« HUMOR & STUFF FROM BUDDIES | Home | EVERYBODY’S DANISH – Chapter ‘My private banker – bags of money’ »
FULL GALE DALE – A look back!
By fred | February 25, 2009
Happenings! Good and Bad! Something for you to Ponder!
The Great Depression! The only thing “Great” about this Era of time was, a whole lot of people, (being in pretty much the same fix, came much closer together, than they had ever been before).
Not all folks lost everything, ” My family did”. A great many folks lost a lot, most folks lost much of their hard earned money, some very lucky folks managed to get by hardly being touched by the poverty around them.
It was still not a good time to support a family, and (for an honest man), very tempting toward a career of crime. Again, most men elected not to go that route. Thankfully! The men and Boy’s of my Family, did not succumb to that form of survival.
We had a Leader, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, who told us that “the only thing we need fear, was fear itself”. We believed him, and it proved to be true.
There were many snide jokes made of him and his various “Plans”, The National Reclamation Administration, NRA, the Civilian Conservation Corps, CCC, the Works Projects Administration, WPA, and others. These “plans” put men, (and in some cases, boy’s) to work, and this put food on the dinner table.
The Depression began in Oct. 1929! The Month and Year, I was born. (Honest! It wasn’t my fault). Roosevelt was Elected in 1932, and took Office in Jan. 1933.
Between that time, and the time of his (unprecedented), run for a Third Term, we had just barely begun our long climb back to financial solvency as a Nation, and the War in Europe was beginning to open Markets for our various products, and aid supplies for Britain and other Peoples.
That was seven long years of struggle, and depravation for many Americans, and without National guidance and aid, we would have been in much worse shape when Our Nation , and the world, really needed us to keep Tyranny from taking over the Free World, and even invading our very shores.
Then, of course, came the second War to end all Wars.
Most of the people I’m writing this editorial for, were not even born when WW ll was going on, but believe me,(it really happened, “it was in all the Papers”), (little bit of Humor there). The War was not humorous! Most everyone I know had family participating in, and many paying the ultimate price for our remaining Free, and under our own Control.
Were there War Profiteers? Politicians that made bad decisions? Even whole Political Blocs, that, combined to, (for whatever reason), prolong the War, and keep our military personnel in jeopardy? You Betcha!
Some were even caught, unmasked, and punished, but not all.
By the end of the War, we had a new President, and one of our greatest ones. Harry S. Truman. It was he that, after taking over the reigns of Government from the Fallen predecessor, FDR, instigated and signed into Law, our G.I.Bill of Rights, made available low interest loans for Veterans to buy homes, and integrated the Armed Services of the U.S.A. among others. Quite an accomplishment!
My Wife and I, and (when they were small), our kids,liked to travel, Mainly around the Western portion of the U.S. I don’t know how many times,(when we stopped for “sight seeing”), or other reasons, I noted that this path, or that picnic area had been built by the CCC, buildings in Parks, etc. likewise, built by the CCC, or other Government Organizations during the “Great Depression”. This many years after that awful time, and I’d be willing to bet that they are still there, and will remain for a great number of more years, before losing they’re usefulness.
Has my faith in the Government been lost? No! Do I agree with all that is being proposed by Congressmen and Women that are supposed to represent me? No!
Do I like paying higher Taxes? No! Do,I want to do away with our form of Government? Hell No! But it’s nice to see it changed once in a while, just to make them aware that “We can replace them, if we choose”.
That’s the way it is supposed to work!
Have a good one… Dale
Topics: FULL GALE DALE! | No Comments »