Philip M(aurice) Stern (#230)

An Inventory of His Personal Papers, 1953-1972
In the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration

Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
List of Series
Description


Administrative Information

Abstract
Papers 1953-1972
Journalist, author, government official. Director of research, Democratic National Committee (1953-1956); editor, publisher, Northern Virginia Sun , Arlington, VA (1957-1960); Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (1961-1962); author, The Oppenheimer Case  (1969) and The Rape of the Taxpayer (1973). Files from the DNC Research Division; research materials, news clippings, correspondence, outlines, notes, sources, drafts of writings.

Access
Open.

Usage Restrictions
According to the deed of gift signed March 1975, copyright of these materials is retained by the donor. Upon the death of the donor, all said rights passed to the United States. Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Users of these materials are advised to determine the copyright status of any document from which they wish to publish.

Copyright
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excesses of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form. Direct your questions concerning copyright to the reference staff.

Provenance
Received from Philip Stern of Washington, DC, in December 1973 (Acc. 1974-026), and in January 1975 (Acc. 1975-040).

Extent
About 9,500 items (8 linear feet, 4 linear inches; 9.5 cubic feet)

Classified Items Withdrawn
Selected folders may contain withdrawal sheets where documents containing national security classified information were removed from this collection.

Withdrawn Items
Selected folders may contain withdrawal sheets where documents, in accordance with the donor's deed of gift, were removed from the collection. These include documents which may be used to injure or harass any living person.

All withdrawn documents have been placed under seal and upon request the Kennedy Library will review any material which has been closed for a period of not less than 2 years for the purpose of opening items which no longer require restrictions. Researchers should consult the reference staff to obtain the appropriate form(s).

Date Opened
December 1981.

Processed by
William Mulcahy and Jo August Hills.

Revisions
Finding aid updated in July 2005, by Jennifer Blake.

Related Collections
Philip M. Stern Oral History Interview, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
  

The Personal Papers of Philip M. Stern (1926-1992)

Biographical Note

Collection Overview
The personal papers of Philip M. Stern span the years 1953-1973. They deal with Stern’s position as director of research for the Democratic National Committee (1953-1956) and with two books authored by him: The Oppenheimer Case: Security on Trial (1969) and The Rape of the Taxpayer (1973). The Democratic National Committee Research Division materials consist of fact sheets, speech sections, voting records, and other items used in the preparation of campaign speeches. The fact sheets are made up of information regarding specific subjects and topics which were used by campaign staffs of various Democratic candidates. The speech sections are ready-made speeches, with blank spaces provided to fill in such information as an opponent’s name, or the name of the town where the speech was to be given. A collection of campaign materials from 1956 can be found at the end of this series, including pamphlets, copies of the party newspaper, New America and excerpts from speeches by Adlai Stevenson and Estes Kefauver. In 1956 Mr. Stern left his position with the Democratic National Committee. His career as outlined in the biographical note is not represented in this collection. In 1965, Harold P. Green, formerly a lawyer on the Atomic Energy Commission’s General Counsel proposed the idea of writing a book about the 1954 Oppenheimer security case to Philip Stern. They agreed to co-author a book, but once work was underway it became clear that each wanted to emphasize different aspects of the case. Green’s interest was in the legal and procedural aspects of the case, while Stern was interested in the case’s political side, and in the larger subject of the security system. The finished book was written mainly by Stern with some collaboration from Green. The material in the Oppenheimer Case series is outlines and drafts and research material. The bulk of the correspondence, which is perhaps the most interesting part of this series, comes from people directly involved in the Oppenheimer case, responding to questions put to them by Stern or Green. Many of these respondent’s are now deceased. Stern published The Rape of the Taxpayer. a book on defects in the American tax system, in 1973. Among the manuscript drafts and research materials that are in the series on this book are a set of documents dealing with General Motors Corporation and “Operation GM.” Operation GM was an attempt by a coalition of GM stockholders and environmentalists to force General Motors Corporation to become more responsible about pollution and consumer safety.
  

List of Series

Collection Description

Series 1. Democratic National Committee Files, 1953-1956.
About 1,000 items.
Arrangement: by subject.

This series consists of materials compiled by the Research Division of the Democratic National Committee. The series contains congressional committee reports, fact sheets, speech sections, and campaign materials.
  

Series 2. The Oppenheimer Case Files, 1954-1969.
About 1,000 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical.

This series consists of research materials (clippings and correspondence) and outlines and drafts for The Oppenheimer Case: Security on Trial  written with the collaboration of Harold P. Green.
  

Series 3. The Rape of the Taxpayer, 1973.
About 7,500 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical.

This series consists of research materials and drafts for The Rape of the Taxpayer . The “Compiled
Documents” were collected and numbered by Stern.