Transcripts For CSPAN3 Herbert Hoover And Woodrow Wilson 20170916

InterNational History from 1914 to 1965. [applause] tom, for very much, that introduction. Thanks to the Herbert Hoover Library Foundation for organizing this conference. Its really impressive. If you get a chance to come at you should go and look at the exhibits because theyre great. Woodrow wilson was the most important president that hoover had a relationship with. Its hard to see how hoover could have advanced as far as he did in american politics. Of Woodrow Wilson that hoover went from being a relatively unknown mining engineer in 1914 to just six years later being a serious candidate for the presidency. He was good at the task the administration had him perform. Hoover was an exceptionally able administrator of largescale complex organization dealing with a wide variety of war related problems. Even Wilson Administration officials who clashed with wilsonsuch as , wouldry of the treasury have admitted that hoover was effective at managing his assignments. Still, being an effective manager is no guarantee of steadily rising to power in american politics. What hoover also had in abundance was political skill. In some ways hoover was illsuited to be a politician. He was uncomfortable being the focus of public attention, he lacked personal charm in some ways and he tended to see the worst in any situation. Wilson once remarked during the war that he disliked talking to hoover because hoover was always so pessimistic about everything. Nevertheless, hoover was a master selfpromotion, both in the media and with highlevel officials who could promote his career. Since at least 1912 when he joined the board of trustees at stanford university. He wanted to be involved and affairs. Auguste war broke out in 1914. He immediately seized on this is a opportunity to realize his golf of public service. 5 it was oneugust day after britain declared war on germany. He was writing friends of jan states can avoid them to find out how he could be appointed as special commissioner and england to help american tourists stranded by the war. There were tens of thousands of them. Often with very little money. They were flocking to the American Embassy looking for help. He organizes own private group to help them. He made sure that the press new about it. He also lobbied the ambassador. He was a good friend of wilson. He was trying to get the administration to back his efforts. Page and secretary of war breckenridge who was struggling to england when war broke out. Both of them were impressed and decided to make his group to disperse her of government funds. Soones contacts with page talksm onto the initial with several officials from europe on how to help belgium when he was when it was occupied by the german army. Hoover to those early conversations and within weeks decided to appoint him to what to leavee commission belgium. It set the pattern for his political style. It and tounds for pressure the allies in germany to allow its function is was not easy to do. Neither side had a direct influence on crv. He launched a massive Publicity Campaign that publicized their plight. To look at efforts their hungry people. Consumer was the head of this, his Propaganda Campaign became a Public Relations machine for hoover. By january 1915 numerous newspapers and magazines were reporting on this crv activity. They were featuring hoover. The New York Times did this for example and january with a long profile of the crv prominently mentioning his leadership. Himleadership also allowed to establish a relationship with wilsons most important advisor. Eightse met hoover on trip to london in early 1915. He had gone there on his first sound out belligerents on peace talks. He was introduced to hoover and was impressed by his work in belgium. He then made a real effort to cultivate the kernel knowing he was a important advisor to the president and he may be able to help hoover and his activities or that anything else that might come up. Kerneld give the information on areas european into a two send up the belligerence on peace talks. House became a crucial ally for hoover. He praised his work. Wilson tocouraged send him a note of thanks which she did in 1915. Thereafter he stayed in touch with the president. Point to look at the diplomacy in 1915. In fact during the first big crisis with germany over the sinking of the passenger liner was attained yet, he wrote a long memo outlining what he thinks he should do. To take a hard line with the germans. He was vaguely critical of wilson at that point. When his diplomacy succeeded in diffusing the crisis hoover had nothing but praise for the president. He and turn admired hoover. He was a Great International figure he told his future wife. Hoover stirmen as deeply and make you an make me an love with you. Because of the press attention he received through the publicity effort, his ties to kernel house and the president itself perfectly positioned him for a major appointment when the u. S. Entered the war in 1917. Just to be sure hoover and the april between wind germany declared their intentions to start work for which they announced on february 1, 1917. Between february and april february and march, excuse me. He was trying to drum up money to ideallyongress give a appropriation of the work. When there was unrestricted submarine warfare starting he and a series of interviews contacts that he knew. He did a anonymous interview with the post. It did not name him. His idea of what the United States should do. He also did a long memo. Detailing what the United States needed to do before the wartime mobilization. Lobbied pretty hard for the job. About,not have to worry he was pushing against the open door. Everyone admired his efficiency. Wilson liked him and the exchange of a letter they had. His posted advisor was actively lobbying him to get over a appointment. Before19 if you weeks the United States officially entered the war he appointed as a food administrator. This began his Wartime Service in the administration. His job as food administrator in some mice replicated his leadership. Except on a much larger scale. Blurring theally mission of his agency. In this case Food Production and especially food conservation. With himself he became a household name to the Food Administration Propaganda Campaign to save food. Some of those posters are on display in the museum. Slogans with very colorful posters. The need to economize, the word hisred the lexicon that was name. It was called to hoover rise something. It meant to economize in the national interest. Of the popularity of this was in a 1918 valentines day card that was one of the more popular arts on that valentines day. I cannot resist reading it to you even though many of you may know it. This is what the 1918 valentines day date cars said. Im a hoover as you but i will never has what it means to love you. Leadership of the Food Administration to make new political context. Especially among leading progressives like jane adams and lillian wald. He also had contacts with the new republic that was important for the time. That was edited by walter lippman. After he became food administrator his leadership of food conversation with him in touch with a lot of female progressive leaders. He also became a direct advisor to wilson. Gaining membership in the president s were in 1918. Now a part of the famous intercircle he made sure to surface political beliefs. Echoed wilsons appeal to voters. With the Congressional Election that year. This caused a lot of controversy for him this year. With the warmest personal message to hoover. As statement ive him very deeply and thanking him from the he alsof his heart and tried to help out democratic congressman with the criticism theyhe price of wheat it wanted a higher price. One of theice was reasons the democrats ran into a lot of trouble in the 1918 election did hoover went out of his way to write notes and provide talking points for democratic congressman who were rights thatll the they had to their constituency. Although it did not pay off there was one area that took control of congress. Given his efficiency at his job and his Loyal Service to the administration on political matters. Soon after he decided to turn the Food Administration into a agency with the relief and rehabilitation of europe. The gave hoover entree to paris peace conference. He became one of the most important people there. He was involved in the economic war and he was involved in distributing food to central and eastern europe. He shined in his role. He emerges a humanitarian hero. As john mayor cain was a economist working with the british delegation it was very indigo up what happened at the paris peace conference. May i add that hoover was the only system that armor from world war i with a undetermined reputation. In addition to his political skills and his ability to work he could lobby officials who could help him. Hoovers political ideology also help explain this rise in american politics. About them it easy to promote this. They shared similar political values and belize. Both of them heavily emphasizing the importance of free competition in american life. Theengine of progress and newdation of democracy was individuals creating new enterprises and inventions. Make as he calls this figure in 1912. Simply wilson are hoover look at individualism. Hoover said that wilson stressed that individuals can only find fulfillment in the service of others. When ive is most in the speech as he ever gave was that he was president and it was all about service. The individual can only really find their full potential helping others and serving others. Part saw a trade association and labor union as expressions of voluntary cooperation. As entities that could spur further voluntary cooperation. Between people and between groups both public and private. Both hoover and wilson also agreed that corporate abuse of power was a threat to equality of opportunity. They were confident that modern regulations of business would solve that problem. In this sense both wilson and hoover in my view where very close on the political spectrum. They are both centrist mainstream progressives. Both of them see socialism on the left. As promoting a program that would not work. That would create inefficiency the mission. Stifle it would look at the character traits of hard work. There was his inventiveness that was necessary for american progress. Many people believe the same thing. Many would sympathize with how the socialist feud the american problem in the sense of they these problems. On the other hand on the right both men thought 1890s style unbridled capitalism was also a threat to democracy. Both wilson and hoover related and the economics failure to reform stimulated the far left. On the center there was this modest reform that will fix what they did with modest glaring abuses of problems. Ony would rely also voluntary efforts by people especially for hoovers part on associations working with each other. Hoover wilson nor included africanamericans in their vision of people opportunity america. It is remarkable that they agree to this and often talk endlessly about freedom, individual initiatives. They never really acknowledged africanamericans faced very difficult burdens in doing that because of slavery and jim crow laws that dominate the american side. That foreignlicy policy they also have very similar ideas about americas place in the world and the orange policy and both believed in american and sent that exceptionalism. Faithful believe that the exits was a unique free society. It was superior to other nations. Thatexceptionalism meant the nazis had a duty to lead the world on a path towards greater prosperity, democracy and peace. The two leaders also related those concepts together, prosperity and democracy and peace. Prosperoused that a society would be a good foundation. Both believed the Democratic Society was much more likely to be peaceful than autocratic. That is a key linkage of those concepts. Those ideas continue to resonate throughout the rest of the 20th century and indeed went through today. Both leaders also despised traditional balance of power. They looked at the International System that existed prior to 1914. Both of them saw that system as dominated by alliances, unrestrained imperialism and a arm race. Alarmaces in particular both of them. Sat arms races sat the economy and force a country to go to war. The more nations that are on, the less they had to deal to negotiate. Poisoned the atmosphere for compromise and negotiations to solve the crisis. Both men were very interested in reforming the International System. Both of them thought the United States could ring greater order and international politics. Ideally to some kind of institution like the one wilson was proposed finally both leaders distrusted european government. Wilson and hoover saw the europeans as why to ms. Manipulate the United States. To serve their own imperial interests. It is amazing reading some of his letters to wilson. How vehement he is and how much he dislikes the british. Is very Strong Language and how he describes this. These were very strong allies. Hoover seems to have harbored particularly animists for them. Been reluctant to cooperate with him on his relief effort. They also had a different sense of priorities on Food Supplies during the war. He also distrusted the allies as you probably know when he had states into the conflict he refused to call the United States a l. A. Of england and france. The u. S. Was a associated power. The idea was the United States could be sort of a umpire between germany and the allies in sort of a mediator even when the u. S. Was in the war. Hoover for his part was area dedicated to keeping the own independence of action. Constraint free from and what was in the best interest for everybody. Rather than being tied to the allies. Given all of this and this commonality and their political given what he had done for the administration and his toal political efforts wilson during the Congressional Election of 1918. When they had suspected him to support hoover for president in 1920. When hoover returned from europe in late 1919 there was every speculation in the press that he would run for president. Having not just from republicans but also late 1920 time. Most of the speculation came from democrats. Sympathetic to the Republican Party. There was this reflection of the movement. They were very enthusiastic about this and early 1920. Wilson however did not support this idea that he would make a good president. They had a falling out over the course of early 1920. Falling out that with back a little bit earlier to the peace conference. In june of 1918 objected to the treaty terms that they had negotiated with the allies. He thought the terms are so harsh that the germans probably would not sign the treaty. Be ar thought that would disaster. If they did not sign the operative game plan that the allies and wilson had was to either invade germany or at least threaten to. Hoover thought that would collapse German Society and lead to total chaos. Germany did hand if sign the treaty he was convinced that there would be such a political backlash and germany that the country would also fall apart. Aobably a communist war with reactionary government taking over. The urgent to modify this treaty, he did this in early june. Couple of early memos sent out. This is after he has been negotiating the treaty since early 1918. For about six months there were very strenuous negotiations. They almost broke down on more than one occasion. Was in no mood to modify the treaty. When hoover actually met with them face to face from different accounts of that meeting it did not go well. The president responded very angrily to his suggestions. Report they exchanged words. Afterwards wilson started to distrust hoover. That i one of his aides wouldhe feeling, hoover, not succeed if you were the head of it. Returning to the United States in september of 1918 he put aside his misgivings and decided to support the treaty. He did so because he thought the red vacation of the first treaty which included american entry into the league of nations the weight that was written this is the first execution of the league of nations on the second segments are the portions of peace in europe. It is two parts. Ratification involved both. If you rejected this view look at rejecting american membership and peace and germany. Over wanted to ratify this. American entry with the vital for europe stabilization and its economic recovery from the war. Hoover about the recovery was important to the ad states. It link europes economic recovery to the conflict with americas own economic wellbeing. Unfortunately though wilson demanded that the United States senate ratified the treaty without any changes or reservations as they were called in that time. At the time one of these reservations, they would not pass the treaty and must reservations were attached to it especially on the league of nations. Hoover became clear urged wilson to accept reservation in order to get the treaty ratified and save europe from ruin. He was the only person urging wilson to do this. Other advisors were telling him the same thing because he did not have the votes. Her publics have a majority in the senate. The peace treaty needed a two thirds vote. Immigrants stayed loyal to wilson and what do whatever you order them to do. Votes to getve the the treaty through with no reservations. So the treaty failed and the United States senate in november of 1919. Then again in march 1920. Soon after the second ratification vote with the one in march he declared himself openly available to the republican president ial nomination. Despite his work with the Wilson Administration overhead always been with on by the republicans especially progressive republicans with a lot of sympathy and favor. Wilsonh disfavor with theid to say the least democrats on course to lose and i can find. Hoover saw the republicans as his best shot at the white house. This further estranged him from Woodrow Wilson. For himself tong run for a third term even though he had suffered a massive stroke in late 1919. Hoovers bid for the presidency lostpsed in may when he the california primary. He stayed active in the campaign. Doing all that he could to steer the Republican Party and its eventual nominee Warren Harding to a commitment to approve u. S. Membership with reservations after the election. His big concern was that the Republican Party and especially harding may drift away from the league altogether. He tried to stay on good terms with harding in order to influence him and to make sure that he would still support the league after the election was over. At least the league with the republican reservation. Part of his effort involved distancing himself from wilson. In the Fall Campaign hoover denounced his stance on the league of nations. Of a ratified it league with no reservations and declare that the administration had been a total failure since the end of the war. For this he retorted in a press statement that he was quote no friend of his. As well as i do not care to do anything to assist him in any way in any undertaking. Hater could be a real when he could. Relationship with the men who have elevated him to the highest ranks of american political power. He died in 1924. Hoover never spoke to him, i dont think, they ever had a personal meeting after early 1920. Was not bitter about wilson. After he died he told William Allen white a prominent journalist who asked about his relationship and the falling out. He said i am going to criticize somebody Woodrow Wilson his behavior in late 1919 and early 1920 was because of his health and it was because of the breakdown in his health. The way the offense played out in 1920 three much ruined his relationship with wilson. If this was over for wilson his own political career as we will be seeing with this Conference Today was just getting started. Thank you very much. [applause] when you say that hoover is one of the only two americans to emerge from the paris street with a reputation in hand, what were the factors that allowed him to come out of that a little bit brighter and shinier . I am good to repeat this question so that everyone got it. Why did his reputation go up so much during the paris treatment . I think it is because of those two things that i looked at. He is really good at his job. He is very good at organizing stream late complicated ,ransportation, supply networks badgering and negotiating with all sorts of political actors. He was really good at that. Is that he wasg good at making sure that people knew he was good. He was good at making sure that people knew about this. Position in some ways came across as nonpolitical because fornvolved feeding people humanitarian relief granted it was political because his decision about who would get food and who wouldnt in 1920 had enormous political consequences. Foodly really overly used on apolitical weapon couple of locations. It was against the rightwing government emerging with a monarchist government. It may be poland, do not quote me. In general he thought that food was a way to combat communism. That is more of a generalized outlook then everybody had at the time. In terms of a specific thing he was doing it is really only the right. His whole task is simply nonpolitical. Everybody else at paris looks like they are grabbing themselves with this public image especially after the treaty was published. After one man started to publish his views which came out very quickly. Hisnew republic serialized analysis of the peace treaty which was very harshly negative. Within weeksd that of the treaty coming out. The turn of Public Opinion and this image of the treaty as being overly harsh to germany. Ins and that image is correct. I am saying that is the image at the time in late 1919 and late 1920. Hoover lisicki is not part of that he was like he is one of the only people or one of the only high people fighting against that. That really helps his image as well. I have a question over here. I dont want to put you on the spot but could you talk more about his personality and relationship with some of the other emergency emerging world figures. Whoell as Winston Churchill was a minister of armaments or first lord of the admiralty. Do you have anything on those relationships . I dont have a lot of specifics on that question. Let me just talk first more senerally about hoover interaction with political equals. When he put it that way. Did thise actually with a lot of people. He was nervous when he talked to people. He tended to look at the ground. He would move change around in his pocket, he would not look at people and the ivory in the eye. The secretary of agriculture did not like him anyway. He referred to hoover as a shifty man. That quality i think in some hurt his interactions with political equals and made it difficult at times. Again what is strange about that he is always about pointing up his achievements and focusing on work. He worked incredibly hard. His staff loved and respected him for this hard work. Thisnages to overcome social awkwardness. That is what somebody like the closest figure to him and terms of importance for the United States. Thene point he was part of Railroad Administration and his secretary treasury. Those two guys clash a lot. This wouldld not acknowledge that he was quite good at what you did. He did not have much contact with Franklin Roosevelt. Those paths did not cross much in this time. With the british leaders i cannot answer it specifically. What i know is that he was absolutely committed to where shipping should go. Shipping during the belgian relief. They needed subsidies. The british and the french did of thecoughing up most money that came from the allied government. Is not like he was failing and his relationship with the british printed a did get more or less what you want it. He came away from those in not liking them. I dont know whether they have the same view of him or not. Didnt because he was a lowerlevel person at the peace conference. After the armistice and during the time of the first i conference was there any thought reliefrt about providing to the german population . I understand they continue to blockade after the armistice, i wonder if there was anything along that line that was thought of or considered. They did continue to blockade initially. To dissolvey start in march of 1920. He did end up within the blockade. He made a deal that which hoover was important and brokering to allow food relief for the germans. In fact in the armistice agreement itself. Says the blockade is going to continue it is one of the terms in the agreement did with is a clause that says such supplies the germans and allies need. That say a few words it is according to the armistice. Hoover pushed back. One of the key arguments is we need to support the emerging democratic government in germany. This government is going to be when theof trouble population starving. It is crazy not to provide food relief. They do actually in the peace the earlyme 1920s they do get food relief and to the germans. It is interesting here that wilson had very little interest in that area. In addition to hoover there are a couple of guys in the state department. Theyve urge the United States relief. To give there is this rhetorical support to the government because it is a democratic government. It is the democratization of germany during the war. He never made a Public Statement talking about government created he had very little interest in the whole issue. The best article i read on this concluded that he felt kind of torch from his intervention and the mexican revolution and the russian revolution. It did not go that well. His disposition was he is not going to do that again. Hoover on the other hand was through much in favor of we have to support this new government. It is a interesting difference between the two. I dont know if you have a opportunity to rid the ordeal of Woodrow Wilson. Study or ae a biography about wilson. Did his image of wilson soften or modify and the later years as opposed to what you learned from the contemporary documentary research . I have not read that book. View as i indicated that hoover did not harbor animosity towards wilson. In the 30s when he is making his case to stay out of conflict position abdicating a very different than Franklin Roosevelt. One of the arguments that hoover made was if the United States becomes involved in this war that is moving for europe and the war was going on. If the u. S. Gets involved in that war we will lose our democracy at home because Franklin Roosevelt will use the war as a excuse to establish a socialist dictatorship. That is one of his arguments. Hoover said we have artie gone one step towards socialism with the new deal. He would conclude his arguments by saying in contrast Woodrow Wilson believed in Free Enterprise and the individual. Wilson made it clear that what we did was just a shortterm dismantlednd wilson all of the agencies during and after the war created Franklin Roosevelt was not going to do that. To the a sharp contrast favor of wilson. Like i said hoover had the same political outlook. They were both center as progressives as that term is understood and 1910. For hoovers point of view american politics kind of left him and wilson. Companionshipof a wilson is notis around anymore. Any questions . All right, great thank you very much. [applause] this weekend on American History tv on cspan three. Today 6 00 p. M. Eastern on the civil war the final military maneuvers that led to robert e. Lee surrender. Always finishing day today, cumberland, all of these are medic fight right up to the last morning breakout attempt at appomattox they are full of high drama. Emotions are running very high. The union is out for blood they sense that this is a yang and yankee they will not go ahead and quit. The army is crumbling around them. Then and 8 00 p. M. On lectures in history a professor on the flood strike. And it ise morning questionable about what happened. There is a exchange of gunfire both by the other side who shot, the National Guard attack the camp. They were of the day ordered to stop fighting and light a fire. On american artifacts the american treasury exhibit at the National Constitution center. Will sing has stopped in the Continental Congress saw the articles of confederation were too weak to obtain centralized services and wanted a stronger Central Government and a stronger resident elected by the people. He insisted that we the people are beholden and not the parliament itself in britain. American history tv, all weekend every weekend only on cspan three. Sunday on book tv, unlike see e of the end they of an msnbc discussing his book. Interracial intimacy and america and the threat to white supremacy. Talks and new yorker about free speech. Nomineeonal book awards talks about her book weapons of mass destruction. A journalist on immigration. Theh our live coverage of brooklyn book festival on sunday starting at 10 00 a. M. Eastern. Up next, history professor greg brezinski discusses the competition between the United States and china to influence newly independent african and Asian Countries during the cold war. He is the author of, winning the third world, american rivalry during cold war. This 90 minute event was cohosted by the Woodrow Wilson center and the National History center. Todays seminar featuring greg brezinski, will get underway momentarily. With that, christian will and introduce todays speaker. Thank you. Thank you, eric. Welcome to all of you. Apologies for the slight delay. You have been very patient with us running over session