Louis D. Brandeis to Woodrow Wilson

Replying to yours of the 22nd:

First: As to Frank P. Walsh: I met Mr. Walsh for a moment in New York last Fall, and heard favorable reports of him and his work from Boyd Fisher, and one or two others; but I have no information concerning him which entitles me to an opinion as to whether or not he would be desirable for Chairman. The only reason I have for any doubt is the fact that he lacks a national reputation; for I found that others, of whom I have recently inquired about him, knew as little of him as I do.

Second: As to an IWW man: John Graham Brooks, Lincoln Steffens and Walter Lippman agreed that Frank Bohn would be the best man to represent the IWW. I do not personally know Bohn, or indeed anything about him, save what I have heard from them. I enclose a memorandum concerning him prepared by John Graham Brooks, and in his handwriting. I understand that Bohn is from the West; that he was for some time an instructor at Columbia; that he resigned to become an IWW organizer. His brother, William E. Bohn, was instructor at the University of Michigan. They are both on the editorial staff of the International Socialist Review.

My only doubt about Bohn is a technical one; I am told that about a year ago he resigned as an active member of the IWW. I presume that means that he ceased to be an organizer. He certainly appears, from his contributions to the International Socialist Review to be actively working for the cause.

Section 1 of the Industrial Relations Act speaks of “representatives of organized labor”, and the question might be raised whether Bohn, under these circumstances, is a representative.

After this possible technical obstacle to selecting Bohn was brought up in conference, Steffens recommended Vincent St. John, the Secretary of the IWW and the founder of the organization.

Steffens says St. John is able, intelligent and representative; that he has a big reputation in labor circles, and that he is confident that St. John would contribute greatly to the work of the Commission. But Brooks says that St. John has a record of past violence, which would make his selection impossible.

I have found, in making inquiries about the various IWW men, that the personal records of several of those who might naturally be selected as representative, are such as to preclude their selection.