ABSTRACT
In September 1913, John R. Commons left the state capitol and returned to the campus facing a pile of plans and projects—the still unfinished "interpretive history",. On December 30, 1911, President Taft received the petitioners graciously, and on February 2, 1912, in his State of the Union Address, Taft asked Congress to create that commission. On August 23, 1912, Congress created the United States Commission on Industrial Relations, USCIR. Taft nominated nine men to serve on the commission. Three represented business; three, labor; and three, the public. On June 26, 1913, Wilson announced the names of the commissioners; three public representatives: John R. Commons, Florence Harriman, and Frank Walsh; three business representatives: Frederic A. Delano, S. Thruston Ballard, and Harris Weinstock; and three labor representatives: James O' Connell, Austin R. Garretson, and John S. Lennon. In spite of his original intention of working alone, John R. eventually allowed Florence Harriman to join his dissent.
