Land of Tragedy And Disillusion

The Western Mail ^ | March 30th 1932 | GARETH JONES

[decimon]

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Little more than two years ago people with their pocket-books crammed with dollar notes were jostling through the streets of New York, Chicago Detroit, keen on buying more and more automobiles, radios, gramophones houses, land, stocks, bonds, everything there was to buy. Building operations rattled, telephones buzzed, Stock Exchange buyers shouted higher and higher prices, glasses clinked in speakeasies, pecked ocean liners sailing for Europe hooted in the Hudson River; all these were signs that Americans were richer than any other people had ever been in history.

The “New Era” had come! There were to be more and more riches. Buy, buy, buy! was the slogan. Don’t save! But spend, spend! “We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever in the history of any land” said Herbert Hoover in 1928. “The poor-house is vanishing from among us. We have not yet reached the goal, but given a chance to go forward with the policies of the last eight years we shall soon, with the help of God, be in sight of the day when poverty will be banished from this nation.”

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[Freedom4US]

“The poor-house is vanishing from among us. We have not yet reached the goal, but given a chance to go forward with the policies of the last eight years we shall soon, with the help of God, be in sight of the day when poverty will be banished from this nation.”

Where is that quote from, other than Mr. Jones? I’d like to read that in context...

[decimon]

Where is that quote from, other than Mr. Jones? I’d like to read that in context...

You could do your own search.

Part of that quote is here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/hh31.html

"After capably serving as Secretary of Commerce under Presidents Harding and Coolidge, Hoover became the Republican Presidential nominee in 1928. He said then: "We in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before in the history of any land." His election seemed to ensure prosperity. Yet within months the stock market crashed, and the Nation spiraled downward into depression."

[Freedom4US]

You’re right, of course. I did a “google” search and Mr. Jones was the only hit.

I still think Mr. Hoover got a bad deal.

[decimon]

You’re right, of course. I did a “google” search and Mr. Jones was the only hit.

Okay. Sorry if my reply was...abrupt. Yahoo gave me more hits.

I still think Mr. Hoover got a bad deal.

I don't know. "Wonder Boy" (reportedly, Coolidge's name for him) was a meddler in a few administrations, including FDR's. He was apparently a successful meddler but a meddler nonetheless.

Blaming either Hoover of FDR for making a depression of a recession is an old argument between Democrats and Republicans. My take is that they should share blame.