Logo for Louis McHenry Howe Papers, 1912-1936 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Louis McHenry Howe Papers, 1912-1936 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Collection Overview

Title: Louis McHenry Howe Papers, 1912-1936Add to your cart.

Primary Creator: Louis McHenry Howe (1871-1936)

Extent: 35.6 Cubic Feet

Arrangement: The Louis Howe papers are seven series arranged chronologically and thereafter alphabetically as follows: Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy 1913-1921, Personal Papers 1912-1928, Secretary to FDR 1928-1932, Secretary to the President 1933-1936, Personal Papers 1933-1936, Papers of Grace H. Howe 1931-1936, and Papers Donated by Lela Stiles (secretary to Mr. Howe).

Abstract

The Louis McHenry Howe papers chronicle his work for Franklin D. Roosevelt during the years 1912-1936.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The papers of Louis Howe (1912-1936) is a 75 box collection that focuses primarily on his official life as Chief Advisor to the President. As FDR’s most important political adviser, Howe also served as principal secretary to the President during the first term.

The collection contains correspondence and printed material related to Howe’s relationship with Franklin D. Roosevelt as his close associate and political advisor. His papers begin with the start of his work as Assistant to FDR as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and continues up until his death in 1936.

Collection Historical Note

Louis McHenry Howe was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 14, 1871. When Louis was five years old, financial reversals forced the family to move to Saratoga Springs, New York. As a young man, he attended the Saratoga Institute, a private day school, but he had no formal college training. His father had purchased the Saratoga Sun in 1882 and Louis worked for him, eventually taking charge of the publication when his father became ill. He also assumed his father's supplemental position as local reporter for the New York Herald.

In 1906, Howe became involved in an attempt to reform the Democratic Party in New York State. As a newspaperman, Howe was able to serve the anti-Tammany Hall organization in many ways. In 1910, he met the young Senator from Dutchess County, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Drawn together by mutual political interests, the two became close friends. When Roosevelt was ill with typhoid fever during his 1912 campaign for re-election to the State Senate, Howe carried the campaign to a successful conclusion.

Howe went to Washington in 1913 as secretary, and later special assistant, to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt. He was mainly a "trouble-shooter" using his political acumen to cut through government red tape.

The eight years in Washington were probably the most stable ones the Howe family ever enjoyed. When Roosevelt contracted polio in 1921, Howe committed himself to the job of secretary, friend and confidant to FDR, which was to be his role for the rest of his life. He was a nurse, business manager and morale booster for FDR. He encouraged FDR to make ship models, which were pitted against other models in challenge cup races. Howe wrote skits and poems and made up watercolor booklets about experiences he and Roosevelt shared. One such story was "The Log of the Houseboat Larooco," (located in the Roosevelt Family, Business and Personal Papers). He also managed to keep Roosevelt's name before the public in anticipation of the time when FDR would be ready to re-enter the political arena. Howe's timetable called for FDR to run for Governor of New York in 1932 and for the Presidency in 1936. The 1928 draft for Governor of Roosevelt changed the timetable, but not the program. Howe managed FDR's gubernatorial campaigns and acted as his secretary and chief advisor during the two terms as Governor of New York State. In 1932, he and James Farley went to the convention in Chicago to secure the presidential nomination for Roosevelt. After the election, Howe supposedly remarked that he had probably worked himself out of a job. To some degree this was true. Howe lived at the White House and had an office close to the President, but it was no longer possible for him to handle all the demands the job placed on a secretary. He established the first Press Intelligence Service; he was secretary and later executive director of the National Crime Commission; and he was actively involved in plans for the Civilian Conservation Corps and Subsistence Housing projects, particularly Arthurdale, West Virginia.

The heart condition and chronic asthma that had plagued Howe most of his life began to take its toll. He was dangerously ill by April 1935, but even after he was hospitalized in August of that year, he continued to be involved in affairs of government and the plans for the 1936 campaign. He suggested the creation of a Roosevelt Good Neighbor League to organize "non-partisan" clubs throughout the country. This was an effort to involve Republicans who supported Roosevelt but did not wish to be labeled Democrats. Howe did live to see Roosevelt re-elected. He died on April 18, 1936.

Administrative Information

Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Access Restrictions: This collection is available for use by the general public.

Use Restrictions: Copyright in these papers has not been donated to the United States Government.

Acquisition Source: Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lela Stiles

Acquisition Method: The majority of the Howe Papers were sent to the Library by President Roosevelt. One container was donated by Lela Stiles, one of Mr. Howe's secretaries.

Related Materials:

Lewis McHenry Howe Personal Papers

Roosevelt Papers - New York State Senator

Roosevelt Papers - Assistant Secretary of the Navy Papers, 1920-1928

Roosevelt Papers - Campaign of 1920

Roosevelt Papers - Campaign of 1924

Roosevelt Papers - Family, Business and Personal

Roosevelt Papers - Papers as Governor of New York

Roosevelt Papers - President's Personal File 2095 Howe, Louis McHenry

Papers from Mary Howe Baker (Restricted)

Democratic Party National Committee Papers

Papers of Mary W. Dewson

Papers of Stephen T. Early

Morgenthau Diaries

New York State Records, Office as Governor, 1928-1932

Scattered materials are found in many other collections

Papers of Lela Stiles

Box and Folder Listing


Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1913-1921],
[Series 2: Personal Papers, 1912-1928],
[Series 3: Secretary to FDR, 1928-1932],
[Series 4: Secretary to the President, 1933-1936],
[Series 5: Personal Papers, 1933-1936],
[Series 6: Papers of Grace H. Howe, 1931-1936],
[Series 7: Papers Donated by Lela Stiles],
[All]


Series 4: Secretary to the President, 1933-1936Add to your cart.
Subject files arranged alphabetically. This series also contains some oversize materials, printed matter, scrapbooks, and ledger which are listed at the end of the series.

Box 37Add to your cart.

Agriculture DepartmentAdd to your cart.

Alaska, June 1935-September 1935Add to your cart.

Alaska, October 1935-April 1936Add to your cart.

Anti-Lynching BillsAdd to your cart.

Attorney GeneralAdd to your cart.

BudgetAdd to your cart.

Byrd, Richard E., 1935-1936Add to your cart.

C (General)Add to your cart.

Cassell, W. Barry, 1933-1935Add to your cart.

Census, Agriculture, 1934-1935Add to your cart.

Box 38Add to your cart.

Civil Service Positions Lists, Tables 1-4, 1933Add to your cart.

Civil Service Positions Lists, Tables 5-10; Indiana to Maryland, 1933Add to your cart.

Civil Service Positions Lists, Tables Massachusetts to New Yo, 1933Add to your cart.

Civilian Conservation Corps - Folder 1, 1933Add to your cart.

Civilian Conservation Corps - Folder 2, 1933Add to your cart.

Box 39Add to your cart.

Civilian Conservation Corps, January 1934-March 1934Add to your cart.

Civilian Conservation Corps, April 1934-February 1935Add to your cart.

Civilian Conservation Corps - Undated Correspondence Re: Appointments, 1934Add to your cart.

Box 40Add to your cart.

Civilian Conservation Corps - Hearings before the Committee on Military Affairs, U.S. Senate - CCC Toilet Kits, 1933Add to your cart.

Box 41Add to your cart.

Commerce DepartmentAdd to your cart.

Comptroller GeneralAdd to your cart.

Contracts, 1933Add to your cart.

CrimeAdd to your cart.

D (General)Add to your cart.

Democratic National Committee, 1933-1934Add to your cart.

Democratic National Committee, 1935-1936Add to your cart.

Detroit - Natural Gas SituationAdd to your cart.

Box 42Add to your cart.

Democratic State Campaign Finance Committee - New York StateAdd to your cart.

Dewson, Molly, 1933-1934Add to your cart.

E-F (General)Add to your cart.

Economic Recovery CommitteeAdd to your cart.

Emergency Conservation WorkAdd to your cart.

Emergency Conservation Work - Report of Assistant Director, July 27, 1933Add to your cart.

Executive CouncilAdd to your cart.

Executive Office, White House - Report, 1933Add to your cart.

Box 43Add to your cart.

Mail - Abstracts, May 2, 1933-June 14, 1933Add to your cart.

Mail - Abstracts, June 15, 1933-July 18, 1933Add to your cart.

Mail - Abstracts, July 19, 1933-September 14, 1933Add to your cart.

Mail - Abstracts, September 15, 1933-November 15, 1933Add to your cart.

Editorials - Abstracts, June 10, 1933-October 25, 1933Add to your cart.

Box 44Add to your cart.

Federal Jobs - Applications: Agriculture - State Department, 1932-1933Add to your cart.

Box 45Add to your cart.

Federal Jobs - Applications: Federal Home Loan Bank through War Department, 1932-1933Add to your cart.

Federal Jobs - Applications: All Departments, 1934Add to your cart.

Schedule of PositionsAdd to your cart.

Box 46Add to your cart.

Federal Jobs - Applications: White House, 1932-1934Add to your cart.

Box 47Add to your cart.

Federal Emergency Relief AdministrationAdd to your cart.

Federal Power CommissionAdd to your cart.

Federal Trade CommissionAdd to your cart.

FlaxAdd to your cart.

G (General)Add to your cart.

H (General)Add to your cart.

HawaiiAdd to your cart.

Herald Tribune Forum, October 1933Add to your cart.

Hopkins, Harry L., 1933-1935Add to your cart.

Howe, Louis M., and Family, 1933-1936Add to your cart.

I-J (General)Add to your cart.

IndianaAdd to your cart.

Industrial Emergency CommitteeAdd to your cart.

Inland Gas Corporation - Kentucky Fuel Gas CorporationAdd to your cart.

Labor DepartmentAdd to your cart.

Latin AmericaAdd to your cart.

Box 48Add to your cart.

M (General)Add to your cart.

MacDonald, Ishbel, 1933-1936Add to your cart.

Magazine Articles, Folder 1Add to your cart.

Magazine Articles, Folder 2Add to your cart.

McIntyre, Marvin, 1933Add to your cart.

Maine, Folder 1, 1934Add to your cart.

Maine, Folder 2, 1934Add to your cart.

Maine, Folder 3, 1934Add to your cart.

Box 49Add to your cart.

Maine, 1935Add to your cart.

MassachusettsAdd to your cart.

N (General)Add to your cart.

National Emergency Council - Folder 1, March 1933-February 1935Add to your cart.

National Emergency Council - Folder 2, March 1933-February 1935Add to your cart.

National Emergency Council - Folder 1, March 1935-April 1936Add to your cart.

National Emergency Council - Folder 2, March 1935-April 1936Add to your cart.

National Industrial Recovery ActAdd to your cart.

National Labor Relations BoardAdd to your cart.

National Recovery AdministrationAdd to your cart.

Navy DepartmentAdd to your cart.

NegroesAdd to your cart.

Newspaper CodeAdd to your cart.

Box 50Add to your cart.

Newspaper Editorial Clippings, Folder 1, 1933Add to your cart.

Newspaper Editorial Clippings, Folder 2, 1933Add to your cart.

O-P (General)Add to your cart.

Peabody, George Fost, 1933Add to your cart.

PhilippinesAdd to your cart.

Post Office DepartmentAdd to your cart.

Press Clippings BureauAdd to your cart.

Press Intelligence, 1933Add to your cart.

Press Intelligence, 1934-1935Add to your cart.

Public Works AdministrationAdd to your cart.

Box 51Add to your cart.

Radio Materials - Folder 1, February 1933-September 1933Add to your cart.

Radio Materials - Folder 2, February 1933-September 1933Add to your cart.

Radio Materials - Folder 3, February 1933-September 1933Add to your cart.

Radio Materials - Folder 1, October 1933-August 1934Add to your cart.

Radio Materials - Folder 2, October 1933-August 1934Add to your cart.

Radio Materials - Folder 3, October 1933-August 1934Add to your cart.

Box 52Add to your cart.

Radio Materials, 1934-1935Add to your cart.

Radio Materials, UndatedAdd to your cart.

Radio Resource MaterialsAdd to your cart.

Rhode IslandAdd to your cart.

Roosevelt, F. D. - MiscellaneousAdd to your cart.

State DepartmentAdd to your cart.

Subsistence Housing, Folder 1, 1933Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing, Folder 2, 1933Add to your cart.

Box 53Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing, Folder 1, January 1934-May 1934Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing, Folder 2, January 1934-May 1934Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing, Folder 3, January 1934-May 1934Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing, Folder 1, June 1934-January 1935Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing, Folder 2, June 1934-January 1935Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing, Folder 3, June 1934-January 1935Add to your cart.

Box 54Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing: Reedsville Experiment Reports, Folder 1, January 1934-August 31, 1935Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing: Reedsville Experiment Reports, Folder 2, January 1934-August 31, 1935Add to your cart.

Subsistence Housing: Reedsville Experiment Reports, Folder 3, January 1934-August 31, 1935Add to your cart.

TransportationAdd to your cart.

Treasury DepartmentAdd to your cart.

VeteransAdd to your cart.

Walker, Frank C. (See also Executive Council), 1933Add to your cart.

Wolf, CharlesAdd to your cart.

Zook, George F., 1933Add to your cart.

Box 55Add to your cart.

Democratic National Committee Lists, 1936Add to your cart.

Employment Opportunities in Educational Programs in Emergency Conservation Work CampsAdd to your cart.

Excerpts from Treaties of Alliance, March 25, 1933Add to your cart.

Memorandum of Enumerated Powers Given to the President by Pending and Existing Legislation Sinc, March 4, 1933Add to your cart.

Box 56Add to your cart.

Printed MatterAdd to your cart.

Box 57Add to your cart.

Bound Volume - "Trial Balance - State of Montana" *Oversi, 1935 and priorAdd to your cart.

Box 58Add to your cart.

Scrapbook: "Franklin D. Roosevelt" (Volume 5) Newspaper Clippings, October 1, 1930-June 2, 1937Add to your cart.

Box 59Add to your cart.

Ledger - Women's Division, June 1931-April 1932Add to your cart.

Box 60Add to your cart.

Ledger - Democratic National Committee, March 19331-February 1933Add to your cart.

Box 61Add to your cart.

Address FileAdd to your cart.

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1913-1921],
[Series 2: Personal Papers, 1912-1928],
[Series 3: Secretary to FDR, 1928-1932],
[Series 4: Secretary to the President, 1933-1936],
[Series 5: Personal Papers, 1933-1936],
[Series 6: Papers of Grace H. Howe, 1931-1936],
[Series 7: Papers Donated by Lela Stiles],
[All]