Edwin Knappe
Encyclopedia
Edwin W. Knappe was an American
machinist
from Milwaukee who became a lawyer
, and who served one term as a Socialist
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
.
machinist. In 1905, about the time he joined the Socialist Party, he left Milwaukee and worked his way around the world, spending several months in Australia
, where he worked as a machinist. After returning to Milwaukee, he completed his secondary education in night school
. He ran unsuccessfully for the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in 1908; served as deputy clerk of the circuit court
from 1911 to 1913, and ran for the Assembly in 1912, losing to Republican
alderman
August Dietrich. Having spent three years in the Evening Law School
of Marquette University
, he passed his bar examination
in 1913. He practiced law as a member of the firm of Kleist, Harriman & Knappe, and served as Milwaukee election commissioner from 1915 to 1918. He remained a member of the Machinists Union (Lodge
#66) and served as attorney for District 10 of that union.
(who like Knappe was a member of Kleist, Harriman & Knappe) in representing the Tenth Milwaukee County Assembly District (the 21st and 25th Wards
of the City of Milwaukee). He received 3,959 votes to 1,211 for Democrat
Theo. Thielges; and was appointed to the standing committee
on state affairs.
He did not run for re-election in 1920, and was succeeded by fellow Socialist Fred Hasley
(who was elected without opposition).
, coming in third with 19.43% of the vote. In 1930, he was one of the Socialist nominees in the nominally non-partisan Milwaukee Board of School Directors
election In 1932 he was appointed as an assistant city attorney
for the City of Milwaukee under Socialist city attorney Max Raskin., but lost that position when Raskin was defeated in 1936.
In 1941, Knappe succeeded Frank Zeidler as secretary
of the Wisconsin and Milwaukee County Socialist party branches. In 1942 he was the Socialist nominee for Wisconsin's 5th congressional district
(Victor Berger's old seat), coming in 4th in a race which saw incumbent Republican Lewis D. Thill
unseated by Democrat Howard J. McMurray
.
In 1944 Knappe was himself a candidate for city attorney against Walter J. Mattison, the candidate who had defeated Raskin. He asserted that privately-owned public utilities
had created a $5 million slush fund
to defeat Socialists such as Raskin and himself. He was again the Socialist nominee for Congress, coming in third in a four-way race which was won by former Socialist-turned-Democrat Andrew Biemiller
. In 1946, Knappe was the Socialist candidate for the United States Senate, coming in third of four candidates in a race in which Joseph McCarthy
, who had already ousted Robert M. La Follette
in the Republican primary
, won the Senate seat against Democrat McMurray, Knappe, and an Independent Socialist Labor
candidate. He was again the Socialist nominee for Congress in the 5th District in 1948, losing again to Biemiller (who had lost his seat in 1946 to Republican Charles J. Kersten
; Biemiller polled 91,072 votes; Kersten 76,782; and Knappe 3,651). In 1950 he once again was the Socialist candidate for the Senate, coming in third to Republican incumbent Alexander Wiley
and Democrat Thomas E. Fairchild
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
machinist
Machinist
A machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...
from Milwaukee who became a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, and who served one term as a Socialist
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
.
Background
Knappe was born in Milwaukee on January 14, 1884; he attended Milwaukee's public schools, including one year at West Division High School. He left school at the age of 15 and became a journeymanJourneyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
machinist. In 1905, about the time he joined the Socialist Party, he left Milwaukee and worked his way around the world, spending several months in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he worked as a machinist. After returning to Milwaukee, he completed his secondary education in night school
Night School
Night School is a school that holds classes in the evening or at night, and is usually intended for continuing and adult learning and to accommodate people who work during the day.Night School may also refer to:...
. He ran unsuccessfully for the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in 1908; served as deputy clerk of the circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
from 1911 to 1913, and ran for the Assembly in 1912, losing to Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
August Dietrich. Having spent three years in the Evening Law School
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
of Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
, he passed his bar examination
Bar examination
A bar examination is an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-Brazil:...
in 1913. He practiced law as a member of the firm of Kleist, Harriman & Knappe, and served as Milwaukee election commissioner from 1915 to 1918. He remained a member of the Machinists Union (Lodge
Local union
A local union, often shortened to local, in North America, or a union branch in the United Kingdom and other countries is a locally-based trade union organization which forms part of a larger, usually national, union.Local branches are organized to represent the union's members from a particular...
#66) and served as attorney for District 10 of that union.
Public office
He was elected to the Assembly in 1918 to succeed fellow Socialist and lawyer Glenn P. TurnerGlenn P. Turner
Glenn P. Turner was a lawyer from Milwaukee who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.- Background :...
(who like Knappe was a member of Kleist, Harriman & Knappe) in representing the Tenth Milwaukee County Assembly District (the 21st and 25th Wards
Wards of the United States
In the United States, a ward is an optional division of a city or town, especially an electoral district, for administrative and representative purposes...
of the City of Milwaukee). He received 3,959 votes to 1,211 for Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Theo. Thielges; and was appointed to the standing committee
Standing Committee
In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
on state affairs.
He did not run for re-election in 1920, and was succeeded by fellow Socialist Fred Hasley
Fred Hasley
Fred J. Hasley was an American typesetter from Milwaukee who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.- Background :...
(who was elected without opposition).
After the Assembly
In 1928 he was the Socialist candidate for Milwaukee County district attorneyDistrict attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
, coming in third with 19.43% of the vote. In 1930, he was one of the Socialist nominees in the nominally non-partisan Milwaukee Board of School Directors
Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee Public Schools is the largest school district in Wisconsin. As of 2007, it had an enrollment of 87,360 students, and as of 2006 employed 6,100 full-time and substitute teachers in 223 schools. The Milwaukee Public Schools system is the 33rd largest in the United States by enrollment...
election In 1932 he was appointed as an assistant city attorney
City attorney
A city attorney can be an elected or appointed position in city and municipal government in the United States. The city attorney is the attorney representing the city or municipality....
for the City of Milwaukee under Socialist city attorney Max Raskin., but lost that position when Raskin was defeated in 1936.
In 1941, Knappe succeeded Frank Zeidler as secretary
Secretary (club)
Secretary is a title commonly held by a member of an organization, club, or society. Common duties of the Secretary include taking minutes, notifying members of meetings, contacting various persons in relation to the society, administrating the day to day activities of the organization and...
of the Wisconsin and Milwaukee County Socialist party branches. In 1942 he was the Socialist nominee for Wisconsin's 5th congressional district
Wisconsin's 5th congressional district
Wisconsin's 5th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin, covering all of Ozaukee and Washington counties, almost all of Waukesha County and portions of Milwaukee and Jefferson counties. The district includes the northern...
(Victor Berger's old seat), coming in 4th in a race which saw incumbent Republican Lewis D. Thill
Lewis D. Thill
Lewis Dominic Thill was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Thill attended the public and parochial schools and graduated from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1926....
unseated by Democrat Howard J. McMurray
Howard J. McMurray
Howard Johnstone McMurray was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.Born in Harvey County, near Mount Hope, Kansas, McMurray attended the public schools, Berea Academy at Berea, Kentucky, and high school at Madison, Wisconsin....
.
In 1944 Knappe was himself a candidate for city attorney against Walter J. Mattison, the candidate who had defeated Raskin. He asserted that privately-owned public utilities
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...
had created a $5 million slush fund
Slush fund
A slush fund, colloquially, is an auxiliary monetary account or a reserve fund. However, in the context of corrupt dealings, such as those by governments or large corporations, a slush fund can have particular connotations of illegality, illegitimacy, or secrecy in regard to the use of this money...
to defeat Socialists such as Raskin and himself. He was again the Socialist nominee for Congress, coming in third in a four-way race which was won by former Socialist-turned-Democrat Andrew Biemiller
Andrew Biemiller
Andrew John Biemiller was a prominent leader of American liberalism in the 20th century....
. In 1946, Knappe was the Socialist candidate for the United States Senate, coming in third of four candidates in a race in which Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
, who had already ousted Robert M. La Follette
Robert M. La Follette
Robert M. La Follette is the name of:* Robert M. La Follette, Sr. , senator, congressman, governor of Wisconsin and candidate for President, * Robert M. La Follette, Jr. , his son, also a senator from Wisconsin...
in the Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, won the Senate seat against Democrat McMurray, Knappe, and an Independent Socialist Labor
Socialist Labor Party of America
The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has...
candidate. He was again the Socialist nominee for Congress in the 5th District in 1948, losing again to Biemiller (who had lost his seat in 1946 to Republican Charles J. Kersten
Charles J. Kersten
Charles Joseph Kersten was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin .Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kersten graduated from Marquette University College of Law, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1925 and was admitted to the bar the same year.He commenced the practice of law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1928, serving...
; Biemiller polled 91,072 votes; Kersten 76,782; and Knappe 3,651). In 1950 he once again was the Socialist candidate for the Senate, coming in third to Republican incumbent Alexander Wiley
Alexander Wiley
Alexander Wiley was a member of the Republican Party who served four terms in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1939 to 1963. When he left the Senate, he was its most senior Republican member.-Biography:...
and Democrat Thomas E. Fairchild
Thomas E. Fairchild
Thomas Edward Fairchild , was a U.S. federal judge and former politician from Wisconsin. Before his death, he served as a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit....
.