00767.xml Joseph H. Ball: An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society Finding aid prepared by Christopher G. Welter Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul, MN.

Manuscripts Collection

 Finding aid encoded by Christopher G. Welter, March 2010 Finding aid written in English. OVERVIEW Minnesota Historical Society Ball, Joseph H. (Joseph Hurst), 1905-1993. Joseph H. Ball papers. 1937-1993 (bulk 1940-1948). Materials in English. Biographical data, bills, newsletters, speeches, voting records, related miscellany, letters to his daughter, secretary's notebook (1941-1942), and oral history interview documenting this Republican U.S. senator's service on behalf of Minnesota. 2.0 cu. ft. (4 boxes). P1200: See Detailed Description for shelf locations. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Joseph Hurst Ball was born in Crookston, Polk County, Minnesota, on November 3, 1905. He attended Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio (1922-1924); Eau Claire (Wis.) Normal School (1925); and the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis (1926-1927). He then worked as a fiction writer and Twin Cities newspaper reporter, including as a state political writer for the Saint Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch.

Ball was appointed to the U.S. senate in 1940 to fill the vacancy left by Ernest Lundeen's death. In 1942 he was elected to this seat but lost to Hubert Humphrey in 1948. During his terms, Ball served on the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, on the Committee on Education and Labor, on the Joint Committee on Labor Management Relations (chairman), and on the Senate Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program. On leaving the senate, Ball lobbied for the Association of American Ship Owners (1949-1953) and served as vice president of States Marine Lines in New York City (1953-1962). Upon retiring, he and his wife, Elizabeth (Robbins) moved to a farm at Front Royal, Virginia. Ball died on December 18, 1993, in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

 CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Civil rights. Communism -- Civil rights. Elections -- Minnesota. Labor laws and legislation. Nuclear nonproliferation. Political campaigns. World War, 1939-1945. Persons: Somsen, Henry N., 1875-1955. Organizations: Former Members of Congress, Inc. (U.S.) Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) United Nations. United States. Congress. Senate. Places: United States -- Economic policy. United States -- Foreign relations. Document Types: Oral histories. Occupations: Legislators. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Joseph H. Ball Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

 Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 11,960; 13,087; 15,944; 11,929

 Processing Information:

Processed by: Lu Ann White, March 1976; Christopher G. Welter, March 2010

Catalog ID number: 001717421

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION P1200 1 Biographical data, 1964, 1967, 1993. Bills, 1940-May 1947. 6 folders.

Congressional bills Ball sponsored, co-sponsored, or addressed on the senate floor. They deal with foreign aid and relations, labor-management relations, immigration and discrimination, public health, and the United Nations.

 P1200 2 Bills, June 1947-1948. 2 folders. Newsletters, 1941-July 1943, November 1947-August 1948. 2 folders.

Ball's weekly report to constituents cover his work with labor, foreign relations, civil rights, communist subversive activities, World War II, world peace, government control over the economy, and agriculture.

 Speeches, 1940-October 1944. 3 folders.

Given on tours, on radio, and in the senate. Cover Harold Stassen's presidential campaign (1946), labor legislation, World War II and postwar planning, the United Nations, atomic energy control, peace, government control of the economy, the Republican party, the threat of Communism, and democracy. Includes a series of speeches on prominent issues during 1946 (1 folder).

 P1200 3 Speeches, October 1944-1948. 8 folders. P1200 4 Voting records, April-June 1941, 1947-June 1948. 3 folders.

Official voting records (yea and nay votes) for the U. S. Senate's 77th and 80th congressional sessions.

 Miscellany, 1940s. 2 folders.

Includes newsclippings and articles; re-election material; legislative pamphlets, statements, and position papers.

 Letters, December 1937-May 1938.

Letters to Ball's daughter which refer to his daily activities, his studies and readings, and his research for a biography of Minnesota horticulturist Peter M. Gideon.

 Secretary's notebook, 1941-1942.

Compiled by Henry N. Somsen, Jr.; includes indexes for Congressional Record entries and weekly newsletters; letter excerpts; mail statistics; abridged office callers list.

 Oral history interview transcript, September 18, 1978.

Recorded by Former Members of Congress, Inc. as part of "The Modern Congress in American History" project.