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1932 › Alfred E. Smith (Democratic) › Overall role and scale of the federal government

War on any candidate who makes 'demagogic appeals to the masses' setting class against class

pledge_forwarddirectional_stancereportedevidence B Economy & Fiscal PolicyExecutive Power similar solutions · similar reasoning

Solution

Oppose, and refuse to support, any Democratic candidate whose appeal sets 'class against class and rich against poor' — the 'forgotten man' politics of Roosevelt's April 7 broadcast; by implication, a campaign on repeal and business-friendly economics rather than redistribution.

Rationale

Class appeals destroy the masses they claim to help; the party's proper ground is the constitutional and economic conservatism of its 1928 campaign.

The 'Angry Warrior' speech. Smith's positive economic program in 1932 is documented only as 'openly-conservative economic policies' (Wikipedia, citing Caro); no verbatim program is archived.

Statements (3)

1932-04-13 · Jefferson Day dinner, Willard Hotel, Washington (Evening Star report) · primaryreported ✓ verified

Even more spectacular than his demand for a 20-year moratorium on the foreign debts was Smith's declara tion of war against any candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination who makes demagogic appeals to the masses of the working people.

Source: Evening star (Washington, D.C.), April 14, 1932 (page 1) (1932-04-14)

1932-04-13 · Jefferson Day dinner (as quoted in Wikipedia from press accounts) · primarycandidate_direct ✓ verified

This is no time for demagogues ...I will take off my coat and vest and fight to the end against any candidate to persists in any demagogic appeal to the masses...to destroy themselves by setting class against class and rich against poor

Source: Al Smith 1932 presidential campaign - Wikipedia (None)

1932-04-13 · Jefferson Day dinner (Evening Star, 'The Political Mill') · primaryreported ✓ verified

Smith did not use Roosevelt's name, but every one realized that the standard bearer of 1928 was referring to the New York Governor in the at tack he delivered against a candidate who was making demagogic appeals to j the masses.

Source: Evening star (Washington, D.C.), April 14, 1932 (page 8) (1932-04-14)

Follow-through

not_applicable

Smith lost the nomination and by 1934 was a founder of the Liberty League attacking the New Deal on exactly these grounds.

Enacted by others

1935-08-30

Franklin D. Roosevelt

statute Revenue Act of 1935 ('soak the rich')

The opposite of Smith's stance. source

Other positions on this issue

An "economic declaration of rights" — the right to make a living and the right to safe savings — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 directional_stance
Government as a check on concentrated economic power — "individualism" redefined as equality of opportunity — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 directional_stance
Remove government from private enterprise except public works and natural resources — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 directional_stance
"A new deal for the American people" — work and security through liberal, planned government action — Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 vague_gesture
Preserve 'ordered freedom' and equality of opportunity; reject a state-controlled or state-directed economy as 'tyranny' — Herbert Hoover, 1932 directional_stance
Restore confidence by 'unshackling initiative': steady, open, non-partisan administration that stops 'fumbling with recovery' — Alf Landon, 1936 vague_gesture
Fair, honest, economical and efficient government; preserve free enterprise against 'amateur economic planners' — Frank Knox, 1936 vague_gesture

1932-smith-against-demagogic-class-appeals · created by claude-fable-5-1 · review: unreviewed