This episode relates four separate events in substantial detail along with some other miscellany, which is usually provided. The first part deals with the country's emerging from eight years of depression. Things are getting better, but there is still the division of blacks v. white, rich v. poor. Much of this part is told through the eyes of the still and motion picture cameras. Photographers with the Farm Security Administration recorded on film pictures of American Poverty: America's record, the people and the happenings. The Federal Theater Project arranged for inexpensive tickets so more people would have the chance to see the productions, and the Federal Writer's Project gave young writers a chance to be known. Several letters written to the White House were read which expressed the feelings of the people. Roosevelt is shown speaking to the poor.
The second part detailed the troubles at the GM plant in Flint, Michigan. Workers there became disgruntled with the low wages and long hours, 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, and talked of unionizing. They organized a sit-down strike which shut the plant down. After a period of time, the Governor, Frank Murphy, sent in troops --- not to stop the strike, but to ensure order. In order to deal a big blow, the strikers moved to the main plant which forced management to allow the union. The wives of the strikers joined in by helping in whatever way they could. (Sit-down strikes were outlawed in 1937.)
Part Three deals with the days of radio and uses short sound bites and some film clips for detail. A clip of The Big Boadcast of 1937 shows Jack Benny and George Burns and Gracie Allen. The best entertainers came right into your home on the radio, or one could go to the movie house to see them. Another clip shows Major Bowes introducing his amateur hour show (round and round she goes, and where she'll stop nobody knows). An interesting note was that "ringers" were often in the guest line-up. Votes were cast by phone, and since one couldn't see the performer, no one knew. Band music was big in those days. Benny Goodman is thought to be the first to hire a black musician...Lionel Hampton. Nice clip showing Goodman, Hampton, Harry James, trumpet, and Gene Krupa, Drums. Radio did't distinguish between black and white. Hampton related that he was always treated well by Goodman. Bandleader Artie Shaw tells that the trouble the blacks had was not with the bands or the band leaders, but with hotels and diners which would not allow blacks. Saturday night was the night of the big band remotes.
The Fourth Part visited Spain where there was civil war fighting fascism. The Spanish Republicans were standing up the elected government. Hitler and Musolini were aiding Franco. About three thousand from the U.S. as well as men from other countries went over to assist. The victory was short-lived. At this time Picasso painted Guernica, a 11.5 x25.5 foot picture depicting the cries of anguish and the horrors of war. It only took about a month to do. (NOTE: A copy of this painting is displayed outside the doors of the UN Security Council. It was covered with a blue drape, much nicer backdrop for pictures they say, on Jan. 17, 2003.) Other pieces of art from the children there were also shown.
Persons of interest: John Housman, Studs Terkel, Carl Mydans, Governor Frank Murphy, Eddie Lawrence, Artie Shaw, Lionel Hampton, and players in the sit-down strike and the Abe Lincoln Freedom Fighters who went to Spain.
Miscellany: Hit Song, "Marie" by Tommy Dorsey. Top box office star, Shirley Temple. New on NBC radio, "The Guiding Light". First issue, Look Magazine. Best sellers, Gone With The Wind and How To Win Friends And Influence People. Literature and Film, Lost Horizon, The Good Earth, and "A Star Is Born." Ronald Reagan leaves WHO radio in Des Moines,Iowa, and takes a $200/week job with Warner Bros. A Hudson Terraplane automobile $595.One dozen eggs, 0.36 cents and one half gallon of milk, 0.12 cents.
