{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = William Karlin | image = Portrait of William Karlin Trim.jpg | caption = Karlin {{circa}} 1917 | state_assembly = New York | district = 4th New York | term_start = January 1, 1918 | term_end = December 31, 1918 | predecessor = Henry S. Schimmel | successor = Samuel Dickstein | birth_date = {{Birth date|1882|03|29}} | birth_place = Russian Empire | death_date = {{Death date and age|1944|12|06|1882|03|29}} | death_place = New York City, U.S. | party = Socialist {{small|(before 1936)}}<br />American Labor {{small|(1936–1944)}}<br />Liberal {{small|(after 1944)}} | other_party = Social Democratic Federation {{small|(after 1936)}} | occupation = Labor leader, politician | father = | organization = | alma_mater = New York University School of Law | education = | known_for = | spouse = | children = }} '''William Karlin''' (March 29, 1882 – December 6, 1944) was a Jewish-American labor leader and politician from New York.
==Life== He was born in the Russian Empire, the son of Samuel Karlin and Rose Karlin. The family emigrated to the United States, and settled in New York City. He attended the public schools and was licensed as a pharmacist in 1901. He studied law at New York University School of Law from 1906 to 1908, was admitted to the bar, and practiced in New York City.
Karlin joined the Socialist Party of America in 1912<ref name=ALWW>Solon DeLeon with Irma C. Hayssen and Grace Poole (eds.), ''American Labor Who's Who.'' New York: Hanford Press, 1925; pp. 119-120.</ref> and became a candidate for the New York State Assembly that same year.<ref>"East Side Gathers to Applaud Debs," ''New York Call,'' vol. 5, no. 296 (Oct. 22, 1912), pp. 1, 3.</ref>
On November 10, 1917, he married Ida Beck (died 1972).
In 1918 Karlin won election to the 141st New York State Legislature as a Socialist from the 4th Assembly District, serving a two year term.
In 1920, he appeared as counsel for the five suspended Socialist members of the 143rd New York State Legislature during their trial for fitness to take their seats, which ended with their expulsion.
In 1922, Karlin ran for Congress in the 20th District, but was defeated by Republican Fiorello La Guardia.
Karlin ran unsuccessfully on the Socialist ticket for New York Attorney General at the state elections in 1928, 1930, 1932 and 1934.
In 1936, he left the Socialist Party and joined the Social Democratic Federation. He was later involved with the American Labor Party<ref>{{cite news |title=American Labor Party to Be Topic of Talk by Karlin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/543798853/?terms=%22William%20Karlin%22&match=1 |access-date=13 June 2025 |work=Brooklyn Citizen |date=28 March 1938 |location=Brooklyn}}</ref> and the Liberal Party of New York.
He died at Beth David Hospital on December 6, 1944.<ref>{{cite news |title=William Karlin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/443496439/?match=1&terms=%22William%20Karlin%22 |access-date=13 June 2025 |work=Daily News |date=8 December 1944 |location=New York}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== * [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1922/08/11/99055154.pdf ''NAME KARLIN FOR CONGRESS''] in NYT on August 11, 1922 * [https://books.google.com/books?id=lI5LAAAAYAAJ&q=william+karlin+ida+beck ''Who's Who in New York City and State''] (Vol. 10; 1938; pg. 599) * [https://www.nytimes.com/1944/12/07/archives/williamkarlin62-a-labor-attorney-former-assemblyman-once-a.html ''WILLIAM KARLIN, 62, A LABOR ATTORNEY; Former Assemblyman, Once a Socialist Leader, Dies; Won Secondary Picketing Right''] in NYT on December 7, 1944 (subscription required) * [https://www.nytimes.com/1972/09/15/archives/mrs-william-karlin.html ''MRS. WILLIAM KARLIN''] in NYT on September 15, 1972 (subscription required)
==External links== * {{commons-inline}} * [https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=43621 Our Campaigns - Karlin, William]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ny-hs}} {{succession box | before = Henry S. Schimmel | title = New York State Assembly <br>New York County, 4th District | years = 1918 | after = Samuel Dickstein}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karlin, William}} Category:1882 births Category:1944 deaths Category:American labor lawyers Category:New York (state) lawyers Category:Socialist Party of America politicians from New York (state) Category:American Labor Party politicians Category:Members of the New York State Assembly Category:Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States Category:20th-century American lawyers Category:Pharmacists from New York City Category:20th-century American pharmacists Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature