Professor Hamilton's Diary: May 15, 1935

He goes to Philadelphia; FDR rallies farmers in raucous assembly on White House grounds

There was a Greek Festival at Albright College today, so classes were not held. Professor Hamilton eschewed the festivities and drove to Philadelphia to do some more research on his dissertation at the History Society of Pennsylvania. “I got some good material and had a pleasant time,” he wrote. He started back at 4:30 and was home in two hours.

Had Professor Hamilton read his morning paper before he set off, he no doubt noticed the front page story about a raucous assembly of 4,000 farmers held on the south lawn of the White House the afternoon before. The headline in the Reading Times read, “‘LIARS,’ SHOUTS ROOSEVELT AT CRITICS OF AAA.” That was the Agricultural Adjustment Act, the centerpiece of his New Deal farm policy. “Cheered by Farmers in Fighting Address on White House Lawn,” said the subhead.

Paid subscribers can read on about the ballyhoo. The wire service pictures above were clipped from the May 15 Atlanta Constitution, accessed through newspapers.com.