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Herbert Hoover told Americans, "We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land." His election to many Americans seemed to ensure prosperity. Hoover was the only non-military president who gained the office without previously seeking public office. Yet within months the stock market crashed, and the Nation spiraled downward the most severe depression in its history. After the crash Hoover announced that while he would keep the Federal budget balanced, he would cut taxes and expand public works spending. In 1931 repercussions from Europe deepened the crisis, even though the President presented to Congress a program asking for creation of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to aid business, additional help for farmers facing mortgage foreclosures, banking reform, a loan to states for feeding the unemployed, expansion of public works, and drastic governmental economy. At the same time he reiterated his view that while people must not suffer from hunger and cold, caring for them must be primarily a local and voluntary responsibility. Hoover's opponents in Congress, who he felt were sabotaging his program for their own political gain, unfairly painted him as a callous and cruel President. He was neither. He was, however, unwilling to use government to address the people's needs. Hoover became the scapegoat for the depression and he and the Republican Party were badly defeated in 1932. He left the White House a bitter man.
President Coolidge was very popular and could have easily secured the Republican nomination. He decided, however, not to run. This threw the Republican nomination wide open. The Republicas at Kansas City nominated Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover. The Democrats with little optimism nominated long-time candidate Governor Al Smith of New York. He was the first Catholic nominated by a major party and this became a major issue in the Democratic stringhold of the South. The Republicans in the early 20th century were the majority party. Ands short of a split in the Party or a major scandal, the Republicans were the odds on favorite. Economic prosperity made a Republican victory a virtual foregone conclussion. Secretary Hoover set the tone of the campaign in his acceptance speech, "We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of this land... We shall soon with the help of God be in sight of the day when poverty will be banished from this land." In the end it was the economic properity that led to Hoover's victory. Protestant attitudes toward Catholics made it a landslide. Secretary Hoover received 21.4 million (58 percent) popular votes and a commanding 444 electoral votes. Governor Smith received only 15 million popular votes (41 percent) and 87 electoral votes. Smith managed to carry only Rhode Island and Massachsetts and the Deep South. Several Southern states like Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina for the first time since Reconstruction went Republican. Here Smith's Catholcism hurt him badly. And his home state of New York went Republican. Desguised in the landslide was the fact that the Democrats carried most large northern industrial cities. One of the few Democratic bright spots was the election of Franklin Roosevelt to replace Govenor Smith in New York.
Hoover's presidency will for ever be associated with the Depression. Hoover did not cause the Depression. The stock market crash that brought on the Depression had been the immediate result of a decade of building speculation. The Depression that followed was deepened by a range of inequities and mismanagement in the American economy. Hoover was not only unwilling to address these problems, but some Government policies even worsened economic conditions.
Herbert Hoover told Americans, "We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land." His election to many Americans seemed to ensure prosperity. Hoover was the only non-military president who gained the office without previously seeking public office. Yet within months the stock market crashed and the economy begin to declibne. Neither Presidentb Hoover or other public figures fully appreciated the severity of the problem at first. Gradually the coubtry began spiraling downward the most severe depression in its history. After the crash Hoover announced that while he would keep the Federal budget balanced, he would cut taxes and expand public works spending. Hoover was not alone in this focus on balancing the budget. Many financial experts at the time agreed with him, including msany Democrats.
President Hoover began his presidency with the Congress firmly controlled by the Republicans. The New York Stock Market crash (October 1929) resulted in an economic down turn that grew worse during 1930. Although the dimensions of the economic problem was not yet clear, this was an important factor in the Congressioal and state house races. It might be thought that the Stock Market and economic downturn was the principal election issue. The country had experiebced economic cycles before and by the time the election was held the dimensions of the economic problem was not yet fully understood. One researcher suggests that prohibition, farm policy and the Smoot Hawley Tariff were more salient issues than the economic downturn. [Stevens] We think this is probably correct, in part because the Congressional Democrats were no more sure as to what needed to be done than the Republicans. We do believe, however, that the dimensiins of the Democratic victory were substantially causd by the worsening economic conditions. The Democrats made substantial gains in both the House and Senate. This was the first of four consecutive elections (1930, 32, 34, and 36) during the Depression in which the Democrats made major gains in both houses. The 72nd Congress marked the rise of Texas Democrats to national status. The most important state house election occurred in New York. Franklin Roosevelt had narrowly won the givernorship of New York in the Republican landslide of 1928 as a reform Democrat. He ran and won again in 1930. His initiatives to address the economic down turn attracted national attention. While the economic downturn did not dominate the 1930 campaign, it certainly wood in 1932. By the end of the 72nd Congress the nation was facing a financial crisis of unprescented dimesions with massive unemployment, bankrupsies, and home and farm foreclosures. Thousands of banks on the verge of colapse which could have brought the nation to financial collapse.
People in 1929 before the New Deal had a very different attitude toward the role of Government. The Government was there to provide national defense and to maintain law and order as well to administer the legal system. The Progressive Era had introduced laws to provide governent regulation in economic areas such as labor laws to protect women and children and food and drug legislation to protect the public. The Government was, however, not seen as responsible for the economic well being of individuals. This was seen as a private responsibility. There was no unemployment insurance or old age retirement systems. Nor were there programs to assess the poor. Poverty and unemployment were seen as character flaws and not the result of ecomomic fluctustions beyound the capability of individuals to deal with. Some state Governments attempted to address the problem, but the crisis was beyound the abolity of state government to handele. Ironically President Hoover was noted for his humanitarian efforts in Europe during and After World war I. His ideological mindset, however, his ability to address the challenge of the Great Depression. Private charities struggled to provide food and other support. The demessions of what was needed went far beyond the capabilities of chaity to address. Hoover's initial resomse was to cut Government spending and ballance the budget. Hoover announced that while he would keep the Federal budget balanced, he would cut taxes and expand public works spending. In would be wrong to suggest that Hoover was unfeeling or that he did nothing to address the Depression. Rpercussions from Europe by 1931 were deepening the crisis, even though the President presented to Congress a program asking for creation of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to aid business, additional help for farmers facing mortgage foreclosures, banking reform, a loan to states for feeding the unemployed, expansion of public works, and drastic governmental economy. At the same time he reiterated his view that while people must not suffer from hunger and cold, caring for them must be primarily a local and voluntary responsibility.
In 1931 repercussions from Europe deepened the crisis, even though the President presented to Congress a program asking for creation of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to aid business, additional help for farmers facing mortgage foreclosures, banking reform, a loan to states for feeding the unemployed, expansion of public works, and drastic governmental economy. At the same time he reiterated his view that while people must not suffer from hunger and cold, caring for them must be primarily a local and voluntary responsibility. Hoover's opponents in Congress, who he felt were sabotaging his program for their own political gain, unfairly painted him as a callous and cruel President. He was neither. He was, however, unwilling to use government to address the people's needs. Hoover became the scapegoat for the depression and he and the Republican Party were badly defeated in 1932. He left the White House a bitter man.
One of the shabiest chapters in America's treatment of its veterans is the Bonus March that occurred during the Great Depression. Tanks and banyonets deployed against unenployed veterans against the background of the Depression caused mant to question the future of America. As a result of the Depression there had been a number of small marches on Washington, but nothing along the domensions of the Bonus March. Congress after World War I promised veterans a bonus to honor their service. Congress passed the Adjusted Service Certificate Law (1924). The bonus was to be paid in 1945. The American Legion has pushed for the legislation. The Law was not just what the Legion wanted and they pushed for revisions, especially after the Depression began. Veterans were of course among the millions of unemloyed Americans.The Legion pushed for a bill allowing veterans to borrow against 50 percent of the nonus certificate value (March 1931). Congress passed the bil, but President Hoover vetoed it. He believed that the Government could not afford it and deficit spending would just impede recovery from the Depression. Congress passed the bill over Hoover's veto (February 1932). Thus many veterans began to see money from their bonus as a real possibility. Walter W. Walters and a group of other unemployed cannery workers decided that the Government should pay their bonus now when they really needed it. They came to WAshington and set up camp, calling themselves the "Bonus Expeditionary Forces" (May 1932). Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur, a veteran himself, did so see the Bonus Marchers as needy veterans. Rather he saw, with virtually no evidence, a dangerous communist conspiracy to tke over the national government. MacArthur's own intelligence staff informed him that he was mistaken. As word spread of the initial encampment, thousands of veterans, many brining their family, headed for Washington. Eventually about 20,000 veteranns massed in Washington. Some of the veterans set up the Mall, but most built a "Hooverville" at nearby Anacostia Flats. The House of Representatives passed the Patman Bonus Bill moving up the payment date (June 15). The Bonus Army demonstrated at the Capitol as the Senate considered the bill (June 17). The Senate rejected it. Congress did appropriate money to help the veterans return home. Some marchers decided to do so, but many decided to stay to press their case. . The District of Columbia police attempted to evict some of the remaining Bonus Marchers from a Federal construction site (July 28). In the ensuing mele the police shot and killed two Bonus Marchers. The Marchers then attacked the police. They did not use fire arms, but they managed to injure several policemen who fell back. District of Columbia authotities informed President Herbert Hoover that they could not deal with the situation. President Hoover ordered Secretary of War Hurly to "surround the affected area and clear it without delay." Hoover did not order an attack on the major encampment at Anacostia. The resulting attack, however, would be one more action that would descredit President Hoover in the eyes of many Americans.
It is an irony of history that Hoover, a pennyless orphan as a boy would not vigorously address the needs of those impoverished by the Depression. And even more so that their needs wee addressed by Roosevelt, a member of the elite class raised in luxury. The difference between the two men was not compasion. Hoover was a compasionate man with a record of humanitarianism. Hoover despite his early poverty was aself-made man and like many self-made men was convinved that the American economy and society was essentially sound and was thus opposed to experimentation or a significant expansion of the role of government. Here Roosevely was prepared to make major changes and experiment with major social reforms.
America less than a year after Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover's impressive victory was struck by the Wall Street Crash (1929). President Hoover's unwillingness to act decisevely meant that America lapsed into the Great Depression. The Republicans stuck with President Hoover, but withoyt enthusiam--in sharp contrast to 1928. The economic devestation virtusally preordained that the Democrats would win the 1932 election. The question was only who would win the Democratic nomination. Following his reelection as governor in 1930, Roosevelt began to campaign for the presidency. While the economic depression damaged Hoover and the Republicans, Roosevelt's bold efforts to combat it in New York enhanced his reputation. In Chicago in 1932, Roosevelt won the nomination as the Democratic Party candidate for president. He broke with tradition and flew to Chicago to accept the nomination in person. He then campaigned energetically calling for government intervention in the economy to provide relief, recovery and reform. His activist approach and personal charm helped to defeat Hoover in November 1932 by seven million votes. The land-slide Democratic election victory resulted in a major realignment of American politics,
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