Scope and Content Note
The papers of Michael Pertschuk (1933-1922) span the years 1949-2002, with the majority of the papers concentrated from 1977 through 2001. They focus on Pertschuk's work in the arena of consumer protection and consist of two parts processed at different times. Part I relates primarily to Pertschuk's career in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Part II focuses primarily on his writing projects and his work in the field of public interest lobbying and as a tobacco control advocate in the years following his departure from the Federal Trade Commission.
Part I
The bulk of the papers in Part I documents Pertschuk's career as chairman and commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission. This part consists of four series: Federal Trade Commission; Scheduling File; Speeches, Statements, and Writings File; and Miscellany. Many of the files contain photocopies rather than original items.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) series (1970-1984) constitutes more than half of Part I. Papers in this series are divided into three subseries: Correspondence, Subject File, and the James Clifford Miller File . The Correspondence subseries (1977-1984) is divided into five sections: chronological correspondence, congressional correspondence, federal agencies correspondence, personal correspondence, and the public interest and complaint file. The majority of the correspondence pertains to questions about the commission's regulatory investigations, policies, and hearings. Also included are complaints by the public and government officials requesting inquiries into the practices of various businesses and corporations. Correspondence in later years focused on Congress's attempts to limit the FTC's power and the commission's less aggressive role in the regulation of antitrust cases, advertising, and other consumer issues. The Personal Correspondence subseries includes letters of a more personal nature and provides a glimpse of the private Pertschuk.
Papers in the Subject File subseries document Pertschuk's efforts to make the FTC more active in regulating antitrust and consumer issues in four broad areas: energy, food, health, and transportation. Under his chairmanship, consumer initiatives included efforts to regulate children's advertising, food advertising, the automobile industry, funeral parlors, and professional groups. After his election as president, Ronald Reagan named a new FTC chairman, James Clifford Miller, and Pertschuk became one of the seven commissioners. Also interfiled in this subseries are a few items pertaining to Pertschuk's duties while commissioner under Miller. Files relating to the John D. Dingell report, written by Pertschuk at Congressman Dingell's request, detailed the commissioner's assessment of the Reagan administration's attitude toward regulation. Further evidence of the differing philosophies of Pertschuk and Miller is documented in the James Clifford Miller File. This subseries pertains to Pertschuk's tenure as a commissioner at the FTC during Miller's chairmanship, 1981-1984. Major topics include advertising substantiation, antitrust enforcement, and deception.
The Scheduling File contains correspondence, memoranda, appointment books, calendars, and invitations relating to Pertschuk's duties as chairman and commissioner of the FTC. Most of the invitations are requests for him to speak about consumer issues. Also included are scheduling papers pertaining to his career as chief counsel for the United States Senate Commerce Committee.
Papers in the Speeches, Statements, and Writings File relate primarily to Pertschuk's articles, books, and speeches on consumer topics. More than half of the series is comprised of papers pertaining to two of Pertschuk's books, Revolt Against Regulation: The Rise and Pause of the Consumer Movement and Giant Killers. Revolt Against Regulation, which began as a series of lectures at the University of California at Berkeley, is a history of government regulation told from an insider's perspective. Giant Killers described lobbying strategies used by citizen groups to defeat big business and government administrations. Additional material relating to this book is filed in Part II. In addition, there are writings authored during his service with the Senate Commerce Committee and poetry written by him in 1949 and 1950. The notebook file compiled by his FTC staff contains most of his speeches, sntatements, and writings created during his tenure at the commission. A partial index precedes the notebook file.
The final series in Part I, Miscellany, consists primarily of biographical material about Pertschuk and papers relating to his career with the Senate. Other files chronicle his trip to China in 1976.
Among Pertschuk's correspondents are Jack Anderson, Patricia P. Bailey, David Brinkley, Jimmy Carter, David Cohen, John D. Dingell, James Florio, Lewis H. Goldfarb, David Horowitz, George W. Koch, Warren G. Magnuson, Colman McCarthy, James Clifford Miller, Walter Mondale, Edmund S. Muskie, Ralph Nader, Victor S. Navasky, Esther Peterson, Robert Pitofsky, Alan A. Ransom, Ronald Reagan, David A. Rice, Warren B. Rudman, Alan Simpson, Philip M. Stern, Robert S. Strauss, Jack H. Watson, Jr., and Caspar W. Weinberger.
Part II
Part II of the Michael Pertschuk Papers is comprised of two series: Book Files and Miscellany. The general theme in these files is public interest activism with a concentration on the issue of tobacco control.
Book Files constitute the major portion of the addition, the largest of which relates to his book Smoke in Their Eyes: Lessons in Movement Leadership from the Tobacco Wars. Included are reference files documenting the individuals, organizations, and events surrounding the possible negotiated settlement between public health advocates and the tobacco industry in 1997-1998, transcripts of interviews with leaders in the anti-tobacco movement, and drafts of this publication. Individuals featured include Stanton A. Glantz, David A. Kessler (1951- ), C. Everett Koop, and Michael L. Myers. Files on Giant Killers supplement material on that book in Part I. Files pertaining to The People Rising: The Campaign Against the Bork Nomination contain book reviews and document efforts to publish and promote the book about the coalition which worked to defeat the nomination of Robert H. Bork to United States Supreme Court.
The Miscellany series relates to the Advocacy Institute, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Pertschuk. Much of the material concerns tobacco control efforts. Other items include his speeches and writings on consumer issues and the tobacco movement.