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Series 2: American Committee for International Studies [ACIS], 1932-1948

11 boxes

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Series 2: American Committee for International Studies [ACIS], (1932-1948) consists of the records of ACIS, formerly known as the American Coordinating Committee for International Studies. ACIS represents an expanded version of the original committee. The American Coordinating Committee was established in 1936 to take the place of the Council on Foreign Relations as the American member of the International Studies Conference, a conference organized in 1928 that cultivated a program of studies in countries with member groups. The Council on Foreign Relations became the administrative agent for the American Coordinating Committee. The Committee was composed of representatives of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Foreign Policy Association, the Institute of Pacific Relations, the National Committee of the United States on International Intellectual Cooperation, and university members appointed by the Social Science Research Council.

With the outbreak of World War II, it was suggested that the American Coordinating Committee undertake various activities (e.g. preparing memoranda, informing the public, and preparing scholarly studies) that would help to prepare the United States for potential changes in the world order. As the Executive Committee of the American Coordinating Committee felt that some of these activities fell outside the sphere of the Committee, the Committee reorganized itself into the American Committee for International Studies [ACIS] in order to expand its functions. ACIS was designed not only to continue the function of the original committee -- that of preparing memoranda, but also to expand into an active program of study, analyzing the interests, opportunities, and obligations of the United States currently and during post-war reconstruction. This analysis would be a combined effort of individuals from various backgrounds, including business and academia.

This series should be considered distinct from, although related to, the other five series, as it contains the files of ACIS and not Earle's personal files. The files document Earle's role as chair of the committee from 1940-1941 and contain a substantial amount of correspondence to and from Earle. The files reflect his role as organizer of conferences and committee meetings; creator of "liaisons" with various individuals and foundations (e.g. the Carnegie Corporation and the Rockefeller Foundation); and organizer of the Military Policy sub-committee. However, more than half of the correspondence is to and from William W. Lockwood, secretary of ACIS from 1940-1941.

The ACIS series is broken down into five subseries: Minutes, Financial Statements, Correspondence, Organizational Files, and the Conference on North Atlantic Relations (CNAR). The five subseries are arranged alphabetically. As ACIS represents a reorganized version of the American Coordinating Committee for International Studies, rather than a merger of two distinct committees, the folders from the former committee have been interfiled with those of the latter. Some of the files in the Minutes subseries have accompanying material interfiled (e.g. correspondence, agenda, and committee reports). The Financial Statements subseries includes correspondence relating to general expenses and budget reports for the years 1938-1944. In the Correspondence subseries, organization names and the names of individuals are interfiled. Primary correspondents' names within an organization follow the organization name enclosed by parentheses. The Organizational Files include substantial material on the reorganization conference in Rye, New York (November 3-4, 1939) at which the American Coordinating Committee discussed how it would restructure itself to take on the new challenges presented by the outbreak of World War II. Also included in this subseries are files on a number of International Studies Conferences, especially the Bergen, Norway Conference held in August, 1939, and a number of files on research proposals overseen by the Committee (e.g. American Military Policy, Totalitarianism in Europe). In addition to these, the Organizational Files subseries contains correspondence files for fourteen of the committee members. The fifth subseries, The Conference on North Atlantic Relations, includes planning material, conference proceedings (outlines/recorders' notes) consisting of a number of sessions relating to Post-War settlement -- "When the Fighting Stops," "Rebuilding Europe," and "Post-War Order," -- and complete conference documentation contained in a bound volume and listed in the box listing according to the creating committee or organization. It also includes information relating to the invitees, representatives from Canada, Great Britain and other European countries, and the United States.

Arrangement

No arrangement action taken or arrangement information not recorded at the time of processing.

Collection History

Appraisal

No appraisal information is available.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Laura H. Graedel in May - August 1992. Finding aid written by Laura H. Graedel in May - August 1992.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Series 2: American Committee for International Studies [ACIS]; Edward Mead Earle Papers, MC020, Public Policy Papers, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library
65 Olden Street
Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
(609) 258-6345
Storage Note:
  • Mudd Manuscript Library (mudd): Box 1-11

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Related Materials

Flexner, Bernard, Papers: (Bernard Flexner: lawyer, organizer of the Palestine Economic Corporation, 1925) This collection contains incoming and outgoing correspondence relating to Earle, covering the years 1929-1943. Aside from references to personal matters (the two men and their families appear to have been quite close), the correspondence deals with Earle's editing of a new edition of The Federalist (1937-1938) and Earle's compiling of a bibliography of books on United States history entitled The United States: History and Institutions: A Brief Reading List (1942). Both projects appear to have been proposed by Flexner in some manner -- or at least he had a substantial hand in the process. The correspondence also relates to Flexner's involvement in the relocation of German scholar refugees (1933-1934) and to the issue of Jewish immigration into Palestine (c.1939). Each man appears to hold the other in esteem and frequently asks advice of the other on articles written or current issues.

Names:
Conference on North Atlantic Relations (1941 : ‡c Prout's Neck, Me.)
United States. Army Air Forces
Supreme commander for the allied powers
National War College (U.S.)