Congressman Voorhis Comment on Elk Hill Bill and Russell Amendment
Created Date
July 17th, 1944
Description
Part 1 - In this radio address, California Congressman Jerry Voorhis defends himself against the assertion that he has been a slave to the Roosevelt administration, stating that he has always voted according to his own judgment. To support his argument, he cites his disagreements with exceptions that the administration inserted into the Elk Hill Bill, and also comments on an amendment that would require any government agency set up by executive order to cease functioning in 1945 unless Congress has appropriated funds to it or passed a law determining its existence. Overall Voorhis states that he has agreed with many of the current administration’s actions, but that he has always followed his own judgment and that of his constituents'. Part 2 - This portion is a radio address given by Texas senator W. Lee O’Daniel. It begins with a verse of “My Country Tis of Thee," and then an invitation by O’Daniel to send in subscriptions to the radio program, as it is not run for profit and his sole purpose is to keep the people informed about their government. O’Daniel is vehemently against the New Deal and its provisions, and recounts a recent attempt by the federal government to abolish state poll taxes as unconstitutional. O’Daniel believes this move by the New Deal politicians was truly an attempt to gain minority votes in Southern states, creating racial divisions and stirring up trouble. O’Daniel also maligns the fair employment office, denies allegations that anyone in Texas wants to deny African Americans the right to vote, and states that the South has handled these matters peacefully for years. He ends his address with a spoken parody of “Dixieland" in which he praises segregation and calls for the “liquidation" of the New Deal. He closes with another request for subscriptions. Audio Notes: Part 1 audio begins at 0:10
static throughout
overall recording time is 9:58, Voorhis finishes talking at 9:43. Part 2 audio begins at 0:12, static throughout
overall recording time is 14:21, audio ends at 14:01.
Item or Container Annotations
For broadcast 07-17-1944 Sound Studios Inc. of Washington D.C.