Within the Special Files, on Rolls 43-73, are nine subjects. These are James A. Emery, Robert J. Foster, IABSIW, Iron League of New Jersey, S.P. Mitchell, Pennsylvania Railroad case, personal material relating to Drew, Remington Rand Corporation, and U.S. v. Ryan.
The most interesting historical material is found within the IABSIW files. As part of his effort to obtain evidence against the union, Foster gained admission to the union's international headquarters and removed large quantities of correspondence. Photographic copies of many, if not all, of the letters were retained by Drew, and make up this file.
Much of the material seized by Foster appeared as evidence in U.S. v. Ryan. Drew's file on the subject included a number of pre-trial statements solicited to supplement the written record and also a virtually complete daily transcript of the trial itself. Drew personally gave testimony on October 25, 1912 (found on Roll 64).
Robert J. Foster's critical role in Drew's investigations is documented in his section of the special files. Foster's file consists of a lengthy typescript autobiography, which is particularly interesting because of its frankness.
Drew was strongly attracted to the labor policies of the Remington Rand Company. He followed the 1936 strike against the company very closely. He collected several detailed scrapbooks of newspaper clippings, arranged chronologically, giving an excellent day-by-day account of events. He also obtained a number of company documents, including information regarding labor relations subsequent to the strike.
In general, Drew's personal material is of limited value. His financial materials were not microfilmed: student account books, ca. 1892, and account books and ledgers, 1906-1917 (these are located in Box 1). His scrapbooks, however, are an exception to this generalization. Drew inserted a great deal of primary material into the scrapbooks, including some correspondence, the text of several speeches he made, and copies of works published by him.
As a close friend of James A. Emery, a leading NAM spokesman, Drew collected a small body of material about him. Most interesting is a group of speeches and other public papers issued by Emery. Drew also obtained the files of Emery's final project, a history of NAM. Apparently Emery died before he could complete the necessary research.
Material relating to the Iron League of New Jersey documents membership in the League and the League's relationship with the local unions. Materials relating to the Pennsylvania Railroad case are apparently the files Drew created in his fruitless attempt to obtain numerous indictments. The S.P. Mitchell material consists of an isolated letterbook.
