End of the New Deal (1938-40)


Figure 1.--When this photograph was taken, World War II had started in Europe, but after the Germans attacked and occupied Poland (September 1939), the Phoney War set in. Mrs. Roosevelt was looking foward to leaving the White House. The President was also thinking about life after the presudency, but not with the same eagerness. He was no longer thinking bout liberal reforms, but how to save the Democracies. Mrs Roosevelt, however, continued promoting liberal issues throughout the War. Here she is involved in Washington, D.C. charities. The press caption read, "First Lady playing 'Mrs. Santa Claus' to Needy Children: Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt is seen as she aided Santa Claus (Homer Rhodelheaver noted evngelist) is distributing gift packages, including clothing, toys and candy to the Capital's poor children at a Christmas party held in Central Union Mission. The First Lady was to attend four Yuletide parties during the day." The photograph was dated December 23, 1939. .

The Congressional mid-term election of 1938 essentilly ended the New Deal. The Democrats retained control of Congress, but the Republicans gained seats in both the House and the Senate for the first time since 1928. And conservative Democrats retained their seats. As a result, President Roosevelt decided not to offer any new liberal programs in his State of the Union address (January 1939). Instead he concentrated on the threat that aggressor nations were posing to international peace. And the President and First Lady began to focus on lfe after the presidency. The United states at the time had a tradition of two term presidencies set by none other than President Washington. It was a tradition and not a legal requiremnt, but the Roosevelts and Washington political establishment began to prepare for the 1940 election and a new president. In the end, it wou;d be the War and not the New Deal that ended the Depresion. nd the Presudent's focus chaznged entirely from liberal activism and Dr. end the Depression to Dr. Win the War. Mrs. Roosevelt continued to chmapione liberal causes, but for the President opposing the Axis dictatorsbecane his mission. In the end it would be NAZI dictator Adolk Hitler that would keep President Roosevelt in office. The shatering NAZI victory and the fall of France also shattered the Three Term prohibition. The American people decided they wanted a steady hand on the helm. To Mrs. Roosevel's tsurprise and disappointment, she and her husband were not going anywhere.







CIH







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Created: 11:11 PM 8/13/2017
Last updated: 11:11 PM 8/13/2017