Hoover v. Roosevelt
Franklin Roosevelt promised New Deal
Avoided making specific promises
Roosevelt favored repeal of prohibition whereas Hoover wanted revision
Hoover looked tired and gloomy and worn out
Roosevelt was optimistic and confident
Biggest Democratic victory since Civil War
Democrats won big majorities in House and Senate
First hundred days
Enormous amount of legislation passed
Roosevelt called special session of Congress
Fireside chats
Use of radio to explain things and restore confidence
First one used to explain Emergency Banking Relief Act
Emergency Banking Relief Act
Ordered a nationwide bank holiday
Treasury Department would inspect nation’s banks
Those banks that were sound could reopen at once
Those that needed help could receive loans
Insolvent ones would stay closed
Restored confidence in banking system
Took US off gold standard
Civilian Conservation Corps
Unemployed single males between 17 and 28
Built roads, planted trees, helped in soil erosion and flood control
projects
Lived in camps run by army officers
$30 a month($22 of which was sent to dependent families)
Free food and uniforms
Federal Emergency Relief Act
$250 million given to states to be spent on food and clothing for the
unemployed
Additional $250 million given as matching funds
Civil Works Administration
Gave aid to people through local authorities
Created government jobs, many of which were unnecessary
Agricultural Adjustment Act
Paid farmers a certain amount for land left unseeded
Caused prices to rise and farmers to receive more income
Tennessee Valley Authority
Regional planning
Helped conserve and develop natural resources by building dams to control
the Tennessee River and to provide hydroelectric power
Resulted in new factories, new energy and new jobs
Economy Act
Lowered salaries of government workers
Reduced payments to veterans
Home Owner's Loan Corporation
Government loans to homeowners facing foreclosures
Glass-Steagall Act
Set up Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to protect deposits up to
$5000
National Industrial Recovery Act
National Recovery Administration
Set up fair trade codes
Price controls
40 hour work week
Abolished child labor
Set a minimum wage
Recognized right to unionize
Set up National Labor Board to settle disputes
Public Works Administration
Government spent money on necessary projects to create jobs
Began in 1935 after 1934 elections gave Democrats an even larger majority
in Congress
Emphasis shifted from relief and recovery to reform
Works Progress Administration
Create jobs
1935-1941(8 million jobs)
Construction
Writers, artists, musicians, actors
Controversial
Accused of exchanging jobs for votes
Social Security Act
Pension for retired workers
Death benefits to children under 18
Not tied to need
Tax split between employer and employee
Securities and Exchange Commission
Power to prevent insider trading
Joe Kennedy put in charge
Revenue Act of 1935
Attempt to break up large accumulations of wealth
Increased gift and estate taxes
Increased rates for those with higher incomes
Graduated corporate tax that favored small business over large
Banking Act of 1935
Replaced old Federal Reserve Board with 7 member board appointed by the
president
Claimed federal judiciary could not keep up with caseload
More judges needed some judges too old
Proposed that judges retire within 6 months of turning 70
If they do not, president has the power to appoint new judges
Six members of Supreme Court over 70
Roosevelt would be able to enlarge # to 15
Set off protest that Roosevelt was grabbing too much power
Bill failed to get through Congress
Two judges changed votes on New Deal legislation
Conservative judge died
Roosevelt appointed Hugo Black
Roosevelt appointed 7 judges in the next 4 years
Attempt to pack Court strengthened opposition to New Deal
1938 elections brought in many Republicans and conservative southern
Democrats
By 1939 New Deal was over
Industrial unionism grew
Committee for Industrial Organization formed within the AFL
Began signing unskilled and semiskilled workers
Jealousy caused AFL to expel CIO unions in 1937
CIO changed name to Congress of Industrial Organizations
AFL-CIO combined again in 1955
Some advances for blacks
New Deal programs supposedly color blind
Blacks used as administrators of agencies
Roosevelt listened to opinions of highly placed black government workers
CIO included black members
Supreme Court upheld right of counsel for blacks and right to be tried by
juries that included blacks
Roosevelt entertained blacks at the White House
In 1939 the DAR refused use of Constitution Hall for Marion Anderson
concert
Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from organization and arranged for concert
to be held at Lincoln Memorial
Some advances for women
Eleanor Roosevelt
Very assertive
Represented Franklin at meetings
Campaigned for him
Helped make policy concerning women and minorities
Women were most popular movie stars
Joan Crawford, Bette Davis
Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone With The Wind
which won Pulitzer Prize in 1937
Amelia Earhart was first woman to fly across the Atlantic alone in 1932
Lost in Pacific attempting around the world flight
Pros
Raised income of farmers and workers
Helped preserve natural resources
Provided cushion for sick and aged
Enabled unions to organize
Added to material wealth of nation
Ended business excesses
Guaranteed safety of bank deposits
Reduced unemployment
Cons
Raised national debt
Doubled federal bureaucracy
Failed to end the depression
7.5 million still unemployed in 1940
Real end brought about by WWII
Politically it changed people’s views about the role of government
Government responsible for economic welfare
