University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html



Guide to the Brice P. Disque Papers, 1899-1957


Coll. 115





Finding aid prepared by Jenny Palm

Finding aid encoded by Jenny Palm, November 2003
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection

 
Repository Name:
 

University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

 
Collection Number:
 

Coll. 115

 
Creator:
 

Disque, Brice P., 1879-

 
Title:
 

Brice P. Disque Papers

 
Dates:
 

1899-1957 (inclusive)

 
Quantity:
 

12 linear feet
11 containers

 
Languages:
 

Collection materials written in English. 

 
Summary:
 

The Brice P. Disque Papers contain the personal and professional records of General Brice P. Disque. The collection contains manuscripts, personal and professional correspondence, business dealing records, scrapbooks, and photographs. This collection was organized by Disque and contains a "201" file, which is personal letters of special importance. The photographs are separated from the papers collection and are one of the six official sets of U.S. Army photograph collections in existence.

 

Biographical Note

General Brice Pursell Disque (1879-1960) is best remembered for his distinguished service as the U.S. Army officer in charge of the Spruce Production Division of the Bureau of Aircraft Production, and as the President of the United States Spruce Production Corporation, 1917-1919. Under his leadership the chaos that characterized seasonal spruce production in the Pacific Northwest was transformed into an orderly operation. A high degree of organization was necessary to meet the needs of the United States and the needs of the allied nations for ship and railway timber, commercial lumber, shingles and aircraft frames. Disque consulted with the woodworkers and the Proceedings of the Lumberman's Protective League show he established the eight hour working day, formulated regulations for governing labor conditions, and participated in arbitration of disputes. Equal representation of employers and employees on all councils was also established. The Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumberman (LLLL) was formed, thus resolving Industrial Employees Union which emerged with the AFL. For his service with the Spruce Production Division Disque was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

In his civil career, General Disque served as president of a number of corporations such as the Anthracite Equipment Corporation, G. Amsinck and Co., and the Sulphide Ore Process Company. He also served on various private and public boards and commissions such as the Anthracite Institute and the Solid Fuels Administration for War. In 1917 he served as Warden of the Michigan State Prison. He corresponded widely, particularly in touch with many of his associates of World War I days. General Disque died in 1960.

Content Description

The Brice P. Disque Papers reflect both his military and civil careers. General Disque was a careful preserver of his major papers, particularly the records of his Spruce Production service, and his life is well documented. The papers, which consist of correspondence, business records, public speeches and radio addresses, autobiographical drafts, and photographs, have been retained in the file order devised by Disque.

The bulk of the collection is arranged alphabetically by individual, organization, or subject and consists largely of correspondence and business records. Major subjects within this series are the Coal Consumers Protective Association, labor relations, the Solid Fuels Administration for War, the U.S. Army, and U.S. Spruce Production Corporation. U.S. Spruce records include monthly records of the wood shipped to United States allies during World War I. Correspondents of interest include Fred G. Clark, Merwin K. Hart, Robert B. Dresser, Herbert Clark Hoover, Fiorella La Guardia, Edward A. Rumley, Wendell Wilkie, Theodore Roosevelt, and Samuel Gompers and conservative political organizations such as the American Economic Foundation, the Committee for Constitutional Government and Sons of the Revolution. This general series is contained in seven boxes ending with a chronological sequence of correspondence in several folders designated "Miscellaneous" by Disque, meaning less than a folder's worth of material on each topic.

Following is a series of Disque's speeches and radio addresses made between 1905 and 1940, arranged chronologically. Subjects covered are commerce, labor, industry, history, military preparedness, poverty, prisons, and international trade. A 1933 speech to the House Ways and Means Committee contains testimony on the equalization of the tariff.

The collection is rounded out by two boxes of what Disque considered personal material. Box 9 contains an assortment of material, including two small series of correspondence separated out from the main series by Disque. First in the box is a file containing handwritten drafts of an autobiography and a scrapbook. Next comes the first series of correspondence named by Disque "Personal. General Correspondence." It covers matters such as the privately financed aspects of the volunteer cavalry. This correspondence is arranged chronologically, 1910-1917. There follows a second series of correspondence which Disque designated the "201 File." It contains letters and telegrams apparently of special significance to Disque, several of which are listed in the Conservative and Libertarian Name Index: one from Theodore Roosevelt regarding the Voluntary Cavalry forces, one from Herbert Clark Hoover discussing the U.S. Food Administration regulations, and one from Samuel Gompers, AFL. The box also contains miscellaneous items such as a carved wooded plaque from the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen and a resolution of the LLLL bearing the seal of the organization. There follows a box which contains a series of nine numbered scrapbooks of news clippings about Disque and his career.

A final box of material was received in 1967. This addendum contains manuscripts of addresses and articles, and correspondence. A list of the titles of the writings and of the correspondence is included in the inventory. Three additional folders containing letters pertaining to Disque's resignation from the Anthracite Institute and from the Solid Fuels Coordination Office conclude the collection.

Nine photograph albums of the U.S. Army Spruce Production Division, loose photographs showing the construction of wooded framed airplanes, and two glass negatives have been removed to the Photograph Collection under call number PH159. They are one of six official sets of U.S. Army photographs in existence.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into the following three series: Series I. Alphabetical Listing of Files; Series II. Scrapbooks; Series III. Addenda Acquired in December 1967.

Administrative Information

Separated Materials 

The photographs are stored separately under call number PH159.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use 

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to the Manuscripts Librarian in Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation 

[Identification of item], Brice P. Disque Papers, Coll. 115, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Disque, Brice P.--Archives
American Economic Foundation
Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen
Airplanes, Wooden
Conservatism
Forest products industry
Labor disputes
Labor laws and legislation
Labor laws and legislation
Prison wardens
Spruce--Northwest, Pacific
Photographs
Other Creators :
Dresser, Robert Bartlett, 1880-1976--Correspondence (contributor)
Hart, Merwin Kimball, 1881-1962--Correspondence (contributor)
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964--Correspondence (contributor)
Rumely, Edward A. (Edward Aloysius), 1882---Correspondence (contributor)
Anthracite Institute (contributor)
Committee for Constitutional Government (contributor)
G. Amsinck & Co (contributor)
United States Spruce Production Corporation (contributor)
United States. Bureau of Aircraft Production. Spruce Production Division (contributor)
United States. Solid Fuels Administration for War (contributor)

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


 
box
1
folder
1

Inventory

 

 

Series I:  Alphabetical Listing of Files

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1
folder
2

Committee for America Self-Contained
  1933-1934
 
3
American Crusaders
  1954-1959
 
4
American Economic Foundation (Fred Clark)
  1954-1955
 
5
G. Amsinck & Co., Personal Correspondence
 
 
6
G. Amsinck & Co., General
 
 
7
G. Amsinck & Co., Profit Sharing
 
 
8
Robert Armstrong Andrews
  1944-1955
 
9
Anthracite Equipment Corporation, New York
  1934-1936
 
10
Anthracite Institute: Committee Planning
 
 
11
Anthracite Institute: Analysis of Coal Veins
 
 
12
Anthracite Institute: Code Committee
 
 
13
Anthracite Institute: Program Committee
  1932-1934
 
14
Anthracite Institute: Committee Work
  1935
 
15
Anthracite Institute: Committee Work
  1931-1933
 
16
Anthracite Institute: Letters
  1932
 
17
Anthracite Institute: Letters #1
  1933
 
18
Anthracite Institute: Letters #2
  1933
 
19
Anthracite Institute: Members
 
 
20
Anthracite Institute: Constitution
 
 
21
Anthracite Institute: Dealer Account Systems
 
 
22
Anthracite Institute: Dealer Margins
 
 
23
Anthracite Institute: Executive Committee Letters
 
 
24
Anthracite Institute: National Industrial Recovery Act
 
 
25
Anthracite Institute: Plans
  1933
 
26
Anthracite Institute: Plans
  1932
 
27
Anthracite Institute: Reorganization
 
 
28
Anthracite Institute: Research Pamphlets
 
 
29
Report: Operating Costs of Certain Coal Dealers in New England
  October 10, 1933
 
2 1
Anthracite Producers
 
 
2
Anthracite Institute: Operators-Del. Lack. & West.
 
 
3
Anthracite Institute: Glen Alden Coal Co.
 
 
4
Anthracite Institute: The Hudson Coal Company #1
 
 
5
Anthracite Institute: Lehigh Navigation Coal Co.
 
 
6
Anthracite Institute: Madeira-Hill & Co.
 
 
7
Anthracite Institute: Philadelphia Reading Coal & Iron
 
 
8
Aviation Corporation
  1929
 
9
Newton D. Baker
  1931-1932
 
10
Bruce Barton
  1931-1933 1937 1952
 
11
Bernard Baruch
  1940 1944
 
12
Ezra T. Benson
  1955
 
13
Oliver W. Birckhead
  1926-1958
 
14
Charles A. Blaney
  1918 1933 1942
 
15
Patrick J. Boland
  1933 1936 1942
 
16
Brazilian Ore
  1938-1940
 
17
Bricker Amendment
  1953-1954
 
18
Citizens Public Expenditure Survey, NewYork State
  1953-1959
 
19
Fred Clark
  1959
 
20
Coal Consumers Protective Association, Inc.
  1943-1951
 
21
Committee for Constitutional Government
  1948-1949
 
22
Constitution and Free Enterprise Foundation
  1959
 
23
J. Cheever Cowdin
  1923-1925
 
24
Willis D. Crittenberger
  1951-1952
 
25
Everly Mahin David
  1952-1953
 
26
Brice P. Disque Jr., College
 
 
27
Brice P. Disque Jr.
  1925-1944
 
28
J.J. Donovan
  1917-1921 1925 1931
 
29
William J. Donovan
  1931
 
30
Carroll B. Dotson
  1932
 
31
Robert B. Dresser
  1949-1950
 
32
Hugh A, Drum
  1942-1950
 
3 1
Frank D. Eamon
  1917-1922 1932-1946 1958
 
2
Hanson E. Fly
  1926-1927
 
3
Harold C. Eustis
  1917-1945
 
4
Fighting Funds for Finland, Inc.
  1940
 
5
Felix Frankfurter
  1918-1919 1933 1941
 
6
Edward W. Freeman
  1919 1923 1941
 
7
Michael Gallagher
  1930-1935
 
8
Michael Gallagher
  1933-1938
 
9
Michael Gallagher
  1935-1936
 
10
Michael Gallagher
  1942
 
11
W.E. Gilmore
  1920 1929
 
12
Margaret P. Gordon
  1932-1939
 
13
William N. Gordon
  1921-1926
 
14
Governors
  1941 1951 1959
 
15
Merwin K. Hart
  1948-1958
 
16
Herbert C. Hoover
  1940 1952 1959
 
17
Charles F. Euber
  1932-1933 1947
 
18
Johnson-Cowdin-Emmerich, Inc.
  1923-1925
 
19
Johnson-Cowdin-Emmerich, Inc.
  1923-1925
 
20
Johnson-Cowdin Turnover Control
 
 
21
George F. Kearney
  1917-1921 1934 1945
 
22
Labor Relations
  1955-1957
 
23
Fred W. Leadbetter
  1918-1921 1927 1934
 
24
Fiorello H. LaGuardia
  1944-1945
 
25
John L. Lewis
  1940
 
26
William D. Loucks
  1931-1935
 
27
Alexander McAndrew
  1921 1923 1930
 
28
Magazines and Miscellaneous
 
 
29
Journal-American, New York
 
 
30
Hearst Papers
 
 
31
Herald-Tribune-New York
 
 
32
Times-New York
 
 
33
Wall Street Journal-New York
 
 
34
World*Telegram-New York
 
 
35
Irving A. Manacher
  1943 1944 1953
 
36
Marshall Plan
  1948-1954
 
37
Clippings-Marshall Plan
 
 
38
Jackson, Michigan Papers
 
 
39
Michigan State Prison, Jackson, Michigan Miscellaneous
  1917-1921
 
40
Michigan State Prison-Clippings
 
 
41
George V.H. Mosely
  1918 1921 1931-1932
 
42
Fred E. Moskovics
  1942-1956
 
4 1
New York City Bureau of Smoke Control
  1950-1954
 
2
John McA. Palmer
  1923-1924
 
3
Mason M. Patrick
  1923-1925
 
4
Pattison & Browns, Inc., Board of Directors
 
 
5
Pattison & Browns, Inc.
  1933-1936
 
6
Pattison & Browns, Inc., Letters
 
 
7
Pattison & Browns, Inc., Pittston Company
 
 
8
Pattison & Browns, Inc., U.S. Barge Company
 
 
9
Edward E. Payne
  1920-1925
 
10
William C. Potter
  1918-1929
 
11
George Powell
  1920 1933 1942-1943
 
12
Presidents Industrial Conference
  1919-1920
 
13
Henry T. Rainey
  1933-1934
 
14
J.D. Reardon
  1918-1919
 
15
Paul Reize
  1929-1931 1943-1945
 
16
Republican Party
  1932-1953
 
17
Republican Party Funds Committee
 
 
18
Jackson E. Reynolds
  1931
 
19
Edward A. Rumeley
  1954 1958-1959
 
20
John D. Ryan
  1919-1925
 
21
Mott Sawyer
  1919-1922
 
22
C.A. Seoane
  1927-1959
 
23
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Anthracite Shipments
 
 
24
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Correspondence-Dealers and Operators
 
 
25
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Correspondence-Personal
 
 
26
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Directory
 
 
27
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Harold L. Ickes
 
 
28
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Roper Survey
  1942
 
29
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Salary Receipts
 
 
30
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trading Area Survey
 
 
31
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Allentown, PA
  March 24, 1943
 
32
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Anthracite Region
  July 29, 1942-July 30, 1942
 
33
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Baltimore, MD
  January 4, 1943
 
34
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Boston, MA
  March 17, 1943
 
35
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: New York City
  March 24, 1943
 
36
Solid Fuels Administration for War: Trips: Newark, NJ
  February 18, 1943