Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame
Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT 59717-3320
United States
Phone (406) 994-4242
Fax (406) 994-2851
http://www.lib.montana.edu/archives/
University Archivist
spcoll@www.lib.montana.edu
Collection 2323, MtBC, us
Trohan, Walter,
1903-
Walter J. Trohan Papers
1952-1972
4 items
The Walter J. Trohan Papers consist of four autographed
letters written by Wheeler or his wife, Lulu, to Carol and Walter Trohan, composed between
1952 and 1972. The letters concern national politics, with commentary on the 1952 and 1964
Presidential elections, and family news.
Collection materials are in English
Biographical Note
Walter J. Trohan (July 4, 1903 - October 30, 2003) was a reporter for the
Chicago Tribune and specialized in covering national politics in
Washington, D.C. Trohan began his career in 1929 but his most famous accomplishment was his
early discovery of President Truman's pan to fire Gen. Douglas MacArthur during the Korean
War. When Truman found out that Trohan had uncovered the plan of action it forced the
President to publicly announce his decision. Trohan was president of the White House
Correspondents' Association in 1937-1938 and the Gridiron Club in 1967. During his time in
Washington, Trohan became friends with Montana Senator Burton K. Wheeler. Burton Kendall
Wheeler was born in Hudson, Massachusetts on February 27, 1882 and moved to Montana shortly
after his graduation from law school in 1905. He began his law career in Butte, serving as
U.S. Attorney for Montana from 1913 to 1918 prior to his election to the U.S. Senate in
1922. In 1924, he ran unsuccessfully for vice-president on the Progressive Party
presidential ticket. Throughout his years in the Senate, Wheeler consistently opposed war.
He supported neutrality legislation in the 1930s, spoke out against peacetime conscription
in 1940, fought against the Lend-Lease aid to Britain in 1941, and took an active role in
the "America First" movement. After the United States decided to enter World War II,
however, Wheeler gave his full support to the effort. He was defeated for reelection in 1946
and practiced law in Washington D.C. until his death in 1975.
The Trohan papers consist of four autographed letters written by Wheeler or his wife, Lulu,
to Carol and Walter Trohan, composed between 1952 and 1972. The letters concern national
politics, with commentary on the 1952 and 1964 Presidential elections, and family news.
This collection is open for research.
The Walter Trohan papers were donated to the Montana State University Library Special
Collections by Robert Rydell on January 16, 1995.
This collection was processed 2009 May 22
Trohan, Carol R.,
1902-1996-Correspondence
Wheeler, Burton K. (Burton
Kendall), 1882-1975-Correspondence
Wheeler, Lulu White,
1883-1962-Correspondence
United States-Politics and
government-1945-1989
Elections-United States
Ex-legislators-United
States-Correspondence
Journalists-United
States-Correspondence
Presidents-United
States-Election-1952
Presidents-United
States-Election-1964
Civic
Activism
Political
Campaigns