NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLLECTION RECORD RG3703.AM: Hass, Eric, 1905-1980 Papers: 1938-1977, n.d. Lincoln, Lancaster Co., Neb.; Chicago, Ill.; Costa Rica: Editor, author, political activist Size: 2.3 cu.ft.; 3 boxes BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Born in Lincoln, Nebraska on March 4, 1905, Eric Hass attended public school and, for a time, was a student at the University of Nebraska. He worked as a waiter, cook, railroad brakeman, engine-wiper, and newspaper reporter. While working as an advertising salesman in 1928, Hass came into contact with the Socialist Labor Party. In 1930, he went on speaking tours for the Party, and in 1932, he became a National Organizer. In 1938, Hass was called to be the Editor of the Weekly People, which was the official paper of the Socialist Labor Party. He was re-elected to this office in 1940 and served as Editor until 1968 when he resigned. A year later he also resigned from the Socialist Party. Hass was the author of many pamphlets on Socialism and of a volume on the history of the Socialist Labor Party and the Internationalists. During his time in the Socialist Labor Party, Hass was the Socialist’s nominee for the President of the United States in 1952, 1956, 1960, and 1964. In 1956 and 1960, he received over 46,000 votes. Other offices he ran for on the Socialist Labor Party ticket included governor of New York, United States senator from Oregon, United States senator from New York, and mayor of New York City. Following his resignation from the Socialist Labor Party, Hass joined the staff of Trinity Church in New York in 1969. Five years later he moved to Costa Rica with his wife Tillie. There they lived on a small farm and Eric free-lanced in travel and natural history subjects for many magazines. After living in Costa Rica for three years, they moved to Santa Rosa, California. Eric Hass died of a heart attack on October 2, 1980. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE This collection is arranged in four series: 1) Socialist Labor Party, correspondence; 2) Socialist Labor Party, publications; 3) Personal; and 4) Subject files. Series 1 includes correspondence with other members of, and matters concerning, the Socialist Labor Party. The series includes correspondence regarding the works of Daniel De Leon, who was a leading voice and active member of the Socialist Labor Party. Other correspondents include Arnold Petersen who was the National Secretary from 1914-1969, and Nathan Karp, also a National Secretary from 1969-1980. Matters dealing with his resignation, involvement within the Party, and work as editor of Weekly People can also be found in this series. RG3703.AM Hass, Eric, 1905-1980 Series 2, Publications, includes printed material by Eric Hass about the Socialist Labor Party. Also included in this series are newspaper clippings about his political campaigns. Most of the clippings date from the early to mid 1960s. The personal materials in Series 3 include correspondence with John “Jigs” Gardner. The letters date from 1969-1977 and provide personal thoughts from Eric Hass about life and views on various topics. The letters discuss personal issues as well as thoughts about Hass’ earlier life in Nebraska. Other miscellaneous letters included in this series relate to Hass attempting to gain employment with a nature center, trying to make corrections on his birth certificate, and when his portrait was on display in the National Portrait Gallery. The series also includes Nissen family genealogical materials. Series 4 consists mainly of articles and publications relating to various topics that Hass was interested in. Most of the subject files relate to nature and travel. Note: Additional Eric Hass papers are held by the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, Stanford University in Stanford, California. DESCRIPTION Series 1 - Socialist Labor Party, correspondence Box 1 Folder 1. 1940-1965 2. 1966, Mar.-Oct. 3. 1966, Nov.-Dec. 4. 1967 5. 1968 6. “Capital” by Marx, 1963, 1967 7. Commune, 1956 8. Cuba, 1960-1961 9. De Leon, Daniel (on reform), 1909-1913, 1962 10. De Leon, Mrs. Bertha, 1938-1950 11. Karp, Nathan, 1952, 1966-1967 12. Long, Robert, 1968-1972 13. Lowy, Tom, 1967 14. Lynch, David M. and Timm, John, 1956, 1969 15. Orange, Aaron M., 1941-1942, 1959-1960 16. Petersen, Arnold, 1940-1968 17. Post Editor concerning resignation, 1966-1974 18. Presidential and mayoral candidate material, 1960-1961 19. Press Committee, 1946-1953 20. Press Committee, 1954-1965 21. Reviews and correspondence while Editor, 1944-1945, 1962-1968, 1970, 1976 2 RG3703.AM Hass, Eric, 1905-1980 22. SLG conference, 1970 23. Special committee for membership activity, 1964-1966 24. Steinmetz, Charles P., 1961, 1968-1969 25. Taylor, A. J., 1953, 1959 26. Teichert, Emil, 1959, 1964, 1967 27. Tumbeff, Gordon, Estate, 1970-1971 28. White, Leslie, 1949, 1959-1960 Series 2 - Socialist Labor Party, publications 29. Publications 30. Publications 31. Publications, National Convention 32. Articles about campaign 33. Articles about campaign Series 3 - Personal 34. Correspondence, John “Jigs” Gardner, 1969-1974 35. Correspondence, John “Jigs” Gardner, 1974-1977 Box 2 Folder 1. Correspondence, nature center employment, 1968-1969 2. Correspondence, birth certificate corrections, 1973 3. Correspondence, National Portrait Gallery, 1971-1972 4. Nissen Family research 5. Miscellaneous Series 4 - Subject files 6. Blackfoot Indians 7. Costa Rica 8. Costa Rica 9. Costa Rica, property and government 10. Gallup 11. Golden State Mobilehome Owners League and “Small Talk” Newsletter 12. Insects and spiders 13. Inwood Park 14. Ireland 15. Ireland, maps 16. Ireland, pamphlets 17. Linnaean Newsletter-Birds 18. Mammals, fossils, and fungi 19. Medicine 3 RG3703.AM Hass, Eric, 1905-1980 20. Nature sanctuaries (New York, Coast Rica) 21. Snakes, reptiles, and turtles 22. Science and economy articles 23. Trees, orchids, and plants Box 3 Folder 1. Tropics and miscellaneous nature 2. Weather 3. Wrestling 4. Yugoslavia 5. Yugoslavia, cities and sites Subject headings: De Leon, Daniel, 1852-1914 Fascism -- United States Gardner, John “Jigs” Hass, Eric, 1905-1980 Karp, Nathan Labor movement -- United States Petersen, Arnold, 1885-1976 Socialism -- United States Socialist Labor Party Weekly People Acc. 455 Acc. 825 Acc. 1978.0040 Acc. 1980.0034 Acc. 1981.0052 HP/AW/tmm 10-25-2005 4 .