Wilsonian Progressivism at Home & Abroad

1. Wilsonian Progressivism at Home & Abroad 1912 - 1916

2. The Emergence of Wilson • Entered politics in 1910 • NJ bosses needed a respectable “front” candidate for the governorship • Waged a reform campaign in which he assailed the “predatory” trusts & promised to return state gov’t to the people • Made NJ one of the more liberal states

3. Democratic Platform • Wilson’s “New Freedom” • Called for stronger antitrust legislation • Banking reform • Tariff reductions

4. The “Bull Moose” Campaign of 1912 • TR ran on the third-party Progressive Republican ticket • Divided the Republican vote • TR’s “New Nationalism”

6. TR’s “New Nationalism” or Wilson’s “New Freedom” Both favored a more active gov’t role in economic & social affairs Disagreed sharply over specific strategies TR preached the theories of Herbert Coley from his book The Promise of American Life (1910) The Candidates - 1912

7. TR’s “New Nationalism” Favored consolidation of trusts & labor unions & regulatory agencies Regulation of trust Favored women’s suffrage Social welfare Minimum-wage laws Social insurance Wilson’s “New Freedom” Favored small enterprise, entrepreneurship, & free functioning of unregulated & nonmonopolized markets Shunned social welfare; favored competition Wanted fragmentation of big industrial companies Split up trust TR v. Wilson

8. Election of 1912 • Offered voters a choice not merely of policies but of political & economic philosophies • TR was shot in the chest by a fanatic • Wilson won easily over Taft, TR, & Debs • Progressive Party had no future • Socialists elected more than a thousand • Republicans – minority status in Congress • Taft became chief justice of the Supreme Court in 1921

12. Wilson- The Idealist in Politics • Second Democratic president since 1861 • Ideal of self-determination for people of other countries • Shared Jefferson’s faith in the masses • If they were properly informed • Very religious / morally righteousness • President was to provide leadership & be out in front of Congress • Cold & standoffish in public

13. Wilson Tackles the Tariff • Assault on the “triple wall of privilege” • Tariff, Banks, Trusts • Tariff • Called Congress into a special session – 1913 • He appeared in person to address Congress • Underwood Tariff Bill (1913) – substantial reduction of rates • Reduced import fees & was a landmark in tax legislation • 16th Amendment – graduated income tax

14. Wilson Battles the Banks • Problem: reserves were concentrated in NY & other large cities • Could not be mobilized in times of financial stress • Congress ordered an investigation • Aldrich recommended a third Bank of the US • Pujo – (D) traced the problems to the banks & business • 1913 – Federal Reserve Act • Federal Reserve Board oversaw a system of 12 regional district banks // owned by financial institutions • Board could issue paper money

15. Wilson Battles the Trusts • Federal Trade Commission Act – 1914 • Empowered a commission to investigate interstate commerce • Expected to crush monopoly by rooting out unfair trade practices • Clayton Anti-Trust Act – 1914 • Listed business practices that were deemed objectionable including price discrimination & interlocking directories - (same people serve as directors of supposedly competing firms) • Exempted labor & agricultural organizations - legalized strikes & peaceful picketing

16. Wilsonian Progressivism • Federal Farm Loan Act of 1916 • Made credit available to farmers at low rates of interest • Warehouse Act of 1916 • Authorized loans on the security of staple crops • Highway construction & agricultural extension work • La Follette Seamen’s Act of 1915 • Required decent treatment & a living wage on American merchant ships • Caused freight rates to increase

17. Conti • Workingmen’s Compensation Act of 1916 • Granted assistance to federal civil-service employees during periods of disability • Restricted child labor on products flowing into interstate commerce • Later invalidated by Supreme Court • Adamson Act of 1916 • Established an 8 hour day for all employees on trains in interstate commerce, with extra pay for overtime

18. Wilson as President • 1916 – nominate reformer Louis D. Brandeis to Supreme Court • 1st Jew • Did nothing for better treatment of African Americans • Appeased businesspeople by making conservative appointments • Federal Reserve Board & the Federal Trade Commission

19. Wilson & Foreign Policy • Wilson – hated imperialism • Repelled by TR’s big stickism • Suspicious of Wall Street, he detested dollar diplomacy • Declared war on dollar diplomacy after 1 week • Gov’t would no longer offer special support to American investors in Latin America & China • American bankers pull out the next day

20. Wilson’s Anti-Imperialism • 1914 – Panama Canal Tolls Act of 1912 repealed • Had exempted American shipping from tolls & thereby provoked sharp protests from injured Britain • 1916 – Jones Act • Granted the Philippines territorial status & promised independence as soon as a “stable gov’t” could be established • 1913 – Japan & California Problem • CA prohibited Japanese from owning land • Wilson sent Sec of State Bryan to plead with CA to soften its stand • Tensions were eased

21. Problems in the Caribbean • 1914-1915 – Haiti • Outraged populace killed their president • 1915 -Wilson sent Marines to protect American lives & property • 1916 –treaty with Haiti that provided for US supervision of finances & the police • 1916 – Dominican Republic • Marines sent to stop riots // remained for 8 years • 1917 – Virgin Islands • Wilson purchased islands from Denmark

22. Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico • 1913 – Mexican Revolution • Clique murdered the popular new revolutionary president & installed General Victoriano Huerta • Massive migration of Mexicans to US • Settled in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, & California • Revolution was jeopardizing American live & property • Wilson refused to intervene & refused to recognize Huerta • 1914 – Wilson allowed American arms to flow to Huerta’s rivals

23. Problems Get Worse in Mexico • April 1914 – Atlantic seaport of Tampico • American soldiers were arrested • Mexicans quickly released the captives & apologized • But refused to salute admiral with 21 guns • Wilson wanted to eliminate Huerta • Asked Congress for authority to use force against Mexico • Wilson ordered navy to seize Vera Cruz • Meditation from the ABC Powers: • Argentina, Brazil, & Chile • Huerta collapsed in July 1914 & Venustiano Carranza took over

24. Mexican – American Relations • “Pancho” Villa emerged as a rival to President Carranza • Carranza was supported with arms & diplomatic recognition by Wilson • Pancho Villa’s Attacks on Americans • Jan 1916 - killed 16 Americans • Feb 1916 – killed another 19 Americans in New Mexico • General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing • ordered to break up bandit gang • Never captured Villa himself • Jan 1917 – US withdrew as threat of war with Germany increased

26. Thunder Across the Sea • 1914 – Serb patriot killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia • Heir to the Austria-Hungry throne • Almost overnight, most of Europe was locked in war • Central Powers • Germany, Austria-Hungry, Ottoman Empire, & Bulgaria • Allies • France, Britain, & Russia (later Japan & Italy)

28. A Precarious Neutrality • Wilson urged the US to remain neutral in thought and deed • Both the Allies and the Central Powers wooed the US • British – common language, economic ties, close culture • Germans & Austro-Hungarians – counted on sympathies from their transplanted countrymen • Blood ties to the Central Powers – 11 million in 1914 • Most Americans were anti-German • Kaiser Wilhelm II & ruthless strike at neutral Belgium • Restored to violence in American factories & ports

29. America Earns Blood Money • British & French orders pulled the US out of recession & into war-born prosperity • $2.3 billion during the period of American neutrality • Central Powers protested against trade between US & Allies • Traffic did not violate the international neutrality laws • Germany was prevented from trading with the US because of geography & the British navy • Mines & ships across the North Sea • Trade between US & Germany virtually ceased

30. Submarine Warfare • Feb 1915 – Germany announced a submarine war area around the British Isles • US was trading in this area • Germany declared they would try not to sink neutral shipping, but warned that mistakes would probably be made • Wilson warned Germany it would be held to “strict accountability” for any attacks on American vessels or citizens

31. The German U-boats • First months of 1915 – Germany sank 90 ships • May 7, 1915 - Lusitania was torpedoed & sank off the coast of Ireland • 1,198 died – 128 Americans died • Was carrying 4200 cases of small-arms ammunition • August 1915 – Arabic was sunk – 2 American lives lost • Germany agreed not to sink unarmed & unresisting passenger ships without warning

32. Sussex Pledge • March 1916 – Germans torpedoed a French streamer, the Sussex • Wilson informed Germany that unless they renounced the inhuman practice of sinking merchant ships without warning, he would break diplomatic relations • Sussex Pledge • Germany agreed not to sink passenger ships & merchant ships without warning • US would have to persuade the Allies to modify the “Illegal blockade”

33. Election of 1916 – The Candidates • Progressives – renominated TR but he declined • TR did not want to led to Wilson’s reelection • Party disappeared after this • Republican – Charles Evans Hughes • Supreme Court Justice • Platform: Condemned • Democratic tariff • Assaults on the trusts • Wilson’s wishy-washiness in dealing with Mexico & Germany • Fence-straddling candidate • Democrat – Woodrow Wilson

34. Election Results • Wilson • Ignored Hughes - “one should not try to murder a man who is committing suicide” • Slogan – “He Kept Us Out of War” • Supporters: • Wilson – Midwesterners & westerners, working class, & bull moosers • Hughes – Eastern voters • Result of election hinged on CA • Wilson barely won / 277 to 254