The New Deal and Reform

1. The New Deal and Reform 1933-1940

2. The First Hundred Days • The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)-unemployed single males between the ages of 17-28 put to work building roads, planting trees, helping soil erosion and flood-control projects-about 3m men worked in the CCC • Emergency Relief-Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA)-$250m in direct aid to the unemployed-furnish food and clothing-$1 federal to $3 state • <CCC in Michigan-overall-200m trees replanted

3. The First Hundred Days • Civil Works Administration (CWA)-aid to people in need through local authorities- • within 2 months 4m are working for the Federal Government • pay minimal, some unnecessary, but men were working • <Harry Hopkins-headed both the FERA and CWA • Harry Hopkins Cartoons • Pictures of the New Deal

4. Farming in the New Deal • They agree to limit production • federal government would pay farmers cash to reduce their crop-money would come on a tax on processors(people who made crop into something) • Agricultural Adjustment Act-set up the Agricultural Adjustment Administration(AAA)-led by Henry Wallace Secretary of Agriculture • pay certain amount for field left unseeded-paid cotton growers $200m to plow under 10 m acres • paid hog farmers to slaughter 6m swine • not without criticism-destroy food, cruelty, tax passed on to consumers • succeeded in its goals • <Henry Wallace

5. The Tennessee Valley Authority-TVA • Government had built hydroelectric plants on the Tennessee River near Muscle Schoals, Alabama-to make nitrate for explosives • Congress debated on what to do with them after WWI • private companies wanted to buy it-George Norris(Senator) from Nebraska wanted Federal Government to conserve • first governmental regional project • TVA is formed-more farms, electrification, recreational lakes • one of the most successful programs of the New Deal • <Nitrate Plant at Muscle Schoals

6. Congress Regulates Finance • Economy Act-lower pay of federal employees, reduced payments to veterans • Home Owners Loan Corporation(HOLC)-government loans to avoid foreclosure • Glass-Steagall-Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC)-protect bank deposits up to $5000(now $100,000) • National Industrial Recovery Act(NIRA)-one of the most controversial-created the National Recovery Act<(NRA)-public works projects, codes for fair industrial practices-limit production • included price controls, limit of 40 hours, minimum wage-30-40 cents/hour, child labor abolished

7. Pump Priming • Public Works Administration (PWA)-government would spend money to create jobs • projects that took many workers and a lot of material • under Harold Ickes-Secretary of the Interior • projects include-Triborough Bridge, causeway to connect Florida to Key West, port at Brownsville Texas, hospitals, 50 military airports, 2 aircraft carriers • <Some feelings on the New Deal

8. Reforming the System • Relief and reform in the first hundred days did not help the economy as much as hoped • The Second New Deal- • Works Progress Administration (WPA)-Harry Hopkins • employed >8m-built airports, roads and streets, libraries, schools and hospitals, garments • work for unemployed actors, writers, artists, musicians • some problems with jobs for voting Democratic and 20% going to the arts

9. Reforming the System • Social Security-1935-system of social insurance-pension system for workers an their spouses • death benefits and support for surviving children ‘til the age of 18 are included • payroll tax 1/2 by workers, 1/2 by employer • joint federal and state unemployment insurance • effected the lives of more people than any other New Deal Legislation

10. Reforms in Business • The Security and Exchange Commission-(SEC)-1934-prevent insider trading • in charge-<Joseph P. Kennedy • Utility Companies-Public Utilities Holding Company Act-promote efficient use of electricity and savings-if not private company dissolved • The Revenue Tax of 1935-tax the rich • The Banking Act of 1935-replaced board with 7 member board of governors for 14years- • power to raise or lower money supply, raise or lower interest rates, cost of borrowing money

11. The Attacks on the New Deal • Liberals criticized for not doing enough to correct the evils of Capitalism-Conservatives felt FDR leading us to Socialism • complain to Congressmen-suits are brought • elimination of New Deal legislation by the Supreme Court • Solomon Poultry Corporation V. United States- “sick chicken case” • Brooklyn-sold an unfit chicken to a butcher • can’t regulate state of New York trade • NIRA unconstitutional-1. Legislative power to the Executive Branch, 2. Some of the codes covered intra-state commerce • <Supreme Court in 1937

12. Attacks on the New Deal • Result: Congress passes the Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act)-Labor provisions are gone with NIRA • business friendly NIRA is replaced with labor friendly Wagner Act in collective bargaining • Wagner Act-1. Employers have to bargain w/ workers 2. Can’t threaten workers, fire union members, interfere w/ union organizing efforts • set up National Labor Relation Board • Replace NIRA with-Fair Labor Standards Act-National minimum wage-25 cents then 40cents an hour-44 hour work week then 40 in 2 years-under 16 could not work

13. Attacks on the New Deal • AAA declared unconstitutional- • United States v. Butler-(1936)-processing tax is not a tax-but regulation of farmers • beyond the power of Congress • 1938-2nd Agricultural Adjustment Act-declared unconstitutional as well • Liberty League-New Deal endangering Constitution and establishes a dictatorship • all classes were invited to join-but mainly rich

14. Extremists • Dr. Francis Townsend-devised a plan that paid everyone over 60, $200/month, must spend in 30 days-paid by 2%tax on business transactions-defeated but starts Social Security movement • <Father Coughlin-Catholic priest-Detroit-10m people listen to him on the radio- • turned sermons from religion to political and social issues • forms-National Union for Social Justice-nationalize banks, public utilities, natural resources • strongly anti-Semitic, Church makes him stop broadcasting • Audio Clip from Father Coughlin

15. Extremists • <Huey Long- “Kingfish”-most able and potentially dangerous of the extremists • wild clothes startled people-but a great speaker-elected Governor of Louisiana-built the Sugar Bowl, free textbooks for public school children • then elected Senator-built political machine with an eye on the Presidency • 1934 introduces national social program called share the wealth- “Every Man a King” • $5000 annual income for every family in US • raised by taking wealth from rich • shot to death at the height of popularity

16. Election of 1936 and beyond • Republican platform-”all is in peril…, join in defense of American Institutions.” • Alfred Landon is Rep. And Frank Knox • Roosevelt and Garner Renominated- “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” • landslide

17. Court Packing Plan • Roosevelt wants to reorganize the federal judiciary • more judges were needed to keep up with the case load • too many judges aged or infirm • proposed-judges retire within 6 months of 70th birthday • if they do not-then President has the power to appoint additional judges • aimed at Supreme Court-6 justices are 70 or older • believed they were too conservative for the New Deal and hadn’t gotten to appoint any yet • never got through Congress • court shifted to his favor and in 5-4 decisions kept Social Security, National Labor Relations Act

18. Other Changes during New Deal • Labor Unions Grow-the Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO)- used sit-down strikes • Minorities-African-Americans-officially, relief in the New Deal was color blind-CIO included blacks, many New Deal Agencies included Blacks, CCC, WPA, • Washington DC still Jim Crow-Marian Anderson concert refused because of color • Eleanor Roosevelt resigned publicly from the Daughters of the American Revolution and organized the concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial • Marian Anderson singing

19. More Changes • American Indians-1924-win full citizenship-John Collier appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs-helped with Indian Reorganization Act 1934 • Mexican Americans-most often worked on farms-less protected-Dust Bowl sends thousands to California-no jobs • migrant workers who had no permanent address could not work in the CCC or WPA-but helped some • <Native Americans in 1938

20. Family Life and Entertainment • Middle class was not on relief with 2 adults and 2 children • father works outside home-mother homemaker • fewer are getting married, fewer are being born • radio is main entertainment-85% own radios-serials in the afternoon- “The Guiding Light”, The Romance of Helen Trent, Ma Perkins • adventures in the afternoon-Little Orphan Annie, The Green Hornet, The Lone Ranger • evening dramas and variety- • names include-<Bob Hope, Orson Welles, Eddie Cantor, Jack Benny, George Burns, Gracie Allen

21. Family Life and Entertainment • Movies-Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Marlene Dietrich, Loretta Young-mostly bigger than life production to forget about the Depression • Big Bands-<Benny Goodman- “The King of Swing”-Glenn Miller • Women-most popular movie stars, • Amelia Earhart-first female trans-Atlantic flight in 1928-

22. Family Life and Entertainment • 1937-Earhart disappears over the Pacific • 1932-Olympics-<Mildred ‘Babe’ Didrickson-2 gold and 1 silver in track and field • Dorothea Lange-Black women for photography