The Depression Dilemmas of Rural Iowa, 1929-1933

Introduction: “Main Traveled Gravel Roads” : An Iowa Tour before the Fall, 1929

1 “But he would never free himself totally from his rural, west Branch heritage.” —Joan Hoff wilson, Herbert Hoover: Forgotten Progressive (1975) “But the time had come for the pendulum to swing the other way in this year of 1929.” —ambrose r. powers, Iowa—Between Wars: 1914–1939 he “Home folks” from iowa filled the fourteen special railroad cars as the delegation departed from the west Branch depot on the morning of march 2, 1929, to attend the inauguration of iowa’s native-born son, Herbert Clark Hoover. among the 250 enthusiastic iowans on board, governor John Hammill waved good-bye to the crowd standing at the small railroad station as inspirational banners rippled and patriotic flags flew while the train whistled its departure and the band played on. those aboard the train included newt Butler, who had been a boyhood friend of Herbert Hoover’s; Dr. l. J. leech, an 82-year-old resident who had attended to the medical needs of many of west Branch’s citizens; and “uncle John” reeder, a 93-year-old resident of tipton who carried the honorary but specific duty of holding the president-elect’s hat during the oath. the charged iowa group’s slogan further motivated their mission: “on to washington.”1 Capturing the collective mood and excited potential of his state, Ding Darling as a nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist for the Des Moines Register began a series of president-elect Hoover illustrations. one drawing’s caption seemed to best signify this beginning moment: “fine opportunity I N T R O D U C T I O N “main traveled gravel roads” An Iowa Tour before the Fall, 1929 t the depression dilemmas of rural Iowa, 1929–1933 2 for a modern engineer.” in his characteristically favorable image of Hoover, Darling portrayed the soon-to-be president as an enthusiastic engineer carefully overlooking his departing train, this “machine of government” with its “running expenses” of four billion dollars. Despite the fantastic finances of modern government, the future of the united states along with iowa seemed promising in the spring of 1929 with Hoover at the helm. this newly elected candidate represented the exact president so many americans desired at that particular moment in history, or as historian george nash once described this new president, “in early 1928 Herbert Hoover was nearing the pinnacle of a spectacular public career.”2 During his earlier professional roles, Hoover’s first proud title was that of the great engineer who had saved valuable mines worldwide as he emerged a self-made millionaire by age forty, and Hoover carried on this expertise in his cabinet position as secretary of commerce for both president Harding and president Coolidge. second, following the great war, Hoover transformed these engineering talents into another organizational role as the great Humanitarian when he directed a complicated but successful and admirable global famine relief, saving hundreds of thousands of european lives, particularly vulnerable children. now in 1929, he appeared poised for his third role, to become the great administrator at the head of this roaring twenties’ federal machine of government. Despite all the optimism surrounding Hoover’s presidential potential, Ding Darling added an ominous warning to his political illustration’s caption: “if they’ll let him work.”3 Darling’s depictions of Hoover’s election, according to illustration collector John Henry, inspired newspaper audiences “to interpret with deep sympathy the president’s reticent personality and the immensity of his problems” as the great Depression worsened. But only a month into Hoover’s administration, Darling had posed this important question: “How will Hoover go down in history?” within the drawing and text, Hoover’s face appeared in varied depictions with lists of characteristics along the side as well as questions for Hoover’s future administration. this collage, however, seemed to possess an almost forbidding tone: “we know how he looked when he was elected but—? the Brainy idealist or the Hard-boiled executive? the ardent Dry? the Commoner, or the aristocrat? as europe caricatures him? the great thinker or the great Doer? the false alarm? sweetened by adversity or soured by Disillusionment?”4 for Hoover’s presidency , the historical road ahead seemed rather dark and dangerous. with no hesitation whatsoever, the Des Moines Register’s editorial writers strongly proclaimed their future leader’s grand potential. “Herbert Hoover is a native iowan,” as one editorial began, “with the problems of iowa in mind, and the interest of iowa at heart. He is the first man...