Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Office for Emergency Management [OEM]


(Record Group 214)
1940-44
79 cu. ft.

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

  • 214.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
  • 214.2 RECORDS OF THE LIAISON OFFICER FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 1941-43 9 lin. ft.
  • 214.3 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 1940-44 90 lin. ft.
  • 214.3.1 Records of the Office of the Director
  • 214.3.2 Records of the Office of the Executive Assistant to the Director and its predecessor, the Budget Office
  • 214.3.3 Records of the Investigations Office
  • 214.3.4 Records of the General Supply Division and the General Services Division

214.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Established: In the Executive Office of the President by administrative order, May 25, 1940, in accordance with EO 8248, September 8, 1939.

Functions: Assisted the President in clearing information on defense measures. Maintained liaison with national defense agencies. Coordinated the national defense program.

Abolished: Progressively with Division of Information terminated by EO 9182, June 13, 1942; liaison functions terminated with resignation of Liaison Officer for Emergency Management (the OEM director), November 3, 1943; and Division of Central Administrative Affairs abolished, effective November 30, 1944, by EO 9471, August 25, 1944, with the Department of the Treasury named as liquidator.

Successor Agencies: Office of War Information (nonspecific functions of OEM's Division of Information); Procurement Division of the Treasury Department, Civil Service Commission, and Public Buildings Administration (nonspecific functions of OEM's Division of Central Administrative Services); agency-specific functions of OEM-coordinated agencies reverted to those agencies.

Finding Aids: Henry T. Ulasek, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Office for Emergency Management, PI 92 (1956).

Related Records: Records of the Office of Alien Property, RG 131.
Records of the Foreign Economic Administration, RG 169.
Records of the War Production Board, RG 179.
Records of the National War Labor Board (World War II), RG 202.
Records of the Office of War Information, RG 208.
Records of the War Manpower Commission, RG 211.
Records of the Office of Defense Transportation, RG 219.
Records of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, RG 227. Records of the Committee on Fair Employment Practice, RG 228.
Records of the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, RG 229. Records of the War Shipping Administration, RG 248.
Records of the Office of Economic Stabilization, in RG 250, Records of the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion.

Subject Access Terms: World War II agency.

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214.2 RECORDS OF THE LIAISON OFFICER FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
1941-43
9 lin. ft.

History: Established concurrently with and having charge of OEM, May 25, 1940, with the title of Administrative Assistant. Position redesignated Liaison Officer for Emergency Management by administrative order, January 7, 1941, and responsibilities expanded to include liaison with and coordination of all defense agencies. Position and functions lapsed with the resignation of Liaison Officer James F. Byrnes, November 3, 1943. SEE 214.1.

Textual Records: Records relating to requests for funds for defense-related activities and to compilation of information about such activities, 1941-43. Reports relating to such defense matters as aluminum production, transportation, and the administration of health and welfare benefits, 1941-43. OEM historical files, 1941-43. Minutes of the Board of Economic Warfare and the Committee on War Information, 1941-43.

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214.3 RECORDS OF THE DIVISION OF CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
1940-44
90 lin. ft.

History: Established March 1, 1941, under authority of Presidential letter to the Liaison Officer, February 28, 1941. Provided fiscal, personnel, and office services to OEM and its constituent agencies. Functions decentralized to the agencies, 1942-44. Division abolished, effective November 30, 1944, by EO 9471, August 25, 1944.

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214.3.1 Records of the Office of the Director

Textual Records: Correspondence relating to the services provided by the division and to funds allocations, 1941-44. Correspondence with regional division directors, 1941-44. Regional reports, 1944. Records of the Field Operations Office, 1942-43. Records of the assistant secretary to the Advisory Commission to the Council of National Defense, 1940-42.

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214.3.2 Records of the Office of the Executive Assistant to the
Director and its predecessor, the Budget Office

Textual Records: Records relating to preparation and review of constituent agency budget estimates, development of management policies and procedures, and forms design, 1941-44. Correspondence with constituent agencies, 1942-44. Survey reports analyzing organizational structures and administrative procedures, 1941-42. Procedural and informational issuances ("Releases"), 1941-44.

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214.3.3 Records of the Investigations Office

Textual Records: Case files of investigations made by OEM for constituent agencies, involving such matters as bribery, theft, and mail tampering, 1941-44. Subject file relating to the administration of investigations, liaison activities with federal investigative agencies, and formulation of security measures, and including daily reports of investigators, 1942-44.

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214.3.4 Records of the General Supply Division and the General
Services Division

Textual Records: Central files of the General Supply Division and the General Services Division and their predecessor Service Operations Office, including records relating to personnel training, forms and space management, and operation of a central telephone switchboard and a nationwide private-line telephone service for war agencies, 1940-44.


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


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