I just got back from the Chicago Convention [Democratic National Convention July 19-21 -A.S.] and what a fight! And, F.D.R. was up to his old tricks – just like in 1940. A bit of history is important to understand F.D.R.
The 1940 Convention [Democratic National Convention, July 15-18 at Chicago Stadium -A.S.] was crazy. F.D.R. didn’t announce that he was seeking reelection and in fact gave Kentucky Senator Alban Barkley a note to read to the convention what he [President Roosevelt] didn’t want the job. This was just a ruse and the convention delegates, as expected, demanded F.D.R. run for an unprecedented third term. The clamor by the delegates for F.D.R. to accept a third-term was helped by a Chicago political operative [Thomas Garry Chicago Superintendent of Sewers -A.S.] who was in the basement of the stadium shouting through the speakers “We want Roosevelt! The world wants Roosevelt!” and by many others among the delegates who were clued into the ruse. Naturally, all the delegates quickly joined the chant. F.D.R. is a master at political theater.
F.D.R.’s Vice President at the time, John Nance Garner, had earlier expressed he did not want the V.P. job again (probably because he wanted to run for president as did others in the F.D.R. administration and other supporters of the New Deal). With Garner out, F.D.R. picked H.A. as his choice for Vice President. I believe one reason F.D.R. selected H.A. as Vice President – in addition to the fact that he did an amazing job as Secretary of Agriculture – is because he did not express an interest in the presidency; however, I hesitate to explain F.D.R.’s political motivations because they are often mysterious and baffling to me. With F.D.R.'s backing the convention delegates put H.A. on the ticket.
This year [1944] F.D.R. was playing more tricks than in 1940. Robert Hannegan [National Chairman of the Democratic Party -A.S.] had a note from F.D.R. saying that he would be happy to run with Missouri Senator Harry S. Truman or Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas as his Vice President. The big business interests ran with this and mounted a strong campaign to oust H.A. We had a letter to Senator [Samuel D.] Jackson [of Indiana -A.S.] from F.D.R. saying that if he was a delegate he would vote for Wallace. What is really odd about the whole affair is that Truman went to the convention with the intention of supporting James F. Byrnes for Vice President [Byrnes a former South Carolina Senator and Supreme Court Associate Justice and at the time Director of the Office of War Mobilization -A.S.]. Byrnes, was known as “assistant president” for the home front, and he too apparently got the okay from F.D.R. to run for V.P.! We almost lost it at one point when Pauley [Treasurer of the Democratic Party -A.S.], who supported Byrnes, and Hillman [of the Congress of Industrial Organizations -A.S.], who opposed Byrnes, were near reaching a compromise to support Truman -- who said he didn’t want the job. And this is a democratic process?!
What were you thinking Mr. President?!
What made this even more infuriating was that on three separate occasions H.A. had offered to step aside if F.D.R. was interested in having someone else be Vice President. F.D.R. rejected his offer each time. Why would F.D.R. want to deceive H.A. and play such an elaborate game at the convention? He knew H.A. was loyal and would graciously accept F.D.R.’s decision either way. I really hate the games that F.D.R. plays.
Fortunately, on the night of F.D.R.’s nomination our supporters packed the Chicago convention galleries.
H.A. followed Barkley in speaking before the convention in support of F.D.R.’s nomination, and H.A. gave a great speech. He opened with “The strength of the Democratic Party has always been the people – plain people like so many of those here in this convention – ordinary folks, farmers, workers, and business men along Main Street.” Then he presented his progressive vision for America, “The future belongs to those who go down the line unswervingly for the liberal principles of both political and economic democracy regardless of race, color or religion. In a political, educational and economic sense there must be no inferior races. The poll tax must go. Equal educational opportunities must come. The future must bring equal wages for equal work regardless of sex or race.”
The delegates roared back their approval. A Time magazine reporter said, “Whether conservatives squirmed or Southerners saw red or New Dealers cheered, Henry Wallace’s speech was the first that riveted the delegates’ attention. It was blunt, grave, tactless. It easily explained why Henry Wallace was the best loved and the best hated man in the stadium.”
F.D.R. was easily, but not unanimously, nominated, and he gave his acceptance speech by radio from the west coast. F.D.R. expressed that he would have liked to retire, but would accept the nomination out of duty; however, he would not campaign because it was not fitting and he did not have the time. He said, “What is the job before us in 1944? First, to win the war – to win the war fast, to win it overpoweringly. Second, to form worldwide international organizations, and to arrange to use the armed forces of the sovereign nations of the world to make another war impossible within the foreseeable future. And third, to build an economy for our returning veterans and for all Americans – which will provide employment and decent standards of living.”
Following his speech, as expected and scripted, there was a long, loud demonstration for F.D.R. As the demonstration wound down something happened that the bosses had not scripted or expected. Shouts of “We want Wallace! We want Wallace!” arose in the stadium. Soon the stadium rocked with the deafening chant, “WE WANT WALLACE! WE WANT WALLACE!” The convention organist began playing our song, “Iowa, Iowa, That’s Where the Tall Corn Grows” and the call for Wallace became a demand. At one point, our opposition attempted to rush the organist with an ax to cut the organ’s electrical cable, but our supporters blocked the attackers approach.
Realizing that H.A. would keep his job if the vote for Vice President was held now, Claude Pepper shouted to be recognized by the Convention Chairman [Senator Samuel D. Jackson of Indiana -A.S.] but the Florida microphone was dead. Pepper then raced through the crowd to reach the podium, as did Robert Hannegan [National Chairman of the Democratic Party -A.S.], but Hannegan’s mission was to prevent the vote by adjourning the convention for the day. Fortunately, for H.A., the gate to the podium was guarded by a railroad union man [identify unknown -A.S.] and Pepper won the foot race against Hannegan and the gate closed firmly behind Pepper to prevent Hannegan’s access. Pepper called for H.A.’s nomination and the crowd roared in acclimation drowning out any opposition.
Democracy beat the bosses.
Although H.A. got to keep his position, the Byzantine politics left me bitter. Our near ousting demonstrates the power of big business in the backroom dealings – and how F.D.R. plays a very bizarre game of politics.
As best as I can piece together from whispers and third-parties, F.D.R. was willing to drop H.A. because Tommy Corcoran [part of Roosevelt's "brain trust" -A.S.] expressed to F.D.R. the Tory British, particularly [Winston] Churchill, hatred of H.A. because of H.A.’s anti-imperialist speeches, which they felt threatened the continuation of their colonial empire. Ed Pauley [an oil man who was the director of the 1944 Convention -A.S.] told F.D.R. that big businessmen feared H.A. and would not support the ticket. Ed Flynn [a New York lawyer and former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee -A.S.] told F.D.R. that the Democratic Party could raise all the money it needed and more if H.A. was dropped. Bernard Baruch [a stock market financier who was Director of the Office of War Mobilization -A.S.] offered F.D.R. a million dollars if he would drop H.A.
Regardless, we won and I have another four years of steady employment. Assuming we will win the election in November, which of course we will!
© 2011 Ron Millar
© 2011 Ron Millar
