Monthly Archives: March 2011

03/20/11

The Court-Packing Plan

Political cartoon with the caption 'Do We Want A Ventriloquist Act In The Supreme Court?' The cartoon, a criticism of FDR's New Deal, depicts President Franklin D. Roosevelt with six new judges likely to be FDR puppets. USA, 14 February 1937.


This political cartoon was posted on February 1937 and photoed by Fotosearch. The political cartoon is talking about “court-packing plan” during the new deal. This plan is to give the President power to appoint an additional Justice of maximum six to the U.S. Supreme Court because during Roosevelt’s first term the Supreme Court struck down several his new deal and he felt a threat from the Supreme Court. Therefore, he appointed six justices who were pro to him. However, public and house’s reaction became opposite about his new deal and they thought that FDR was too communist and wanted to gain his power.

03/20/11

New Deal:Reviving the Economy

Cartoon by C.K. Berryman on 1933

During the election of 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was able to easily win the presidency because the incumbent, Herbert hoover was heavily disliked mainly for the occurrence of the Great Depression during his term as president. Once elected into office, FDR carried out a sequence of economic reforms and programs in order to resolve the issues that were caused by the depression. These chains of reforms were known as the “New Deal”

            During the first hundred days of Roosevelt’s administration, he launched numerous reforms in an effort to fix the economy such as creating new jobs for unemployed civilians and to improve the nation’s banking system by assuring the people that their saving’s will not be lost if the banks were to fail again. Those programs are what are being represented by the stockings hanging on the fire place in the political cartoon and the message being conveyed through this cartoon is that FDR is expecting these programs to turn the economy around even though the programs is having little effect on curing the depression.

03/19/11

How the South Interprets the New Deal

This political cartoon was published in a black Chicago newspaper, the Chicago Defender, on January 27, 1934, during the first term of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency. L. Rogers, created this cartoon. He expresses his belief that white racists used programs under the New Deal, like the NRA, to further discriminate against low wage black labor. Throughout the 1930s, discrimination and racist beliefs about blacks continued to thrive and practices such as lynching and wage discrimination were prevalent. Blacks even referred to the NRA as “Negroes Ruined Again”. Rogers created this cartoon because he wanted to spread the word to fellow blacks, who were readers of the Chicago Defender, that the New Deal programs under Roosevelt were actually aimed at only helping white folk. Rogers believes that Roosevelt failed to recognize that blacks were just as affected by the Great Depression as whites and that racism in the US resulted in black laborers suffering even more than white laborers.

03/19/11

Don’t re-shuffle them cards! I like this hand.

It IS a New Deal

It IS a New Deal, 3/11/33 By Talburt in thePittsburgh Press

The public’s response to Roosevelt’s programs were viewed in high favor.  It seemed like he was handling things very quickly and efficiently.  It was with the ending of prohibition and the handling of the bank emergencies, that gave the American people faith in him.  It also helped him that many people viewed him as a trusted figure.  People needed faith with dealing with the Depression, and the economic turmoil that the United States was in.

Roosevelt was able to enter almost every American who owned a radios home, in a way that no other president before him could.  I believe the artist, after hearing him like so many other, believed that with the changes that have been made so far and so quickly, Roosevelt New Deals were worth believing in.This image was drawn days after the Bank Holiday was proposed by Roosevelt when he first came into office.

03/19/11

Not everyone liked the dealer

“I Think I’ll plow under every third parnip.”

This cartoon was published in 1935 by George Shellhase as a critique of the 1933 Agriculture Adjustment Act. George Shellhase was commenting on the inefficiencies and idiosyncrasy of the methods proposed by the act. In a bid to raise farm prices and income in order to help ailing farmers. Ironically, at the same time people were suffering from hunger whilst the government ordered farmers not to plant more and even had over 6 million pigs slaughtered. Although the AAA was successful in its goals not everyone benefited. It also brought upon inefficiencies and resulted in the eviction of numerous rural residents.

03/19/11

Poverty on Top of Depression

A large line is formed outside of a soup kitchen as the unemployed line up for their daily rations.

 

A photograph of one of the many shacks built by and for the victims of the failed economy. These shacks were built in parks nationwide during the depression and were called “Homerville’s”

 

These two photographs illustrate the struggles that the average American people had to endure during the great depression. After the economic bubble burst, many Americans had lost their jobs as well as their savings that were kept in the bank. When the smoke cleared, about 25% of American’s were left unemployed and impoverished. Some unlucky Americans even lost their houses and were left homeless. The homeless went to parks and built shacks out of scrap metal and any other materials that they could find. These shantytowns were called Hooverville’s, named after president Hoover because many Americans blamed Hoover for the occurrence of the depression. In order to aid many of the poverty stricken people who could not afford food, soup kitchens opened up nationwide to supply the poor with food. People would wait on line all day in order to get a piece of bread and a bowl of soup.

03/18/11

Step by Step – The New Deal

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Step by Step
2/11/37
By Warren in the
Buffalo News

The response to Roosevelt’s judicial reorganiztion, or “court-packing,” plan was decidedly negative by everyone. Cartoonists expressed the congressional, judicial and public misgivings better than anyone. While often playfully criticizing the president for “agism,” the tone was at times serious and extreme, portraying FDR as a dictator intent on destroying American democracy. Editorial cartoons supportive of the president’s plan were rarely seen, most likely as rare as finding approving individuals outside his administration.

The author of this picture obviously felt that President Roosevelt, at the time, was on his way to Dictatorship with the way he was running the policies and government.

03/18/11

A New Deal means a new hand.

This political cartoon regarding Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal was published in March of 1933. The source does not indicate who the artist is, but his signature is left on the cartoon. This political cartoon is called “hope.” The cartoon shows how nobody really knew what kind of impact FDR’s New Deal would have on the nation – it was like dealing out a deck of cards, you cannot be sure what you’re going to get out of it. Many felt similarly with the programs FDR included in the New Deal. These programs were designed to boost the economy and help its people. However the dire state that the economy was in made people skeptical on whether or not these programs would really work.

03/17/11

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

The roots of the “Roaring Twenties” can easily be traced to the unprecedented growth of the new American automotive industry. Basically created because of Henry Ford’s perfection of the process of mass production with his development of the moving assembly line in the early part of the 20th century, the rapid expansion of the industry gave way to one of the most prolific eras of economic boom in American history.

1920's Automobile Factory

In chapter 20, Foner mentions that “The automobile was the backbone of economic growth.” Citing that the production of cars had tripled annually during the 1920’s. What is the most significant aspect in measuring the success of the 1920’s with the explosion of the auto industry, however, is that although Automotive factories would seem to replace the steel and textile factories that were the driving force behind the inturstrial boom of the late 19th century, it would actually bring expansion and success to the production of  “steel, rubber, oil production, road construction, and other sectors of the economy. It prompted tourism and the growth of suburbs…” (Foner, 722)

Many economists believe that the production of steel is one of, if not the, most important factors in determining the health, and direction of the economy – high levels of steel production mean high levels of new construction, and in the production of cars. This still holds true today (for further explanation see,  \”Steel Industry Will Signal Recession\’s End\”).

-C. Salama

03/16/11

New Deal- The Banking Crisis

The cartoon was published in 1933. Reprinted by permission: Tribune Company Syndicate, Inc. As we know over t ten thousand banks had failed during the Great Depression. This cartoon show the person lost all the money he saves in the bank, since the bank had failed. I think the artist was trying to show how bad is economy in the America and federal government has responsibility for the smooth running of the American economy, so people can get their money back. New deal was a major turning point in American history and solution to the Great Depression. Roosevelt closed all the nation’s banks just after his inauguration by declaring a bank holiday. Each bank was permitted to reopen only after the government inspected its records and found it was financially sound.

03/16/11

New Deal: Alphabet Agencies

Political cartoon of FDR and Albert Einstein. Photo courtesy of the Basil O'Connor Collection

During the Great Depression President Roosevelt quickly responded to this economic crisis by establishing many government programs in the New Deal also known as the Alphabet Soup. Many of these programs addressed the country’s industrial, agriculture and employment issues. The cartoon shown above depicts FDR showing Einstein a list of agencies from the New Deal. Due to the poor print I couldn’t see Einstein’s statement. However I am assuming that the artist is trying to make his point about how there’s too many new programs to the New Deal and there’s no guarantee that these programs would solve the economic problem. Among these programs the National Recovery Administration (NRA) is shown in bold. I think the artist is probably trying to emphasize the fact that many people hoped that NRA would help the economy in which businesses were to set rules such as production quotas, prices, wages, and hours. However the NRA program was a complete failure.

03/16/11

New Deals – Farm

During the Great Depression farmers and farms were having a very difficult time. Many farmers were having trouble making money because of the Great Depression consumers didn’t have enough money to buy food. Many farmers lost their farms and went bankrupt for over producing food and being unable to sell it.

The cartoon is trying to portray how bad farms were doing in the Great Depression and how F.D.R was going to use the New Deal help farmers. The way the New Deal help farmers is by setting up the Agricultural Agreement Act (AAA) The AAA told farmers to produce fewer products and sell it for a higher price in order to get money and bring the farms back to what they once were.

03/16/11

March Madness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYh8MOnAgv8&feature=related

Above is a video of The Ku Klux Klan marching in Washington D.C. in the year 1928. Unfortunately there is no audio for this clip, but the video is all we need. We see thousands of Klan members, sporting their white robes. Notice how they are marching in the center of the capital of our country. This is almost like a message that the Klan is sending; The Klan is here, and they will take over the country. There does not seem to be much opposition, probably because it would lead to death. During the 1920’s the Klan had a huge revival, and became even worse than the Klan of the 1800’s. They targeted many other groups of people besides black people, and their influence in the government made them nearly impossible to stop.

The funniest part about this video is how calm and nice it seems. It almost makes you want to join the Klan, if you did not know what they were about. The day is beautiful, and the white robes give off a symbol of purity. It does give us a great picture of how big the Klan became, and seeing that March on TV would be a scary sight to any person not considered “American.”

03/16/11

New Deal:Gone With the Wind… Or Not!

Getty Images: Picture shows FDR shifting his focus from the economy to the World War

The Cartoon illustrates FDR shifting his attention from the economical conditions at home to obtaining victory in the World War. I think the artist was trying to portray this shift in focus by illustrating  FDR in a car labeled “Win the War” which moves much faster than the horse the men are on labeled “New Deal”. The New Deal was sought out after The Great Depression to ease the effects of the economic downfall. There were many programs put into way in order to provide relief, recovery and reform. However, during the time the artist is portraying is when World War II came about.

World War II came about in December 1941. During this time efforts to get supplies as soon as possible regardless of price or quality were underway. The idea of the New Deal suddenly hit rock bottom. It was no longer needed because people suddenly needed workers in factories to develop the supplies needed in war. The gap between classes suddenly decreased due to the high employment rates. Overtime that was provided in this time of need was very helpful to many families who suffered before.

03/16/11

Deficit to debt

This political cartoon is the work of Herbert Johnson of the Saturday Evening Post, from the 1930s Continue reading on Examiner.com: Political Cartoon Controversy in New York Post - National progressive politics | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/progressive-politics-in-national/political-cartoon-controversy-new-york-post#ixzz1GkWD5F10


This cartoon is a reaction to the controversies around budget deficit, which FDR’s presidency is known for.
FDR during his 1st election campaign while talking about broadening government’s responsibilities advocated balanced federal budget and criticized President Hoover for excessive spending. In 1933 the passing of The Economy Act reduced salaries of government employees and cut pensions to veterans by 15%. This allowed to save 500 millions a year (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal). However during his presidency federal budget deficit had been adding up at an unprecedented pace of $24,746,949,443 on average a year according to http://home.adelphi.edu/sbloch/deficits.html. Hover’s budget was only increased by $6,852,813,799 a year on average. Such a deficit came as a result of all the government programs that FDR created. He argued that there were two parts of federal budget – a “regular” part, which he balanced by cutting salaries etc, and the “emergency” part. The latter he justified by unique crisis the country was going through, Great Depression. The emergency budget did not have to be balanced temporarily to help the country climb out of the crisis.

03/15/11

This will help … hopefully

The image is from the Library of Congress. (LIC)

The Great Depression was a trying time for all americans nation wide. With failing banks, droughts, unemployment and severe poverty everywhere, more and more americans sought help from the government. President FDR recognized this outcry and introduced the New Deal, a possible solution to the great depression. Although government spending would increase the nation’s deficit, FDR felt it was necessary in order to get the economy running again. By introducing new programs such as the PWA, NRA, TVA, AAA, CCC and SSA, FDR was able to implement more money to produce more jobs, consumer spending, and reforms to the current financial systems.

The cartoon above was produced in 1933 as a respond to FDR’s New Deal. In the cartoon FDR exclaims ” UNCLE I’M SURELY EXPECTING SOMETHING!”. This statement seems to signify a possible change in the economy after a number of welfare programs (stockings) have been created to help americans. Although the programs seem to relieve some desperation during the great depression, it seems like FDR is unsure what the final result will be. However, FDR expects to see a significant change that will eventually pull the nation out of depression and hopefully prevent a future one.

03/15/11

FDR and the New Deal

From the cartoon, we can see a man was surrounded by a bunch of dancing kids. The man in the middle was President Franklin D. Roosevelt; on the backs of the kids’ shirts were printed WPA, PWA AND AAA, which stand for Works Progress Administration, Public Works Administration (which constructed roads, dams, and public buildings), and Agricultural Adjustment Act (which provided funding to farmers to curtail their production). These were all the programs set up under FDR’s New Deal. There were some other kids facing us, which from the artist’s points should represent the other programs adopted by FDR, such as Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which served to insure deposits in banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which provided for navigation, flood control, electricity generation and economic development in the Tennessee River Valley and the National Industrial Recovery Act (NRA), which provided for codes of fair competition to regulate industry, and for the first time in American history guaranteed the rights of labor to bargain collectively, etc. These programs were responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call the “3 Rs”: relief, recovery, and reform. That is, relief for the unemployed and poor; recovery of the economy to normal levels; and reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression.

03/15/11

New Deal- The Trojan Horse

Throughout the history of United States, reforms and new policies have always encountered as invasion of rights by certain skeptics. Due to the political culture of America, politicians are very reserved about letting the federal government to become more powerful. This has remain true even during the Great Depression. Although the entire nation was desperate for solutions to their economics disparity, many citizens were still conscious of their political rights and freedom despite of their poverty.

The political cartoon above has demonstrated this idea perfectly. When Franklin Roosevelt proposed his New Deal as the solution to the Great Depression to the Congress, certain politicians have viewed the reform as an invasion to the Congress. The cartoonist believed that the New Deal was making an attempt to obtain more power than it should by taking advantage of the economic disaster. The cartoon is referring to the policies that expands the power of the federal government, such as the establishment of Civilian Conservation Corps (CVC) and Public-Works Projects (PWA). Those two policies have hired many civilians for the constructions of parks, roads, bridges, and other public buildings, and critics complained that these policies are gaining control of the citizens by creating employment opportunities. Certain critics also considered such policies as a step toward socialism and communism. They believed that such economic policies are Trojan horses that would transform our capitalistic nation to socialistic/communistic country.

03/15/11

Deal Me In

I am not sure when this cartoon was published, but it looks pretty old. It was published in the Pittsburgh Press. This cartoon took a play on the word ‘Deal.’ In this cartoon we see a poker hand of 4 Aces and a King. In poker that is 4 of a kind, a great hand. I think the author is praising the New Deal. He is saying that it is really great, just like the poker hand. The title says “It IS a New Deal,” probably referring to a “new hand” after the Great Depression. This hand is a winner, showing how the author praises the New Deal.

As we see the hand comprises of Protection of Gold, Bank Holiday, Budget Message, Inaugural Address, and Bank Legislation. In Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address he mentioned how he was going to dethrone all the bad bankers, and how he was going to help fix the mess we were in. In 1933 Roosevelt closed all the banks for 3 days. He did this in order to allow certified reviewers to check them. He wanted to make sure banks were running smoothly, and also wanted all his laws to pass. He also did not want everybody rushing to take out their money, and so he closed the banks. He also go rid of the gold standard, a change that still exists today. There were many more components to the New Deal, but this author focuses on the first few. He is in favor of the New Deal, but not all of America was aboard the same ship.