Carl Haessler
Template:TOCnestleft Carl Haessler was Michigan socialist. He was married to Lucy Haessler. He died in 1972.
Early life
Carl Haessler was born 5 August 1888 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His father was a builder's hardware contractor and his mother was a teacher in the Milwaukee school system. Carl attended public school in Milwaukee and graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor Degree in Latin in 1911.
It was also in this year that he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship. From 1911 to 1914 Carl attended Balliol College Oxford. During his years at Oxford, Haessler became interested in the socialist movement and joined the Fabian Socialists.[1]
US activism
Returning to the United States in 1914, Haessler became a member of the Socialist Party USA. He also began a teaching career in the Philosophy Department of Illinois University. He received his PhD upon completion of his thesis, "The Failure of Scottish Realism." In 1917 Illinois dismissed Haessler from his post for his political activity against American involvement in World War I.
For one year Haessler was employed by Victor Berger, editor of the labor-socialist paper, the Milwaukee Leader. In June 1918 Haessler was drafted into the army. He accepted the drafting, but in bootcamp refused to put on the army uniform. The military court-martialed him under the Articles of War. Carlreceived a twelve year sentence at hard labor. He served two years in Fort Leavenworth and Alcatraz before his sentence was commuted by Presidential pardon in August 1920.
Haessler returned to the Milwaukee Leader for a short period before joining the staff of the Federated Press. The FP was formed by labor and liberal editors at the national "Farm-Labor" conference held in Chicago in the fall of 1919. In 1922 Haessler becam managing editor and secretary-treasurer, holding these positions until the organization became dormant in 1956.
In 1937, at the behest of the CIO, Haessler became the union's public and press relations man in Flint, Michigan during the sitdown strikes. He also served the labor movement by editing the United Auto Worker until 1941 and for nineteen years edited Tool & Die Engineering News. Haessler also founded or edited many UAW locals' papers.[2]
Herbert Aptheker Testimonial Dinner
On April 28, 1966 Carl Haessler and his wife (presumably Lucy Haessler) were sponsors of the Herbert Aptheker Testimonial Dinner. The dinner was held on the occasion of Herbert Aptheker's 50th birthday, the publication of his 20th book, and the 2nd anniversary of the American Institute for Marxist Studies. It was held in the Sutton Ballroom, The New York Hilton, Avenue of the Americas, 53rd to 54th Street, New York City. Most speakers, organizers and sponsors were known members or supporters of the Communist Party USA.[3]
References
- ↑ THE CARL HAESSLER COLLECTION Papers, 1908-1972, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, WSU
- ↑ THE CARL HAESSLER COLLECTION Papers, 1908-1972, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, WSU
- ↑ Dinner Program for the Herbert Aptheke Dinner, April 28, 1966