The Texas Right: The Radical Roots of Lone Star Conservatism

The Far Right in Texas Politics during the Roosevelt Era

The Far Right in Texas Politics during the Roosevelt era KeiTh VOLaNTO O n June 28, 1934, Franklin Roosevelt delivered his fifth fireside chat to the American people.The president chose this opportunity to openly address growing criticism of his administration ’s efforts to combat the Great Depression. Chastising the bombastic rhetoric often employed by Far Right dissenters to his policies, Roosevelt famously stated: “A few timid people, who fear progress, will try to give you new and strange names for what we are doing. Sometimes they will call it ‘Fascism,’ sometimes ‘Communism,’ sometimes ‘Regimentation,’ sometimes ‘Socialism.’ But, in so doing, they are trying to make very complex and theoretical something that is really very simple and very practical.” The president related his belief that the large array of programs and the means by which they were implemented, while unprecedented, was still consistent with cherished American ideals : “All that we do seeks to fulfill the historic traditions of the American people.Other nations may sacrifice democracy for the transitory stimulation of old and discredited autocracies. We are restoring confidence and well-being under the rule of the people themselves. We remain, as John Marshall said a century ago,‘emphatically and truly, a government of the people.’ Our government ‘in form and in substance . . . emanates from them. Its powers are granted by them, and are to be exercised directly on them, and for their benefits.’”1 While mainstream conservatives, whether Republicans or Democrats, decried much of the New Deal,what distinguished members of the Radical Right at this time from other Roosevelt opponents was the matter-of-fact manner in which they equated the president’s initiatives with communism The Far Right in Texas Politics during the Roosevelt era • 69 and the vehemence with which these views were propagated,reflecting an often paranoid suspicion of communist subversion of the government. Early in his presidency, Roosevelt did not have to concern himself much with accusations of being an un-American radical. The president had a mandate for change as exemplified by his large margin of victory over Herbert Hoover and the existence of strong Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress.Opponents had to be wary about denouncing the new president too strongly, lest they face a public backlash.While not necessarily giving Roosevelt and congressional Democrats carte blanche to do anything they wished, the public nevertheless wanted and expected action after the grinding economic downturn entered its fourth year.Thus, during the“Hundred Days”of Roosevelt’s presidency when the first phase of the New Deal was enacted, opposition was disorganized and largely muted. Most conservative Democratic congressmen from the Lone Star State voiced their displeasure with certain aspects of the administration’s course of action,refusing to be typecast as a rubber stamp for the president,but in most cases they voted for the measures after making speeches and public statements expressing their reservations. In many ways, the reaction of House Committee on Agriculture chairman Marvin Jones of Amarillo was typical. Though he was a strong believer in fiscal responsibility and a restrained federal bureaucracy, the reality of the depression encouraged the congressman’s desire to help Texas farmers through greater government aid. Still, his vision generally entailed help in the form of lower taxes, reduced freight costs, mortgage relief, and an almost religious zeal for government support of agricultural exports rather than through the production control measures of the New Deal’s Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA).Nevertheless,despite dramatically walking out of a heated committee hearing on the farm bill that would create the AAA and otherwise refusing to take responsibility for the measure, Jones allowed the bill to reach the House floor and spoke strongly on its behalf, albeit with reservations. In one speech, Jones declared that in normal times, he would not support the farm bill and reiterated his preferred formula to aid the farmers, but then stated: Thatismyprogram,butIamonlyoneoutof 435members....Weare in a desperate emergency. . . .We are at war, and war is the grimmest business that ever engaged the attention of mankind.While this war is on, I am going to follow the man at the other end of the Avenue, 70 • KeiTh VOLaNTO who has the flag in his hand. . . . I am in favor of giving these strong government powers in this tremendous emergency in accordance with the desires of the President of the United States,and I am going down the line...