John Gilbert Winant Papers, 1916-1947 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Collection Overview
Title: John Gilbert Winant Papers, 1916-1947
Primary Creator: John Gilbert Winant (1889-1947)
Extent: 147.26 Cubic Feet
Date Acquired: 00/00/1948
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Collection Historical Note
John Gilbert Winant was born in New York City on February 23, 1889. He attended St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire and entered Princeton University as a member of the Class of 1913.
After withdrawing from Princeton in late 1912, Winant returned to St. Paul’s School as a history teacher. He became active in local politics and was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1917. When the United States entered World War I, Winant enlisted in the American Expeditionary Forces and was assigned to the 1st Aero Squadron. By the time he left the service in 1919, he had risen to the rank of Captain of the 8th Aero Squadron. After the war he returned to St. Paul’s school as a teacher and Second Vice-Rector. He reentered New Hampshire politics in 1920 and was elected to a term in the State Senate. Later he served a second term in the House and three terms as Governor of the state, 1925-26, 1931-32, and 1933-34.
Throughout his career, Winant was interested in social and labor legislation. During his Governorship, the State Legislature passed a Minimum Wage bill, a State Relief bill, an Aid to Dependent Children bill and established a State Planning Board. Winant also unsuccessfully supported the passage of a 48-Hour bill. In 1931, he proposed the “New Hampshire Plan” which urged a nationwide four-day work week as a means of solving the nation’s economic ills. At this time, Winant was also active in the National Recreation Association, the National Consumers’ League, the American Association for Labor Legislation, and the Young Men’s Christian Association.
Although a Republican, Winant became a supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal policies. In 1934 Roosevelt appointed him to an Advisory Council to the Committee on Economic Security which assisted the Labor Department in drafting national social security legislation.
After successful intervention in the 1933 strike of textile workers in Manchester, New Hampshire, Winant became head of a Special Board of Inquiry into the United Textile Workers’ Strike of 1934. His work on this committee gave rise to a movement to have him nominated as the 1936 GOP Presidential candidate. Winant refused to run for the Presidency or for a fourth term as Governor. Instead, he accepted the post of Assistant Director of the International Labor Office in Geneva in April 1935 but stayed in Geneva only a few months before returning to Washington to become the first chairman of the Social Security Board. Continuing his contacts with the International Labor Organization, he served as chairman of the American Delegation to the 1936 Labor Conference in Geneva. After Landon attacked the Social Security Act during the 1936 Presidential campaign, Winant resigned as Chairman of the Social Security Board to freely defend the Act and President Roosevelt; he later returned to the Chairmanship. Resigning from the Board a second time in early 1937, he returned to Geneva as Assistant Director of the I.L.O. He was made Director of the organization in February 1939. With the coming of the second World War, Winant assured the continuance of the I.L.O. by engineering the transfer of the Office to Montreal.
President Roosevelt appointed Winant to replace Joseph P. Kennedy as Ambassador to Great Britain in 1941. Winant advocated increased aid to Great Britain and Russia before the United States officially entered the war. He was extremely popular with the British people however his authority as Ambassador was often overshadowed by the dispatch of special missions to London and the personal relationship which developed between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill. Winant was also interested in post-war planning, particularly as it affected Russia and in November 1943 was named as Untied States representative on the European Advisory Commission which considered post-war treatment of Germany.
Early in 1946, President Truman appointed Winant to be the United States representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council which dealt with refugees, displaced persons and other post-war problems. Resigning as Ambassador, Winant returned to the United States in May 1946. He continued to serve on the Economic and Social Council until January 1947.
Though officially retired, Winant accepted the chairmanship of National Brotherhood Week in February 1947, making an exhausting cross-country speech-making tour. At that time he was also working on a series of books describing his Ambassadorial experiences. The first volume, entitled Letter From Grosvenor Square, was completed and he had begun work on the second when he died on November 3, 1947.
Administrative Information
Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Access Restrictions: This collection is available for use by the general public.
Use Restrictions: Material in this collection is subject to the Copyright Law, Title 17 U.S. Code.
Acquisition Source: Constance Winant, Rivington Winant and others
Acquisition Method: The papers of John Gilbert Winant were deposited in the Library by his widow, Constance Winant, in 1948 and 1949, and donated to the Library by his son, Rivington Winant, acting on behalf of himself and the other descendants of John G. Winant, in April 2000.
Related Materials: President’s Secretary’s File: Great Britain; President’s Secretary’s File: Great Britain: Winant; President’s Personal File 42 John G. Winant; President’s Official File 48 Great Britain; President’s Official File 1710 Social Security Board; President’s Official File 4281 John G. Winant; Bernard Bellush Papers; Isador Lubin Papers.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Early Papers, 1916-1930],
[Series 2: Governorship: Second Term, 1931-1932],
[Series 3: Governorship: Third Term, 1933-1934],
[Series 4: Papers, 1935-February 1941],
[Series 5: Internal Labor Organization, 1935-1941],
[Series 6: Ambassador to Great Britain, 1941-1946],
[Series 7: Post-Ambassadorial Period, 1946-1947],
[Series 8: Speeches and Writings, 1916-1947],
[Series 9: Printed Matter],
[All]
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Series 3: Governorship: Third Term, 1933-1934 - Series 3 includes incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda and reports arranged alphabetically by subject or surname of correspondent. Includes correspondence with State officials regarding liquor control and minimum wage legislation as well as material concerning the Untied Textile Workers’ Strike of 1934. Also, family, personal and business correspondence.
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Box 73 -
A (General) -
Acts -
Adjutant General -
Adjutant General: Capt. Joseph T. Hennessey -
Agriculture, Department of (New Hampshire and United States) -
Agriculture, Department of: Bovine T. B.; Contagious Abortion -
American Association for Economic Education -
American Association for Labor Legislation -
American Legion -
Ba-Bl (General) -
Bo (General)
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Box 74 -
Box 75 -
Br (General) -
Bridges, H. Styles -
Brookings Institution Report: General Correspondence -
Brookings Institution: Minutes of Meetings of Joint Committee to State -
Brookings Institution: Requests for Reports: A-L -
Brookings Institution: Requests for Reports: M-Y -
Brookings Institution: Miscellaneous -
Brown Company
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Box 76 -
Box 77 -
Box 78 -
Child Health, Labor, etc. -
Christian Science Monitor Article by Janet Mabie -
Christmas Cards and Lists -
Chambers of Commerce -
Civil Works Administration: Miss Patch Orders from Hopkins -
Civil Works Administration: Washington Communications -
Civil Works Administration: Census-Farming -
Civil Works Administration: Artists' Program -
Civil Works Administration: Aviation -
Civil Works Administration: Child Health and Recovery Survey -
Civil Works Administration: Fish and Game Department Projects -
Civil Works Administration: General Correspondence -
Civil Works Administration: Moth Prevention and Mosquito Control -
Civil Works Administration: Payroll Data -
Civil Works Administration: Projects Approved
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Box 79 -
Civil Works Administration: Recreational -
Civil Works Administration: Injuries -
Civil Works Administration: Tax Delinquency Study, 1934 -
Civil Works Administration: Young People's Survey, 1934 -
Civilian Conservation Corps Camps, 1933-1934 -
Cl (General) -
Co (General) -
Committee on Economic Security -
Committee for the Nation, 1934 -
Community Chests -
Con (General)
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Box 80 -
Concord, City of: Mayor's Office, 1933 -
Concord Silversmiths, 1933 -
Coolidge, Calvin, 1933 -
Coos County -
Coos County Workers' Club, Berlin -
Cost of Living Study - General -
Cost of Living Study - Washington Correspondence -
Council, 1933-1934 -
Council and Governor Votes -
Council of State Governments -
County Matters -
Couper, W. J. (Canada), 1934
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Box 81 -
Box 82 -
Box 83 -
Ea-Ed (General) -
Eastern States Exposition -
Economic Security Advisory Council, 1934 -
Education, Department of, 1933-April 1934 -
Education, Department of, May-December 1934 -
Education: Residence Schools; Hotel Training -
Education, Department of: Reports, Minutes, Statements, etc. (1) -
Education, Department of: Reports, Minutes, Statements, etc. (2) -
Education, Department of: Reports, Minutes, Statements, etc. (3)
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Box 84 -
El-Ez (General) -
Ely, Richard - Com. Interstate Compacts, etc., 1933 -
Employment Service - State of New Hampshire (Hon. W. Frank Persons), 1934 -
Employment: Re-Employment Service -
Employment: Richard Hall, 1934 -
Engagements (1), 1933-1934 -
Engagements (2), 1933-1934 -
Executive Department -
Extradition Material, 1933
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Box 85 -
Fa-Fe (General) -
Factories -
Farm Bureau -
Farm Credit Administration - Agricultural Advisory Council for NH -
Farms, Legislation re -
Farms: Subsistence Homesteads -
Fay, Spofford, and Thorndike (Boston) -
F.E.R.A. (Massachusetts) -
F.E.R.A. (New Hampshire) -
F.E.R.A. - Applications, Receipts, 1933-April 1934 -
F.E.R.A. - Applications, Receipts, May-August 1934 -
F.E.R.A. - Applications, Receipts, September-December 1934 -
F.E.R.A. Robert W. Kelso
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Box 86 -
Box 87 -
Box 88 -
Box 89 -
Box 90 -
Box 91 -
Box 92 -
Box 93 -
Box 94 -
Box 95 -
Box 96 -
Box 97 -
Interstate Compacts: Child Labor -
Interstate Compacts: Meeting at State House, August 1, 1934 -
Interstate Labor Compacts: Meetings and Minutes of Meetings -
Interstate Labor Compacts: Massachusetts Resolve and Acts, etc. -
Interstate Labor Compacts: New Hampshire Commission -
Interstate Labor Compacts: Parkman and Perkins Correspondence -
Interstate Compacts: General -
Invitations, January 1933
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Box 98 -
Box 99 -
Box 100 -
Box 101 -
Box 102 -
Box 103 -
Box 104 -
Box 105 -
Liquor Control Legislation: Letters Requesting Study Commission, 1933 -
Liquor Control Legislation: Answers to Governor Winant's Letter of Appointment to Study Commission, 1934 -
Liquor Control Legislation: Requests of Specific Departments to Cooperate with the Committee -
Liquor Control Legislation: Special Liquor Study Committee -
Liquor Control Legislation: Replies to Governor's Letter re Calling of a Special Session -
Liquor Control Legislation: Liquor Commissioner, 1934 -
Liquor Control Legislation: New State Liquor Commission, Appointed, June 13, 1934 -
Liquor Control Legislation: State Liquor Control Commission, 1934 -
Liquor Control Legislation: Requests for the Report of the Liquor Control Committee -
Liquor Control Legislation: Requests for Job on Commission
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Box 106 -
Liquor Control Legislation: Requests for Jobs as Storekeeper, Inspector, etc. -
Liquor Control Legislation: Miscellaneous Job Requests -
Liquor: Special Session -
Liquor: Special Session - Senate and House Committees -
Liquor: Special Session - The Bill -
Liquor: Petitions Favoring Special Session -
Liquor: Petitions Opposing Special Session -
Liquor: Letters Favoring Special Session
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Box 107 -
Box 108 -
Box 109 -
Box 110 -
Box 111 -
Milk Conference, 1933, etc. -
Mills, Data re -
Minimum Wage: Advisory Council Executive Committee -
Minimum Wage: Complaints and Inquiries Referred to Miss Johnson -
Minimum Wage Committee of International Association of Governmental Labor Officials -
Minimum Wage: Conference reports, Articles, Laws -
Minimum Wage: Consumer Milk Study, 1934 -
Minimum Wage: Correspondence
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Box 112 -
Minimum Wage: General -
Minimum Wage: Laundry Board -
Minimum Wage: Minors Injured When Illegally Employed -
Minimum Wage: Unemployment Reserves (insurance) -
Minimum Wage: Vocational Guidance Conference, June 13, 1934 -
Mo (General) -
Mobilization for Human Needs - Newton D. Baker, Chairman, 1934 -
Mortgages -
Moses, Senator George H., 1931-1934
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Box 113 -
Motor Vehicle Department: General Correspondence -
Motor Vehicle Department: Requests for Jobs -
Motor Vehicle Department: Statistics, Reports, Records -
Mu-My (General) -
Na-Ne (General) -
National Conference on State Parks, Herbert Evison, Executive Secretary, 1934 -
National Consumers' League -
National Institution of Public Affairs (Mr. Wingo) -
National Modernizing Program (Chicago), 1934 -
National Municipal League
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Box 114 -
Box 115 -
National Recreation Association, 1934 -
National Safety Council - National Conference on Street and Highway Safety -
National Organizations: Miscellaneous -
Navy -
New Castle (New Reservation) -
New England Council, 1933 -
New England Council, 1934 -
New Hampshire Foundation for the Promotion of Uniformity of Legislation
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Box 116 -
Box 117 -
Box 118 -
Box 119 -
Box 120 -
Box 121 -
Box 122 -
Box 123 -
Pardons and Paroles: V-Z -
Pe-Ph (General) -
Pearson, John W., 1933-1934 -
Pennsylvania (Governor Pinchot, etc.) -
Peterson, Agnes L. - U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, Washington, D.C. -
Petitions -
Pharmacy Board (NH State) -
Photograph Requests, 1931-1934 -
Pi-Pl (General) -
Planning Board: General Correspondence
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Box 124 -
Box 125 -
Police Commissioners' Reports: Various -
Portsmouth -
Pr-Py (General) -
Princeton -
Princeton-Yenching Foundation (China) -
Printing Committee (State), July 1934 -
Proclamations: American Education Week -
Proclamations: Armistice Day -
Proclamations: Bank Holiday -
Proclamations: Child Health Day -
Proclamations: Conservation Week -
Proclamations: Prohibition, Election of Delegates -
Proclamations: Fire Prevention Week -
Proclamations: Fast Day -
Proclamations: Miscellaneous -
Proclamations: Poppy Day -
Proclamations: Pulaski Day -
Proclamations: Red Cross -
Proclamations: Thanksgiving Day -
Proclamations: Unemployment Relief, 1932 -
Prohibition: Convention to Repeal 18th Amendment
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Box 126 -
Box 127 -
Box 128 -
Box 129 -
Box 130 -
Reconstruction Finance Corporation: Local Relief Prior to Federal Emergency Relief -
Reconstruction Finance Corporation: Relief Prior to #417 and Federal Emergency Relief -
Reconstruction Finance Corporation: General -
Recreational Development Office Report, November 30, 1934 -
Recreation: General (1) -
Recreation: General (2)
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Box 131 -
Box 132 -
Box 133 -
Box 134 -
Box 135 -
Box 136 -
State Treasurer: Daily Cash Balances, 1934 -
Statements -
Stone, Dr. Donald C. - Public Administration Service -
Story, Stephen B. - Recovery Relief -
Stream Pollution - Ammonoosuc River -
Stream Pollution - Contoocook River -
Stream Pollution - Connecticut River -
Stream Pollution - Lake Winnisquam -
Stream Pollution - Various -
Stream Pollution - Purification Conference, Washington, December 6, 1934
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Box 137 -
Box 138 -
Textile Strike (National) - Congratulations -
Textile Strike (National) - Expense Accounts -
Textile Strike (National) - Requests for Positions -
Textile Strike (National) - President's Inquiry Board -
Textile Strike (National) - Labor Relations Board -
Textile Strike - General -
Textile Strike - Suggestions -
Th-Ti (General) -
Tindale, Thomas K. - NH Relief Office, 1934 -
To-Tu (General) -
Tobey, Senator Charles W., 1933-1934 -
Tuberculosis, Granite (Dust)
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Box 139 -
Box 140 -
Box 141 -
Unemployment: Aid Cases: X-Z -
Unemployment: Mrs. Lillian L. Albee -
Unemployment: Applications for Work -
Unemployment: Complaints -
Unemployment: Correspondence - General -
Unemployment: Emergency Gardens -
Unemployment: Federal Act for Relief of -
Unemployment: Memos and Letters Signed by the Governor for Miss Patch -
Unemployment: Miscellaneous -
Unemployment: NH Emergency Relief Administration, 1934 -
Unemployment: New Hampshire Plan
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Box 142 -
Box 143 -
Unemployment: Reports and Expenditures (Case Loads) -
Unemployment: Requests for Payment -
Unemployment: Survey of Welfare Administration in New Hampshire, 1934 -
Unemployment: State Welfare Relief Passed by Senate and House, June 13, 1933 -
Unemployment: Transient Camps -
Unemployment: White Collar Work (Various) -
Unemployment: Work: A-B
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Box 144 -
Box 145 -
Box 146 -
Box 147 -
Wa (General) -
War, Data re -
Warm Springs, Georgia (Infantile Paralysis) -
Wages: Minimum Wage Laws, Bills, etc. -
We (General) -
West Point: Appointments to, etc. -
Weights and Measures -
Wh (General) -
Whitcher, George (Man Lost in Coos County), 1934 -
Wi (General) -
Wiesman, Miss Margaret - Consumers' League of Massachusetts, 1933 -
Wilder, Mrs. Abby L. (Rindge), 1933 -
Willoughby Report, 1933 -
Wo-WY (General)
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Box 148 -
Box 149 -
Winant: Letters of Commendation on His Administration -
Winant: Financial Matters, Bills, etc. -
Winant: Christmas Messages -
Winant: Articles re and Biographical Material -
Winant: Personal -
Winant, Mrs. John G. -
Winant, Miss Constance -
Winant, John G., Jr. - School in Arizona -
Winant, Rivington - School, 1933 -
Winant, Frederick
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Box 150 -
Box 151 -
Box 152
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Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Early Papers, 1916-1930],
[Series 2: Governorship: Second Term, 1931-1932],
[Series 3: Governorship: Third Term, 1933-1934],
[Series 4: Papers, 1935-February 1941],
[Series 5: Internal Labor Organization, 1935-1941],
[Series 6: Ambassador to Great Britain, 1941-1946],
[Series 7: Post-Ambassadorial Period, 1946-1947],
[Series 8: Speeches and Writings, 1916-1947],
[Series 9: Printed Matter],
[All]