Our Growing Collections

ROLAND BAUGHMAN

Corey gift. Mrs. Lewis Corey has presented the published and
unpublished papers and correspondence of her late husband, who
had been connected with political and economic movements in
this country since rhe first World War. Under his original name,
Louis C. Fraina, Lewis Corey (1892-1953) had been instrumen¬
tal in the development of the American communist party during
the period from 1919 to 1922. In the latter year he broke with
the party, and in 1939, as the shadows of World War II began
to gather, he became openly and articulately anti-Communist.
His ingrained hatred of war had caused him to identify himself
with the movement which had seemed to share his hatred; his
disillusionment and outspoken criticisms now brought him under
fire from extremists in both left and right wing groups. Corey was
a fluent and prolific writer, and the collection of his papers which
is now at Columbia will prove a mine of information for those
whose researches take them into the area of political movements
in this country during the period between the two world wars;
but above and beyond this there is graphic data for the study of
the evolution of the thinking and character of one who was con¬
cerned with social problems not only intellectually but as an
active participant as well.

One of the more valuable parts of the collection is the unfin¬
ished biography of Fanny Wright, reformer and feminist of the
early 19th century. Corey had completed the first nine chapters
of his study at the time of his death, and the collection contains
his notes, documentation, and the finished research for the re¬
maining chapters.

In addition to her generous gift of this valuable collection, Mrs.
Corey has worked tirelessly for several months to organize the
papers into usable form. This work is nearly completed, and in

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