William Roy Vallance papers

The papers, related to Vallance's career in the State Department, consist of correspondence, memoranda, reports, proposals, documents, pamphlets, publications, other printed material, and memorabilia. Where not otherwise specified, the material is classified in two categories: correspondence and printed material. Much of the correspondence, especially letters from prominent government officials, exists as carbon copies. "Printed material" is a term used loosely to refer not only to the products of the printing press, but also to typewritten reports, directives, speeches, articles, and anything else that cannot properly be classified as correspondence. Where no type of material is specified in the description, it is understood that both types are included.

The bulk of the collection covers the years 1920-1940 and falls into two large subject categories: state and personal papers. In the 163 boxes of state papers there is emphasis on prohibition violations and early conferences on radio and telegraph law. Also represented are aliens and immigration, international claims, maritime issues, miscellaneous State Department correspondence, and other subjects. Since Vallance served on the British Empire desk in the office of the Solicitor of the State Department, a good deal of his state papers concerns British Commonwealth countries, especially Canada.

Three quarters of the 49 boxes of personal papers deal with the formation and perpetuation of various law groups in which Vallance was active, in particular the American Bar Association, the Inter-American Bar Association, which he helped to found, and the Federal Bar Association, of which he was a six-time president. The remainder of the personal papers include affiliations and personal correspondence.