early years, Haessler raised money for his education by working summers as a farm hand
.
From 1911 to 1914, Haessler attended Balliol College of Oxford University in England
. There he became interested in the socialist movement and joined the Fabian socialists.
Upon his return to the United States in 1914, Haessler took a job teaching in the Philosophy Department of Illinois University at Urbana
. He also continued work on his Ph.D.
, which he received upon completion of his dissertation, entitled "The Failure of Scottish Realism."
in 1914.
With American entry into the European conflict early in 1917, the ethnic German pacifist Haessler was dismissed from the university for his political views. He went to work for Victor L. Berger
at his socialist daily newspaper, The Milwaukee Leader
, remaining their for about a year. During this time he joined the News Writer's Union and the delegate of that organization to the Milwaukee Federated Trades Council.
In the spring of 1918, Haessler was drafted into the U.S. Army. He accepted being drafted but refused to put on the uniform in boot camp
and was therefore court martialed under military law
. Haessler was found guilty and issued a sentence of 12 years of hard labor. Haessler completed just over two years of his prison sentence, served at the stockades of Fort Leavenworth
and Alcatraz military prison
from June 1918 until his being released in August 1920 by a presidential pardon. During Haessler's time in prison, his wife, Mildred Haessler, obtained a job as a teacher to support herself.
During his time in prison, Haessler was removed for a brief period when he was called as a witness for the prosecution in the federal trial of Congressman Victor Berger. The prosecution attempted to demonstrate that Haessler's position as an imprisoned conscientious objector was a product of Berger's direct influence, thereby providing proof of Berger's criminality with respect to the current conscription law. Haessler would have none of it however, replying when asked if he and Berger had had any talks about the war:
Haessler characterized his views as significantly to the left of those of Berger, whom he called an "old fogey" that had told him "not to be a damned fool" and who had considered Haessler too young and rash and impulsive.
Upon his release, Haessler returned for a time to the employ of Berger's Milwaukee Leader before joining the fledgling Federated Press
news service, a press agency
which provided news copy to scores of radical and labor newspapers around the country. The Federated Press was initially established by E.J. Costello, former managing editor of The Milwaukee Leader. In 1922, Haessler was named as the managing editor and secretary-treasurer of the Federated Press, positions which he retained until the end of the news service in 1956.
Haessler was also named associate editor of The Federated Press Bulletin, the weekly newspaper of the Federated Press issued for subscribers across America.
In his capacities with the Federated Press, Haessler was a member of the International Typographical Union
.
In 1937, Haessler went to work for the Congress of Industrial Organizations
(CIO) handling the union's public relations
from Flint, Michigan
during its series of sitdown strikes
there. He also served as editor of The United Auto Worker until 1941 and was a longtime editor of Tool and Die Maker's News.
.
Haessler's papers are housed at Wayne State University
in Detroit, Michigan
.
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
resister, newspaper editor, and trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
organizer. He is best remembered as an imprisoned conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and as the longtime head of the Federated Press
Federated Press
The Federated Press was a left wing news service established in 1920 that provided daily content to the radical and labor press in America.-History:...
, a left wing news service
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
which supplied content to radical and labor newspapers around the country.
Early years
Carl Haessler was born August 5, 1888 in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
of ethnic German parents. His father was a building contractor and his mother was a teacher in the Milwaukee public school system. Carl attended public school in Milwaukee and went on to college at the University of Wisconsin in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, from which he graduated in 1911 with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
.
During his early years, Haessler raised money for his education by working summers as a farm hand
Farmworker
A farmworker is a person hired to work in the agricultural industry. This includes work on farms of all sizes, from small, family-run businesses to large industrial agriculture operations...
.
From 1911 to 1914, Haessler attended Balliol College of Oxford University in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. There he became interested in the socialist movement and joined the Fabian socialists.
Upon his return to the United States in 1914, Haessler took a job teaching in the Philosophy Department of Illinois University at Urbana
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
. He also continued work on his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, which he received upon completion of his dissertation, entitled "The Failure of Scottish Realism."
Political career
Haessler joined the Socialist Party of AmericaSocialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
in 1914.
With American entry into the European conflict early in 1917, the ethnic German pacifist Haessler was dismissed from the university for his political views. He went to work for Victor L. Berger
Victor L. Berger
Victor Luitpold Berger was a founding member of the Socialist Party of America and an important and influential Socialist journalist who helped establish the so-called Sewer Socialist movement. The first Socialist elected to the U.S...
at his socialist daily newspaper, The Milwaukee Leader
Milwaukee Leader
The Milwaukee Leader was a socialist daily newspaper established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in December 1911 by Socialist Party chief Victor L. Berger...
, remaining their for about a year. During this time he joined the News Writer's Union and the delegate of that organization to the Milwaukee Federated Trades Council.
In the spring of 1918, Haessler was drafted into the U.S. Army. He accepted being drafted but refused to put on the uniform in boot camp
Recruit training
Recruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
and was therefore court martialed under military law
Military law
Military justice is the body of laws and procedures governing members of the armed forces. Many states have separate and distinct bodies of law that govern the conduct of members of their armed forces. Some states use special judicial and other arrangements to enforce those laws, while others use...
. Haessler was found guilty and issued a sentence of 12 years of hard labor. Haessler completed just over two years of his prison sentence, served at the stockades of Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
and Alcatraz military prison
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island is an island located in the San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. Often referred to as "The Rock" or simply "Traz", the small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and a Federal...
from June 1918 until his being released in August 1920 by a presidential pardon. During Haessler's time in prison, his wife, Mildred Haessler, obtained a job as a teacher to support herself.
During his time in prison, Haessler was removed for a brief period when he was called as a witness for the prosecution in the federal trial of Congressman Victor Berger. The prosecution attempted to demonstrate that Haessler's position as an imprisoned conscientious objector was a product of Berger's direct influence, thereby providing proof of Berger's criminality with respect to the current conscription law. Haessler would have none of it however, replying when asked if he and Berger had had any talks about the war:
"Oh yes, I had lots of talks with Berger about the war. You see, I might say that I knew Victor Berger before I was born, since he knew my mother and father. But I don't remember what he said on those talks; I remember distinctly what I said, but his views did not impress me at all. I was far more interested in my views anyhow than I was in his."
Haessler characterized his views as significantly to the left of those of Berger, whom he called an "old fogey" that had told him "not to be a damned fool" and who had considered Haessler too young and rash and impulsive.
Upon his release, Haessler returned for a time to the employ of Berger's Milwaukee Leader before joining the fledgling Federated Press
Federated Press
The Federated Press was a left wing news service established in 1920 that provided daily content to the radical and labor press in America.-History:...
news service, a press agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
which provided news copy to scores of radical and labor newspapers around the country. The Federated Press was initially established by E.J. Costello, former managing editor of The Milwaukee Leader. In 1922, Haessler was named as the managing editor and secretary-treasurer of the Federated Press, positions which he retained until the end of the news service in 1956.
Haessler was also named associate editor of The Federated Press Bulletin, the weekly newspaper of the Federated Press issued for subscribers across America.
In his capacities with the Federated Press, Haessler was a member of the International Typographical Union
International Typographical Union
The International Typographical Union was a labor union founded on May 3, 1852 in the United States as the National Typographical Union. In its 1869 convention in Albany, New York, the union—having organized members in Canada—changed its name to the International Typographical Union...
.
In 1937, Haessler went to work for the Congress of Industrial Organizations
Congress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
(CIO) handling the union's public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
from Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
during its series of sitdown strikes
Sitdown strike
A sit-down strike is a form of civil disobedience in which an organized group of workers, usually employed at a factory or other centralized location, take possession of the workplace by "sitting down" at their stations, effectively preventing their employers from replacing them with strikebreakers...
there. He also served as editor of The United Auto Worker until 1941 and was a longtime editor of Tool and Die Maker's News.
Later years
Beginning in 1963, Haessler became involved in draft counseling of conscientious objectors to the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Death and legacy
Carl Haessler died on December 8, 1972. He was 84 years old at the time of his death.Haessler's papers are housed at Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
External links
- "The Carl Haessler Collection: Papers, 1908-1972," Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.