The Great Depression & The New Deal

The Human Impact of the Great Depression Subsistence incomes – “We lived lean”; survival primary goal Marriage and family —marriages/births decreased; “poor man’s divorce” Fathers and mothers —fathers more affected than mothers Psychological impact —shame, self-doubt, self-blame

Programming —radio, a lifeline George Burns and Gracie Allen; Jack Benny; marquee for the first “talkie” The Jazz Singer; Orson Welles broadcasting The War of the Worlds.

Dust Bowl —ecological man- made disaster Impact of commercial farming —farm families replaced by corporate consolidation and mechanization Exodusters —hope in California dashed Cesar Chavez —37 schools; “following the crops” Repatriation —out-migration of Hispanics One of the Great Plains dust storms pursues a truck down the road. An “Okie” vehicle takes a break by the side of the road on the way to California. “Black Blizzards”

LULAC and ethnic identity —Hispanic civil rights organization anti-Mexican? Father Divine and Elijah Muhammed —afterlife of full equality; Black Muslims: separate nation? Scottsboro boys —rapes of two white women: one admitted frame job END OF READING The Scottsboro boys and a moment during their trials.

The Tragedy of Herbert Hoover Private charity — overwhelmed by the tremendous need: only 6% of relief funds City services —overwhelmed; states in the red TERA —New York first state to even attempt unemployment relief and that was in 1931 (Roosevelt governor) A Hooverville, where people might be using Hoover Blankets. Things will naturally, eventually correct themselves.

Reconstruction Finance Corporation —government lending to banks, insurance companies, railroads: good but not enough—“rescues banks but not people” Unemployment relief —a little; Hoover feared the dole would ruin people’s independence, initiative Farm Holiday Association —dumping milk; radical ideas gaining popularity Communist party —revolution never a danger, but some listening Veterans of the U.S. Army now part of the Bonus Army who went to Washington to get their bonuses early, but were forced out.

The Early New Deal ( ) Recovery, relief, reform —election in Nov./inauguration in March; flurry in “100 Days” Franklin Roosevelt —polio: arrogance to compassion The Brains Trust —lawyers, professors Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the Presidency and the nation.

Emergency Banking Act – “Bank Holiday,” then reopen the solvent, use “conservators” for the rest Federal Deposit Insurance Work relief—CWA, CCC Roosevelt giving one of his “fireside chats,” such as when he declared a “Bank Holiday.” There was no fireplace in the room where he delivered his “chats.” A Civilian Conservation Corps worker plants trees; Civil Works Administration workers (below) build a sewer line. But CWA workers were also hired to teach music (right) or perform or create art as a way of keeping those skills alive as well.

Tennessee Valley Authority —work relief to revitalize a whole region Public Works Administration National Recovery Administration – “codes of fair practices” to control competition The symbol for the Tennessee Valley Authority and a power plant built by TVA. A restaurant showing its support of the National Recovery Administration.

Schecter decision – “Sick Chicken Case” declares NRA an unconstitutional over-regulation of commerce Agricultural Adjustment Administration — producers agree to limit production/ government pays them not to produce: prices go up (flaws, unconstitutional, reworked) END OF READING

A Second New Deal ( ) Liberty League —conservative right: million dollars in Anti-FDR ads “End Poverty in California” —give poor idle land, factories: this and below were simplistic solutions Huey Long – “Share the Wealth” and make “every man a king” by limiting fortunes Charles Coughlin —banks to blame: nationalize them, inflate currency, spread jobs Francis Townsend —pension for 60+ who quit jobs and spent it in 30 days Upton Sinclair, author of The Jungle, who ran for governor of California with the slogan, “End Poverty in California,” but smeared and lost election. Huey Long, the “Kingfish, ” who promised that every man would be a king. He was a radical, but Federal government seemed to be taking responsibility for welfare of all.

Works Progress Administration —spent billions on wages, BUT couldn’t compete with private industry: arts, public buildings, etc.

Social Security —help those who couldn’t help themselves— aged, infirm, dependent children, unemployed—and maintains consumption (reaching 65 an accomplishment then) National Labor Relations Act —Unions not only okayed, but protected Roosevelt Coalition —the South, lower rung ethnics and African Americans, unions: 30 yr. Democratic reign FDR signing the Social Security Act. The first woman cabinet member Labor Secretary Frances Perkins is in the background.

The American People under the New Deal Rural Electrification Administration —farms electrified: 10% 1935 to 90% 1950 African Americans —party switch from Rep. to Dem. Mexican Americans —political inexperience left them largely untouched by New Deal benefits The Boulder Dam under construction; Mary McLeod Bethune was a member of FDR’s “Black Cabinet.”

John Collier’s Indian Reorganization Act —tribal life promoted, assimilation discarded: Indians divided pro and con CAWIU farm strike —California migrants, Mexicans rise up, put down Congress of Industrial Organizations —unskilled workers snubbed by skilled AFLers went their own way John Collier posing with a couple of Native Americans. John L. Lewis, the combative leader of the United Mine Workers.

Sit-down strikes —effective for CIO against lockouts, police, scabs Union gains —near equal player Rivera and Orozco —New Deal arts programs Documentary realism —as it is Fisher Body workers count down the days during their sit-down strike; the cast from the movie The Grapes of Wrath; paintings by Orozco (left) and Rivera.

The End of the New Deal ( ) Roosevelt’s plan —pack the courts to dilute anti-New Deal influence: bad idea John Maynard Keynes — “pump- priming”: spend way out of depression, tax to pay debts in prosperity—FDR followed reluctantly Recovery abroad —Keynes theory worked in Europe where they ran up much larger deficits British economist John Maynard Keynes liked the idea of deficit government spending, thinking that when prosperity returns taxes can be raised to make up for the deficit.