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Murray Webb Latimer papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS2082

Collection Scope and Content

This collection contains correspondence, actuarial reports, census data, legislative documents, budgets, reports, articles, speeches, bulletins, and drafts. The material covers the years 1930-80. Topics within this collection includes pensions, labor unions, wages, insurance companies in America and Canada, legislation related to health issues and social security. Some of the companies and organizations with data in this collection are the Kaiser Frazer Corporation, Kaiser Motor Corporation, Sandia Corporation, Civil Service Employees Association, AT&T, Washington Post, and National Council of Senior Citizens.

Dates

  • Creation: 1930-1980

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Boxes 134, 135, and 136 contain recycled library patron cards used to index the correspondence in Series 1. Due to the personal information on the cards, these boxes are restricted. Patrons should contact Special Collections for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Historical or Biographical Note

Murray Webb Latimer (1901-1985) was a pension expert who helped draft the original Social Security Act and later headed his own industrial relations firm. He is considered one of the founding fathers of the Social Security System.

Latimer was born in Clinton, Mississippi. In 1919, Latimer received a B.A. from Mississippi College and in 1924 an M.B.A. from Harvard. From 1926-33, he was employed as a pension specialist for Industrial Relations Counsellors, Inc in New York. His career with the Federal Government began in 1933. From 1934-46 he served as chairman of the Railroad Retirement Board, the agency which administered the pension, death, unemployment, and sick benefits for the railroads in the United States. In 1943, he was assigned to the State Department as chief executive officer of its emergency office of Foreign Relief and Rehabilitation Operations. He also was a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.

His work with the Social Security System came in 1934-35 when he was chair of a special committee of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Committee on Economic Security. He left the government in 1947 after completing a guaranteed annual wage study originally order by President Roosevelt. He opened his own industrial relations consulting firm, where he designed and drafted pension plans for such clients as the United Steelworkers of American and AT&T. He retired in 1983.

Latimer was a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and a fellow of the Conference of Actuaries in Public Practice.

Murray Webb Latimer died in 1985 at the age of 84.

Extent

69.5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Collection contains correspondence, actuarial reports, census data, legislative documents, budgets, reports, articles, speeches, bulletins, and drafts from 1930 to 1980. Topics within this collection includes pensions, labor unions, wages, insurance companies in America and Canada, legislation related to health issues and social security. Some of the companies and organizations with data in this collection are the Kaiser Frazer Corporation, Kaiser Motor Corporation, Sandia Corporation, Civil Service Employees Association, AT&T, Washington Post, and National Council of Senior Citizens.

Collection Organization

Organized into six series: Papers, Atomic Energy Commission, Railroad Retirement Board, Publications, Tabular studies, and Railroad companies.

Related Materials

MS2135 Box 40 Folder 10 contains a recording of Latimer

Collection note

Please note: series 5 and 6 are not processed.

Title
Guide to the Murray Webb Latimer papers, 1930-1980
Status
Partially Processed
Author
Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University
Date
2005
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository

Contact:
George Washington University Gelman Library
2130 H Street NW
Washington DC 20052 United States of America