labor leader, politician, b. Pittsburgh, Pa. He moved to Milwaukee in 1911, where he worked for a time as a cigar maker and was instrumental in organizing the cigar-makers' union. He was later employed for many years by the Milwaukee Board of Park Commissioners as an animal keeper at the Milwaukee zoo. In this capacity he was instrumental in organizing the building service employees, was for many years active in the labor movement, and in 1932 was a representative to the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor. Originally a Socialist, during the early days of the depression he was an active advocate of governmental operation of business and the establishment of 5-day-week and 6-hourday laws in hopes of halting the widespread unemployment of the 1930's. He was Socialist state assemblyman from Milwaukee (1931-1932), later joined the Progressive party, and again served in the state assembly from 1937 until his death. Wis. Blue Book (1942); Milwaukee Journal, Feb. 24, 1942; Wis. State Federation of Labor, Proceedings . . . (1932).Learn More
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[Source: Blue book]
