Look Familiar? 1934 Cartoon forewarns the TOTUS reader

Chicago Tribune | 4/12/1934 | Carey Orr(?)

[freedumb2003]

This could have been in the last few months.

And people are still too blinded to see the truth.

[Buck W.]

Is the “Ickes” on the cart any relation to Harold?

[BertWheeler]

I think we’re in more trouble now than in 1934. Hope I’m wrong.

[La Lydia]

Double irony: didn’t it finally emerge that Henry Wallace was a communist agent, and that was why FDR dropped him from the ticket?

[Mr. Jazzy]

I think it is Harold’s father.

[BGHater]

Indeed.

[Mr. Jazzy]

I was right.

Harold M. Ickes is the son of Harold L. Ickes, who was Secretary of the Interior for FDR.

[donna]

Families didn’t have personal debt back then.

[alloysteel]

Yes, as a matter of fact, Harold McEwen Ickes is the son of Harold Leclaire Ickes, the person depicted on the cart and seen shoveling off the dollar bills is an extremely wasteful manner. Harold the senior was part of the FDR New Deal “brain trust”. You just had to trust that they had some brains somewhere.

[OneWingedShark]

That Action Plan sure looks familiar...

[Mr. Jazzy]

Here is a great quote from Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior for FDR. During World War II Ickes told the Congress of American-Soviet Friendship in November 1943,

“In certain respects we could do well to learn from Russia; yes, even to imitate Russia.”

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

[conservativeharleyguy]

"...Is the “Ickes” on the cart any relation to Harold?...<"

Yes. His father, Harold M. Ickes.

[devane617]

Excellent cartoon. It could have been published yesterday.

[Rumplemeyer]

The Chief Turd, father of the Clinton Turd, long distance heavy weight...tough guy on the phone, when confronted face to face, a coward...just like his dear old Dad.

[freedumb2003]

I don;t know if we should be impressed or frightened.

But I was struck by how accurately they saw the truth, even 75 years ago.

[Huck]

It doesn’t forewarn anything. It just shows that not much has changed. Still fighting the same stupid battles.

[freedumb2003]

I think it does both, but good point.

Liberty is an unending battle — and we are on the downside right now (but we have home in 2010 and 2012)

[Starboard]

I think we’re in more trouble now than in 1934. Hope I’m wrong.

Agree with you that we may be in deeper trouble now given the severity of the national debt.

Incidentally, in 1934 unemployment was in the low 20's. We're not far from that now, running around 17% according to BLS. Check out the book "The Forgotten Man". FDR's decisions actually prolonged the Depression.

[caper gal 1]

It’s his dad. didn’t fall far from the tree . . .

[Vigilanteman]

This fiasco brings back memories.

Rejected
FDR at the gates of Hell

A stranger stood at the Gates of hell
And the Devil himself answered the bell.
He looked him over from head to toe
And said: My friend, I'd like to know
What you have done in the line of sin
To entitle you to come within?

Then Franklin D, with his usual guile
Stepped forth with his toothy smile and said:

"When I took charge in '33
A nations faith was mine," said he
"I promised them this and I promised them that
And I calmed them down with a fireside chat.
I spent their money in fishing trips
And fished from the decks of their battleships.

I gave them jobs in the WPA
Then raised their taxes and took it away.
I raised their wages and closed their shops
I killed their pigs and buried their crops
I double-crossed both old and young
And still the folks my praises sung. I taxed it so high they couldn't drink.
I furnished 'em money with Government loans
When they missed a payment I took their homes.
When I wanted to punish the folks, you know
I'd put my wife on the radio.

I paid them to let their farms lie still
And imported foodstuffs from Brazil.
I curtailed crops when I felt real mean
And shipped in crops from the Argentine.

When they started to worry, stew and fret
I got them to chant the alphabet
With the AAA and the NLB
The WPA and the CCC.

With these many units I got their goats
And still I crammed it down their throats.
My workers worked with the speed of snails
While the taxpayers chewed their fingernails.

When the organization needed dough
I closed their plants with the CIO.
I ruined jobs, I ruined health
And I put the screws on the rich man's wealth.

And some who couldn't stand the gaff
Would call on me and how I'd laugh.
When they got too strong on certain things
I'd pack and head for "Ole Warm Springs."
I ruined their country, their homes and then
I placed the blame on "Nine Old Men."

Now Franklin talked both long and loud
And the devil stood and his head he bowed.
At last he said: "Lets make it clear
You'll have to move, you can't stay here
For once you mingle with this mob,
I'll have to find another job."