Domestic IssuesDomestic Issues1920-1945-31920-1945-3

Hoover’s attempts to Hoover’s attempts to address the problemaddress the problem

1932 The Norris-LaGuardia Act1932 The Norris-LaGuardia Act: : outlawed Yellow Dog Contractsoutlawed Yellow Dog Contracts

Provided Provided work relief:work relief: just not nearly just not nearly enoughenough

The Reconstruction Finance The Reconstruction Finance Corporation Corporation : Gave federal funds to : Gave federal funds to banks, businesses, states in hopes that banks, businesses, states in hopes that lending, employment and relief would lending, employment and relief would “Trickle-down” BUT did not mandate the “Trickle-down” BUT did not mandate the above so banks did not lend, businesses above so banks did not lend, businesses did not keep folks on the jobdid not keep folks on the job

1932 The Worst!1932 The Worst!

Farmers’ incomes ½ of 1929 standardsFarmers’ incomes ½ of 1929 standards ½ of Pennsylvania on relief½ of Pennsylvania on relief 40% Chicago workforce unemployed40% Chicago workforce unemployed Detroit Welfare Dept. $800,000 in debtDetroit Welfare Dept. $800,000 in debt Philly 11 days without reliefPhilly 11 days without relief Birmingham, Alabama: landlords quit Birmingham, Alabama: landlords quit

collecting rentcollecting rent 12,000 applied for a job paying 20 12,000 applied for a job paying 20

cents an hourcents an hour

Hoover’s Response to the Hoover’s Response to the EconomyEconomy

The Agricultural Marketing Act The Agricultural Marketing Act Provided Provided $500 million to help existing farm $500 million to help existing farm organizations and to create new onesorganizations and to create new ones

Also created 5-member Federal Farm Also created 5-member Federal Farm BoardBoard

Was supposed to buy farm surplus and Was supposed to buy farm surplus and sell it domesticallysell it domestically

Did not workDid not work The Farm Bloc in open revolt. Wanted The Farm Bloc in open revolt. Wanted

McNary-Haugen Bill!McNary-Haugen Bill!

Hoover’s Response a Hoover’s Response a failurefailure

Hoovervilles: People were living in Hoovervilles: People were living in tents on public land all over the tents on public land all over the countrycountry

1932 Vetoed 1932 Vetoed The Garner-Wagner The Garner-Wagner BillBill: to provide more work relief: to provide more work relief

1932 Vetoed 1932 Vetoed The Norris Bill: The Norris Bill: Government should go into the Government should go into the business of producing electricity and business of producing electricity and fertilizer in Tennessee Valleyfertilizer in Tennessee Valley

The TariffThe Tariff

Remember…Hoover was a Remember…Hoover was a Progressive RepublicanProgressive Republican

He lost the support of the Farm He lost the support of the Farm Bloc: Republicans from the Midwest Bloc: Republicans from the Midwest and the Plains who supported and the Plains who supported farmers and the McNary-Haugen Billfarmers and the McNary-Haugen Bill

He did not want to alienate the He did not want to alienate the conservatives in his party too (who conservatives in his party too (who supported a high tariff)supported a high tariff)

The TariffThe Tariff

Hoover was advised by economists Hoover was advised by economists NOT to sign a higher tariff into lawNOT to sign a higher tariff into law

But he did…to keep the support of But he did…to keep the support of the Conservatives in his partythe Conservatives in his party

Also…the Democrats had been Also…the Democrats had been making a comeback in Congressmaking a comeback in Congress

The Hawley-Smoot TariffThe Hawley-Smoot Tariff

Within one year 25 foreign countries Within one year 25 foreign countries made laws to prohibit the purchase of made laws to prohibit the purchase of U.S. goodsU.S. goods

This tariff made it impossible for This tariff made it impossible for foreign countries to sell goods to the foreign countries to sell goods to the U.S. so they could not afford to pay us U.S. so they could not afford to pay us back what they owed us from WWIback what they owed us from WWI

The foreign trade of the U.S. fell faster The foreign trade of the U.S. fell faster than the international rate of tradethan the international rate of trade

The Hawley-Smoot TariffThe Hawley-Smoot Tariff

Caused a dislocation of world tradeCaused a dislocation of world trade This tariff was partially responsible This tariff was partially responsible

for causing the European depressionfor causing the European depression

The Dust BowlThe Dust Bowl

Beginning in 1931Beginning in 1931 Normal rainfall 18 inchesNormal rainfall 18 inches Down to 3-7 inchesDown to 3-7 inches 10 tons of topsoil was blown into the 10 tons of topsoil was blown into the

Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean Farm Security AdministrationFarm Security Administration hired hired

photographers to chronicle suffering: photographers to chronicle suffering:

Dorthea Lange Arthur RothsteinDorthea Lange Arthur Rothstein

Fear of RevolutionFear of Revolution

Many of the wealthy waited it out in Many of the wealthy waited it out in the Caribbeanthe Caribbean

Real belief that the end of capitalism Real belief that the end of capitalism was at handwas at hand

Lloyd’s of London began writing riot Lloyd’s of London began writing riot insurance policiesinsurance policies

Farmers organized bands of men to Farmers organized bands of men to prevent farm foreclosuresprevent farm foreclosures

The Bonus ArmyThe Bonus Army

May, 1932 WWI vets marched on May, 1932 WWI vets marched on Washington to demand immediate Washington to demand immediate payment of bonuses not due until payment of bonuses not due until 19441944

By June there were 17,000By June there were 17,000 Hoover had the army drive them outHoover had the army drive them out MacArthur, Patton, Eisenhower: 2 MacArthur, Patton, Eisenhower: 2

infantry regiments, 6 tanks, machine infantry regiments, 6 tanks, machine gun detachment, tear gas. 100+ died gun detachment, tear gas. 100+ died (2 babies) 7 yr old bayoneted(2 babies) 7 yr old bayoneted

Depression blamed on Depression blamed on bankers, industrialistsbankers, industrialists

Henry Ford blamed lazy workersHenry Ford blamed lazy workers Tax dodger’s names were made Tax dodger’s names were made

publicpublic

African AmericansAfrican Americans

Worse off: more unemployment, Worse off: more unemployment, homelessnesshomelessness

1930’s great migration North1930’s great migration North Caused increasing Northern racism Caused increasing Northern racism

(competition for jobs)(competition for jobs) Same problem for Asians and Same problem for Asians and

Hispanics in SouthwestHispanics in Southwest

WomenWomen

A decline in divorce rateA decline in divorce rate People could not afford itPeople could not afford it Men just leftMen just left Working women were considered Working women were considered

unpatrioticunpatriotic They took jobs from men: heads of They took jobs from men: heads of

householdshouseholds

Literature and Literature and entertainmententertainment

Steinbeck: Steinbeck: The Grapes of WrathThe Grapes of Wrath Caldwell: Caldwell: Tobacco RoadTobacco Road Margaret Mitchell: Margaret Mitchell: Gone with the WindGone with the Wind

Popular pass timesPopular pass times: : Keep it lightKeep it light Radio: Superman, the Lone Ranger, Amos Radio: Superman, the Lone Ranger, Amos

and Andyand Andy Movies: Marx Brothers, Mr. Smith goes Movies: Marx Brothers, Mr. Smith goes

to Washingtonto Washington

The End of HooverThe End of Hoover

1931 Moratorium on war 1931 Moratorium on war reparationsreparations

The Dawes Plan bit the dustThe Dawes Plan bit the dust

Election of 1932Election of 1932 Republicans Hoover 59Republicans Hoover 59 Democrats FDR 472Democrats FDR 472 FDR only one to be elected 4 times!FDR only one to be elected 4 times!

FDRFDR

Banking crisis between election and Banking crisis between election and inaugurationinauguration

American banking system began to collapseAmerican banking system began to collapse Michigan was first to impose “Banking Michigan was first to impose “Banking

Holiday”Holiday” Hoover did nothing: he had lost the public Hoover did nothing: he had lost the public

trusttrust FDR could not do anything until he wa FDR could not do anything until he wa

inauguratedinaugurated No inaugural ball due to the economyNo inaugural ball due to the economy

Relief, Reform, RecoveryRelief, Reform, Recovery

Happy Days are Here AgainHappy Days are Here Again

Hoover and FDR disagreed most on Hoover and FDR disagreed most on direct aid to individualsdirect aid to individuals

Hoover: Trickle DownHoover: Trickle Down FDR: Pump-PrimingFDR: Pump-Priming 1933: 1933: Amendment 20Amendment 20 Lame Duck Lame Duck

Amendment: Pres to Jan 20, Congress Amendment: Pres to Jan 20, Congress to Jan 3to Jan 3

Big Difference between Big Difference between Republicans and DemocratsRepublicans and Democrats The extent to which the government The extent to which the government

was responsible for the people’s was responsible for the people’s welfarewelfare

The New DealThe New Deal The foundation of the Federal Welfare The foundation of the Federal Welfare

ProgramProgram Advisors: The Advisors: The BrainBrain TrustTrust…Professors from …Professors from

Columbia UniversityColumbia University Wife: EleanorWife: Eleanor

NOTE: The New Deal will not get the U.S. NOTE: The New Deal will not get the U.S. out of the depression. War Production will out of the depression. War Production will do itdo it

BUT the New Deal kept us alive until BUT the New Deal kept us alive until economy improvedeconomy improved