Series I.A. Federal Department files

The Federal Department files contain correspondence, primarily from state constituents, with Senator Frear regarding requests for assistance in negotiating the bureaucratic channels of the federal government. Other correspondence communicates opinions on issues of the day. The series is arranged in a numerical filing system established by the Senator's office staff. These numbers, which have been retained to reflect the original office organization scheme, appear in the second column of the container list; for example, 12F corresponds to the files on commerce and 47 is the filing number for foreign policy.

The files are arranged by federal department, agency, or topic. Under each major heading, general files organized by year are followed by individual case or subject files. The contents of each file are arranged in reverse chronological order.

One of Frear's primary roles as Senator was to act as a liaison between his constituents and government agencies. The files in this series include multifarious inquiries from veterans, immigrants, railroad workers, and retirees. In addition to this sort of casework, Frear also received heavy amounts of constituent mail concerning issues of the day, such as the dismissal of General Douglas MacArthur, the use of the atomic bomb, the Atomic Energy Commission's denial of access to restricted data by J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the spread of communism. Some of the correspondence received, however, concerned issues specific to Delaware such as the poultry industry, the Dover Air Force Base, and the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.

A number of files document national issues and concerns in the context of Delaware actions and events. The Delaware Civil Defense files reflect the nationwide preoccupation with preparedness for a nuclear attack in the 1950s. In addition to information on how to build bomb shelters and a copy of the state's civil defense plan, the files include a description of Delaware's conversion of a mortar bunker at Fort Delaware into the most modern civil defense control center of its time (1956). Senator Frear lauded such preparedness in the "Age of Peril" and urged responsible action from individuals, families, and community.

Delaware's involvement in the Korean War is documented at the personal level with releases of Delaware casualties, 1950-1954, issued to the Senator by the Office of Public Information at the Department of Defense. Arguing that Newark was a community heavily involved in defense industries as the home of the Chrysler Tank Arsenal and a Du Pont office doing war work, Senator Frear supported the University of Delaware's efforts to secure approval for steel for construction of the University Stadium from the National Production Authority in the early 1950s. When the national tank program was affected by a construction strike at the Chrysler Plant in 1953, Senator Frear joined his colleague Senator Williams in efforts to resolve the labor dispute with Allied Construction Industries of Delaware, Inc.

Frear also joined Williams in assisting constituents from Rehoboth, Bethany, and Fenwick who protested coastal firing into the Atlantic Ocean from the Antiaircraft Artillery Range at Bethany Beach in the early 1950s. The senators successfully represented the navigation, fishing, recreation, residential, real estate, and yacht basin interests of those constituents.

Senator Frear's files document a close involvement with developments for the New Castle Air Force Base and the Dover Air Force Base. Activity around the New Castle Air Force Base was phased out in the mid-1950s in response to residential concerns. But Dover experienced rapid growth and Frear worked hard to promote state contracts in construction and housing projects in that area.

Files with significant information on Delaware projects are found under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. With its vast network of rivers, inlets, and canals, Delaware supports local, national, and international navigation and shipping, ports and harbors, fishing, and recreation. The Delaware River and the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal are major waterways. The Philadelphia District of the Army Corps of Engineers issued project maps and surveys, dredging reports, histories, costs of projects and amounts of allocated government funds, tide reports, erosion studies, and improvement plans. Construction bulletins from 1951-1960 include contractors and amount of contracts awarded.

Some projects were undertaken in response to disastrous collisions or groundings, such as the 1959 repair of the Reedy Point Bridge after damage sustained by the Swedish freighter Svensksund, or navigation improvements after the fatal collision of the USNS Mission San Francisco with the Liberian freighter SS Elna II in the Delaware River in 1957. The files also include state and national reports related to water resources development.

The Department files demonstrate the importance of the Senator's staff in making the office run efficiently. Senator Frear relied heavily on his administrative assistant, Robert Kelly, who handled most of the intermittent correspondence between Frear's office and government departments and agencies. Kelly also acknowledged the initial letters of many constituents when Senator Frear was not available to respond. Lacey Wilson served as Frear's legislative assistant, keeping the Senator informed on legislative issues and attending town meetings in Delaware as Senator Frear's representative.

In Senator Frear's office, the normal procedure for handling constituent requests was to acknowledge receipt of the letter, explain that the Senator would investigate the issue or request, contact the appropriate department or agency, and contact the constituent with more information. In many cases, after responding to the constituent, more information would be needed or the constituent would be asked to contact directly the various departments. Senator Frear and his staff seemed to be successful most of the time in satisfying constituents' requests for assistance.

This series of files was reduced by nearly half of its original extent by elimination of repetitive correspondence and confidential casework. Requests for assistance with civil service employment, requests for maps and flags, and railroad retiree cases were discarded. In more involved cases, intermittent correspondence, which only documented the slow bureaucracy of government, was also removed.

Arranged by federal department or agency and topics. File contents are in reverse chronological order.

Series I.B. Delaware state files

The Delaware State files contain correspondence from Delaware constituents to Senator Frear, primarily regarding small business operations, zoning laws, recommendations for appointments to various offices and commissions, and issues personal in nature. Some inquiries from constituents concern the sale of government-owned property to private citizens for business purposes. Also included is a considerable amount of Delaware travel and tourism information; several requests for federal and state funding for specialized schools; reports concerning agriculture and poultry-producing industries in Delaware; natural disasters affecting Delaware land, citizens, and farms; and large company profiles.

The Delaware State files reflect Senator Frear's connection with his constituents and demonstrate his desire to aide them in all situations, from major catastrophes to extremely localized issues. In this respect, Senator Frear's responses ranged from securing statewide disaster relief for agricultural areas which were devastated by Hurricane Hazel in October of 1954, to advocating that the City Commissioner of Delaware City extend garbage disposal services to citizens living beyond the pre-established zones. There is also a considerable amount of correspondence from constituents voicing opinions pertaining to Delaware state laws, such as the 1959 controversy over the whipping post, or public flogging as a form of legal punishment, and complaints about outdated and unfair state voting laws. Senator Frear also assisted his constituents with genealogical research by contacting the Library of Congress. He also worked towards settling disputes between Delaware citizens, especially as they pertained to questions of property ownership. Additionally, there is considerable amount of written exchange between Senator Frear and Governor Caleb Boggs regarding the changing social, economic, and physical situations which defined Delaware in the 1950s.

The state files also offer profiles of some of the major businesses operating in Delaware during Senator Frear's two terms in office. Among the largest corporations were Du Pont, the Atlas Powder Company, and the Chrysler Corporation. There is a reference file containing information on the Du Pont-General Motors antitrust litigation, of which a detailed account can be located in Senator Frear's legislative files. Information pertaining to the Atlas Powder Company revolves around a chemically produced emulsifier, "MYRJ 45," which the company attempted to market as a substitution for milk in baked products, and particularly bread, in 1949. Other information on the Atlas Powder Company is related to its production of chemicals as food additives throughout the 1950s, and debates about the safety of their products to human consumers is noted through reports of congressional hearings on the products. Information on the organizational structure of the Atlas Powder Company and its product line is represented in the form of promotional literature, press releases, and annual reports.

All files on the Chrysler Corporation are in reference to the Newark, Delaware, Lenape Ordinance District Plant, which began producing tanks and recovery vehicles for the Army in 1948. Much of the information on the Chrysler Corporation pertains to the 1958 Army consideration to move the Newark plant operations to Detroit, a consideration which placed in jeopardy the jobs of several hundred Delaware employees. Among the correspondence between Senator Frear and the plant employees are a series of signed petitions, letters, and telegrams asking for his intervention in the matter, and letters of thanks and support after Senator Frear managed to secure the defense contracts for the Newark plant.

Many of the requests for state and federal funding came from specialized schools and private institutions. The onset of the Korean War created a large national demand for the establishment of vocational, or technical training schools, and Delaware state was no exception to this trend. The demand for specialty schools which catered to the blind, the deaf, and mentally retarded children was an extremely popular constituent topic throughout the 1950s, and a considerable amount of state and federal funding was allotted to these causes. Private institutions in Delaware, such as the Beebe Hospital, Camp Barnes, and the Kruse School, a rehabilitation program for delinquent African American girls, were also aided with state and federal funding.

Throughout Senator Frear's terms in office, there was much concern over the state of agricultural and poultry production in Delaware. In the Delaware State file titled "Agricultural Matters," there are many conditional reports and addresses to Congress which suggest that agricultural and poultry production in Delaware was declining in the 1950s. Present in these reports are gross and net annual farm income tabulations for Delaware state; graphs, tables, and statistical data referring to the delicate condition of the farming industry; and a report on the crop devastation which occurred as a result of the drought of the summer of 1957.

In addition to the drought of 1957, Delaware faced a series of natural disasters throughout Senator Frear's tenure in office, all of which are chronicled in the Delaware State files. Among the natural disasters was a depletion of the oyster crop in the Delaware Bay, Indian River, and Rehoboth Bay areas, which was declared a disaster region by Governor Caleb Boggs on May 26, 1959--a cause for which Senator Frear acquired federal relief funds. Additionally, Senator Frear sought disaster relief aid for Delaware citizens, particularly farmers, after the consecutive hurricanes of October 1954 and August 1955, named "Hazel" and "Diane," respectively. Included in the "Hurricane Damage to Delaware (Government Loans)" file are natural disaster procedures from the National Weather Bureau, information concerning the naming of hurricanes, and information relating to Public Law 38, which dispenses emergency assistance to those affected by the disasters. There is also written and photographic documentation of the March 1959 wreckage of the S.S. African Queen, which collided with another ship off of the coast of Ocean City, Maryland, and threatened the Delaware coastline with oil contamination.

Files are arranged in alphabetical order. The contents of each folder are in reverse chronological order.

Series I.C. Political files

Series I.D. Personal matters

Consisting of personal correspondence, office records, reports and related information, the Personal Matters series reflects Senator Frear's wide range of personal interests and professional obligations, as well as documenting the administration of his offices in Washington, Dover, and Wilmington.

A substantial portion of the files is comprised of courtesy letters. These include responses to requests for autographs and photographs; acknowledgement of birthday and Christmas greetings; expressions of condolence, gratitude, or congratulations; and exchanges of personal messages with fellow Senators. Records of the Senator's contributions to charities and political organizations, records of gifts received and sent by Frear, receipts and statements for office accounts, and records of business transactions with the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Joseph Duke are also documented in these files.

Senator Frear's professional affiliations with many organizations and institutions are also represented through minutes of meetings, correspondence, and official institutional reports found in this series. Frear served on boards of the Delaware Safety Council, Delaware State Hospital, Farmers Bank of the State of Delaware, Kent General Hospital, Columbia Institute for the Deaf (by Senate appointment), People's Congregational Church (Dover), and the University of Delaware. Frear was also a member of Delaware's Old Age Welfare Commission and the Commission on Reorganization of State Government.

Correspondence is also present chronicling his active and extensive participation in his university fraternity, Sigma Nu; the American Legion; the Senate Breakfast Club; the Masons (as a Grand Master); the Inter-Parliamentary Union; the University of Delaware Committee on Agriculture; and the U.S. Naval Academy (appointed to the Board of Visitors by the Senate).

Frear's involvement in Delaware politics and committees is evident throughout the files for Willard Boyce, Lacey Wilson, Elbert N. Carvel, and Harris B. McDowell. Boyce, who was a close friend of Frear and active in Delaware politics, wrote the Senator about the behind-the-scenes drama in Delaware politics, particularly in the state's Democratic party. Legislative Assistant Lacey C. Wilson's memoranda briefed Frear and his staff on political developments in Delaware, as well as called their attention to pending legislation in the Senate or important office visits.

Documentation of Senator Frear's trips, during which he represented the U.S. Senate, comprises the most substantial group of materials in this file (4 linear ft.). Beginning in 1949 and continuing through 1959, Senator Frear, as a member of various Senate missions, participated in at least nineteen trips in the United States and abroad. Because the Senator and his wife were avid travelers, Frear frequently combined his Senate business trips with excursions to surrounding nations. He always reimbursed the government for any expenses unrelated to the business portion of his journeys, as meticulous records and receipts found in the files corroborate.

The records of his trips include itineraries, tickets, receipts, travel guides and maps, correspondence, copies of reports and speeches prepared by Frear, clippings and press releases reporting the conferences, daily diaries and notes kept by the Senator during his travels, photographs of Frear and other members of the Senate entourages, and several pieces of realia, such as carved sticks received during the 1959 tour of South America. These travel records are rich in information about these countries during the 1950s. A small number of "restricted" documents have been removed from the collection and await declassification. The contents list for the series indicates the folders from which material has been removed.

Several of Senator Frear's trips were made as a member of various Banking and Currency subcommittees to examine the progress of the Marshall Plan (Europe, 1949), to investigate operations of the Export-Import Bank and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Central and South America, 1953), to participate in conferences related to the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank (Istanbul, 1955), and to attend meetings of the Savings and Loan Association (Stuttgart, 1957) and a conference on U.S. Monetary Policy at the American Assembly (New York, 1958).

Other trips were made as a member of the U.S. delegation to annual meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an international organization aimed at promoting contact between members of national parliaments and advancing democracy, peace, and cooperation. Frear participated in such meetings in Bangkok, Thailand (1956), London (1957), Rio de Janeiro (1958), and Warsaw (1959). He also attended conferences of other parliamentary groups, such as the British-American Parliamentary Group (London, 1955) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference (Australia, 1959).

On several occasions Frear accepted invitations from the Navy to observe naval maneuvers, such as ones conducted in the Caribbean (1949), near Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (1956), and in San Juan, Puerto Rico (1959). In addition to correspondence, itineraries, and photographs, the files for these trips include interesting manuals which describe the various naval vessels, their history, and etiquette observed aboard these ships. At the invitation of the Pentagon, Frear also observed atomic detonations in Las Vegas, Nevada (1949) and visited Delaware Reserve units at Fort Knox, Kentucky (1957).

In 1956, Frear represented the U.S. Senate at the unveiling of a statue of Commodore Barry which was presented by the United States to Ireland, and in 1959 he headed the Senate delegation which visited President Sukarno's Indonesia.

Other highlights in this series include a small collection of carbon copies of letters written by the Senator to his wife Esther and his son Fred (1949-1956); a medallion and license plate attachment commemorating the 29th Division of the U.S. Army (one of Frear's army units during World War II); amusing photographs of Frear's induction into Delaware's American Legion "Forty and Eight Society;" and advance page proofs of a Look article on Richard Nixon's finances (1953). There is also material regarding the "Frear Bill" (S. 2408) which related to the Securities and Exchange Commission (see Kinsman) and surveys completed by the Delaware Farm Bureau gathering opinions on government price controls and the civil rights bill.

This series provides a range of information about Senator Frear's activities during his years in the U.S. Senate, revealing some of his leisure activities; documenting his commitments to state institutions; supplementing information on his Senate duties, particularly with regard to international representation of the Senate; recording the business of his offices; and demonstrating the ways in which he observed the courtesies of his office.

The files consist of four subseries: the first is a topical file arranged alphabetically, the second includes material related to Frear's activities as a Mason, the third subseries consists of a chronological file related to trips taken by Senator Frear under the auspices of the U.S. Senate, and the fourth consists of invitations.

Series I.E. Case files

The correspondence in the Case files recorded constituent requests for personal assistance or information on a wide range of subjects, and Senator Frear's responses to each inquiry. The constituent requests frequently related to specific federal or Delaware government agencies, although some requests did not involve governmental interaction. In all cases, the reports that were generated were distinctly personal and, consequently, confidential in nature. It was because of the confidential nature of the Case files that the material in this series was not retained.

The original arrangement of the case files reflected an emphasis on individuals rather than topics, although two major categories of requests were evident throughout the series: employment searches and intercessions for military personnel.

Between 60 and 70 percent of the cases in the files originated with Delaware constituents who sought Senator Frear's assistance in dealing with various branches of the armed services. The files contained pleas for hardship deferments, "compassionate discharges," emergency leaves, and financial allotments for dependents. The Case files contained requests for information regarding the welfare of particular servicemen, and assistance in seeking promotions, commissions, or appointments to military academies. Also included in the Case files were requests for reassignment of duties to match a person's education and training, and pleas for intercessions for soldiers facing court martials or other disciplinary actions.

Many of the cases developed as a result of family hardships created by the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950. Because the United States did not employ a universal draft at the beginning of the Korean conflict, military personnel in the inactive Reserves were called to active duty. Frequently, Reservists served several years in Korea, causing their families to suffer emotional and financial hardships. Much of the correspondence from Reservists revealed frustration with the arbitrary system of extending terms of service and the need for a universal draft. Many of these families sought Senator Frear's assistance in obtaining an early release or deferment for their military family member.

Although Senator Frear made it clear that he had no jurisdiction in military cases, he and his staff attempted to follow each case to its conclusion, providing information about filing requests for "compassionate" or hardship discharges, writing to various branches of the military on behalf of constituents, and relating the results of their inquiries to the families. In some cases, the assistance which Frear and his staff provided proved favorable, but the military routinely rejected most requests for discharge or transfer.

Similar to the military-related inquiries were the veterans' claims received by Frear's office. Veterans or their families sought assistance with employment (based on veteran status), medical benefits, or reviews of their classification of military discharge.

Assistance with employment was the second category of requests which dominated the Case files. Constituents requested assistance in obtaining civil service or patronage positions, civilian jobs or contracts at Dover Air Force Base, and recommendations from Senator Frear for job applications. Frear also received letters from constituents seeking political appointments to Delaware seats and positions on the Democratic National Committee, as well as requests seeking assistance in protesting firings or releases from employment, or unemployment benefits. In response, Senator Frear's staff referred persons to the appropriate federal agencies for job applications, provided job recommendations when appropriate, explained the Senate patronage system, interpreted civil service requirements, and arranged appointments for prospective candidates with federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Intelligence and the State Department. This series also included information on the employment pool from which Frear's office staff was selected.

Although military and employment inquiries dominated the Case files, constituents also sought the Senator's assistance with obtaining Social Security benefits or admission to the University of Delaware, guidance on legal issues or intercessions with local parole boards, help in locating estranged family members, seeking welfare assistance or housing, obtaining passports or driver's licenses, and interpreting U.S. tax laws.

Senator Frear and his staff made every effort to respond to each constituent's request, and the responses always expressed interest in the constituent's concerns. Whenever possible, Senator Frear offered to expedite matters if they fell within the realm of his jurisdiction. The constituent responses reflected their genuine appreciation for Frear's personal approach to their inquiries.

Because of the extremely personal nature of the constituent case files, the material in this series has not been retained. The series was originally arranged alphabetically by name of constituent. 10 linear feet discarded.

Series I.F. General Appointments

The General Department Appointment files contain constituent correspondence related to Senator Frear's choices of nominees to appointed positions, a Resolution from the Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians, and petitions from various Delaware state church groups protesting the presidential appointment of an Ambassador to the Vatican. Additionally, there are vitae and resumes for potential candidates, as well as information concerning statements and actions of senators Frear and Williams.

Constituent correspondence both supports and opposes Senator Frear's nominees for appointed positions. In 1950, a considerable amount of opposition was generated in response to the possible appointment of Mrs. Anna Rosenberg as Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. The majority of objections revolved around the fact that she was suspected of being a communist sympathizer, as she had allegedly aided in the organization of a union meeting. She was also accused of supporting a policy of "reorientation," which would help returning veterans readjust to civilian life. This policy was considered by some to reflect un-American values. A similar situation prompted a wave of constituent response in May 1959, when Senator Frear voted for a nominee to the Secretary of Commerce cabinet position, Mr. Lewis Strauss. Background articles defending Strauss's nomination indicate the source of controversy was routed in anti-semitic sentiment.

On January 1, 1956, Senator Frear received a letter of protest from the Women's Society of Christian Service, regarding the appointment of Wesley A. D'Ewart to the position of Assistant Secretary of the Interior in charge of Indian Affairs. The letter was accompanied by several others with similar content, claiming that the appointee had a track record of open hostility toward Native Americans, particularly when dealing with issues of Native Americans rights. This letter was attached to Resolution Number 289, set forth by the Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians, which directly opposed D'Ewart's appointment.

In February 1955, strong opposition was raised concerning the appointment of Judge John Marshall Harlan to the U.S. Supreme Court for his alleged membership in the Atlantic Union, and his opposition to the Bricker Amendment. Judge Harlan's opposition claimed that his intent was to do away with the Constitution and install in its place a "World Government." Again in December of 1956, Senator Frear received several letters protesting the appointment of U.S. Supreme Court Judge William Joseph Brennan on the grounds that he was Roman Catholic, and some constituents believed that his oath to the Papacy would override any other decisions he might make.

There are also several letters from constituents supporting and opposing nominees for various positions with the Internal Revenue Service, the Internal Claims Commission, and the U.S. Court of Patents and Customs. The book dated January 5, 1955, (see "Miscellaneous Appointments: 1957-1960") contains a complete listing of nominations which were submitted by the President of the United States to the Senate. Frear's correspondence to constituents also outlines some of the criteria and qualifications which factor into the nomination process. In response to a letter questioning his rejection of one candidate, Frear explained that the nominee did not "satisfy him completely" when asked to discuss the issue of "Red China's admission to the United Nations."

Perhaps the appointment which generated the most response was President Truman's decision to appoint an Ambassador to the Vatican in 1951. Church groups from every denomination presented petitions urging Senator Frear to refrain from supporting this appointment, as it conflicted with the fundamental separation of church and state in the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, many of the religious organizations believed an Ambassador to the Vatican would give political recognition to only one church body, advertently granting religious preference. The Vatican Appointment files contain various religious publications which report on this issue, such as the January 1952 issues of The Lutheran Witness, and Presbyterian Life. There are also several open letters of protest to the President, and responses from Senator Frear which state his intentions to uphold the separation of church and state.

The Collector of Internal Revenue files house information which relates directly to Delaware's U.S. senators. In the January 1952 issue of Reader's Digest, the Wilmington Collector of Internal Revenue, Ernest Killen, remarked negatively on Senator Williams's tax policies. Before Reader's Digest and The Wilmington Sunday Star had an opportunity to publish the article, Senator Williams contacted Killen by telegram, asking him to explain his problem to the Senator directly, instead of taking it to the press. Senator Williams forwarded information regarding his communication with Killen to Senator Frear.

In 1957, Senator Frear was the recipient of many favorable telegrams and letters from residents of Washington, D.C. Senator Frear had made a statement concerning the appointment of the District's Juvenile Court judges, suggesting that candidates should have actual experience with juveniles in order to be considered for positions within the Juvenile Court system.

Files are arranged in alphabetical order. The contents of each file are arranged in reverse chronological order.