THE MAKING OF A NATION 182 - Election of 1936

THE MAKING OF A NATION - February 28, 2002: Election of 1936

By David Jarmul
THE MAKING OF A NATION -- a program in Special English by the Voice of America.

(Theme)

Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal policies during the nineteen-thirties changed the face of American government.
The new president and the Congress passed legislation that helped farmers, strengthened the banking¹ system, and
supplied jobs for millions of workers.

One of the most important results of Roosevelt's policies was a stronger American labor² movement.

VOICE 2:

Labor leaders had little success in organizing workers in the United States during the nineteen-twenties. Three
Republican presidents and a national wave of conservatism prevented them from gaining many members or
increasing They're negotiating power. In nineteen-twenty-nine, organized labor fell even further with the
beginning of the Great Economic Depression.

By nineteen-thirty-three, America's labor unions had less than three-million members. But by the end of the
nineteen-thirties, more than ten-and-a-half-million American workers belonged to unions.

VOICE 1:

New laws proposed by the Roosevelt administration made the labor growth possible. The National Industrial
Recovery Act of nineteen -thirty-three gave labor leaders the right to organize and represent workers. The
Supreme³ Court ruled that the law was illegal. But another law, the Wagner Labor Relations Act of nineteen-
thirty-five, helped labor unions to increase their power.

Most of the leaders of America's traditional labor unions were slow to understand their
new power. They were conservative men. They represented workers with certain skills,
such as wood workers or metal workers. They did little to organize workers with other
kinds of skills.

But a new group of labor leaders used the new laws to organize unions by industries,
not by skills. They believed that workers would have much more power if they joined
forces with other workers in the same factory to make common demands. These new
leaders began to organize unions for the automobile⁴ industry, the steel industry, and
other major industries.

VOICE 2:

The leader of the new movement was the head of the mine workers, John L. Lewis. Lewis was a powerful leader
with a strong body and strong opinions. He had begun to work in the coal mines at the age of twelve.

Lewis rose to become a powerful and successful leader of the mine workers. But he was concerned about workers
in other industries as well. And he believed that most of the leaders in the American Federation⁵ of Labor were
doing little to help them.

For this reason, Lewis and the heads of several other unions formed their own group to organize unions by
industry, not by skills. They called their group the Congress of Industrial Organizations, the CIO. And they tried
immediately to gain members.

VOICE 1:

Poster by John Z.
Gelsavage shows
Roosevelt signing the
1935 Wagner Act

The CIO successfully organized the workers in several major industries. But it succeeded only by hard work and
struggle. The CIO's first big battle was against the giant automobile company, General Motors. Late in nineteen-
thirty-five, workers at several General Motors factories began a "sit-down" strike at their machines to demand
better pay and working conditions.

After forty-four days, General Motors surrendered. It recognized that the automobile workers' union had the right
to represent GM workers. And it agreed to negotiate a new work agreement.

VOICE 2:

The struggle at the Ford⁶ Motor Company was more bitter. Ford company guards beat union organizers and
workers. But the Ford company finally agreed to negotiate with the new union.

The same story was true in the steel industry. But the new labor leaders succeeded in becoming the official
representatives of steel workers throughout the country.

By nineteen-thirty-eight, the CIO had won its battle to organize major industries. In later years, it would join with
the more traditional American Federation of Labor to form the organization that remains⁷ the most important labor
group in America today, the AFL-CIO.

VOICE 1:

President Roosevelt was not always an active supporter of organized labor. But neither was he a constant
supporter of big business, like the three Republican presidents before him. In fact, Roosevelt spoke⁸ out often
against the dangers of big business in a democracy.

These speeches caused great concern among many of the traditional business and conservative leaders of the
nation. And Roosevelt's increasingly progressive policies in nineteen-thirty-five made many richer Americans
fear that the president was a socialist⁹, a dictator, or a madman.

Former president Herbert Hoover, for example, denounced Roosevelt's new deal policies as an attack "on the
whole idea of individual freedoms." The family of business leader J.P. Morgan told visitors not to say Roosevelt's
name in front of Morgan. They said it would make his blood pressure go up.

VOICE 2:

This conservative opposition¹⁰ to Roosevelt grew steadily¹¹ throughout nineteen -thirty-five and thirty -six. Many
Americans were honestly worried that Roosevelt's expansion of government was the first step to dictatorship.
They feared that Roosevelt and the Democrats¹² were trying to gain power as the Nazis¹³ did in Germany, the
Fascists¹⁴ in Italy or the Communists in Russia.

VOICE 1:

The Republican Party held its presidential convention in the summer of nineteen-thirty-six. The party delegates
chose Alfred Landon to oppose Roosevelt for president.

Mr. Landon was the governor of the farm state of Kansas. He was a successful oil producer with conservative
business views. But he was open to some of the social reforms of Roosevelt's new deal. Republicans hoped he
would appeal to average Americans who supported mild reforms, but feared Roosevelt's social policies.

The Democrats nominated Roosevelt and vice¹⁵ president John Garner¹⁶ to serve a second term.

VOICE 2:

The main issue in the presidential campaign of nineteen-thirty-six was Franklin Roosevelt himself. Roosevelt
campaigned across the country like a man sure that he would win. He laughed with the cheering crowds and told
them that the new deal had helped improve their lives.

In New York, Roosevelt made a major speech promising¹⁷ to continue the work of his administration if he was reelected.


"Of course we will continue to seek to improve working conditions for the workers of America," Roosevelt told
the crowd that day.

"Of course we will continue to work for cheaper electricity in the homes and on the farms of America. Of course
we will continue our efforts for the farmers of America. Of course we will continue our efforts for young men
and women. For those unable to walk. For the blind. For the mothers, the unemployed¹⁸, and the aged¹⁹. We have
only just begun to fight." One of the most important results of Roosevelt's New Deal policies was a stronger
American labor movement early in the 20th century. VOICE 1:

The Republican candidate, Alfred Landon, began his campaign by saying that many of Roosevelt's new deal
programs were good. But he said that a Republican administration could do them better and for less money.
However, Landon's words became much stronger as the campaign continued. He attacked many of Roosevelt's
programs.

The campaign became increasingly bitter. Roosevelt said his opponents cared only about their money, not about
other Americans. "I welcome their hatred," he said. Landon's supporters accused Roosevelt of destroying the
nation's economic traditions and threatening democracy.

VOICE 2:

The nation had not seen such a fierce campaign in forty years. But when it was over, the nation also saw a victory
greater than any in its history.

Franklin Roosevelt defeated Alfred Landon in the election of nineteen-thirty-six by one of the largest votes in the
nation's history. Roosevelt won every state except Maine and Vermont.

The huge election victory marked the high point of Roosevelt's popularity. In our next program, we will look at
the many problems he faced in his second administration.

(Theme)

VOICE 1:

You have been listening to THE MAKING OF A NATION, a program in Special English. Your narrators were
Doug Johnson and Sarah Long. THE MAKING OF A NATION was written by David Jarmul.

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1 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

4 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

5 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

6 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

12 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 Nazis   

n.（德国的）纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 )；纳粹主义

参考例句：

• The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 fascists   

n.法西斯主义的支持者( fascist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists. 老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

16 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

17 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

18 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

19 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。