1924: Davis defeats Coolidge

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December 31, 1937: In a special New Year Eve edition, TIME Magazine summed up a dangerous international situation.

The Europe has been definitively split into a two hostile blocs, just like before the Great War.

Since mid-1920s, the British were supporting German ambitions to rebuild their army due to an old "balance on the continent" policy, which led France and Poland to be very nervous, which, in turn, caused a creation of a "Little Entente". That, in yet another turn, led countries like Lithuania and Latvia, to look for a ties to the Old Lion. Italy's ambitions to create a fascist alliance between them, Austria under Chancellor Dollfuss, and Franco-led Spain failed, as Republicans, supported covertly by French, are certain to crush the rebels soon. Due to Italy's good relations with Britain, what London's moderate reaction to Abyssinia conquest had proved, as well as fear against French dominance, Rome may join British-German alliance.

Meanwhile, in the East, Stalin's Soviet Union poses a great Enigma. Moscow is certainly not pleased with a growing Polish role, but seems, at least at the moment, focused on Eastern Affairs, after recent skirmishers with Japan.

And now Ireland, firmly neutral until very recently, suddenly became a center of an attention following a dramatic assassination of King George in Belfast.

January 1, 1938: There is a little to celebrate in a New Year after President La Follette, overwhelmed with a depression after his political power broke over Health Service fiasco, shot himself in the White House. The same day Vice President Green was sworn-in as the 36th President of the United States...

[UpcomingYouthvoter]

I doubt Davis would be a substantially better President than Cal. He was colorless and conservative. He might've been more sympathetic to farmers and urban workers, but it's doubtful.

At least Robert La Follette was in the president race for progressives/leftist such as both of us can vote for someone that we can trust. This is one of the cases where I see reason why third parties have reason to exist.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

The Presidency of Theodore F. Green

Theodore F. Green (P-RI), 35th President of the United States
January 1, 1938 - ...

January 1, 1938: With a nation shocked over La Follette's suicide, Theodore F. Green took an office. At 70, Green was the oldest President, succeeding the youngest one. The third bachelor President following James Buchanan and (for a time) Grover Cleveland, Green was also a kind of living symbol of the Progressive Party expansion: a veteran liberal from Northeast, who joined party formed primarily by Western progressives.

January 3, 1938: President La Follette's funeral will be held in Washington on January 10, White House has announced.

January 11, 1938: One day after his predecessor's funeral, President Green acknowledged he'll nominate the new Vice President within two weeks.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Woah! Was not expecting LaFollette to commit suicide. What are the Democrats plan for 1940?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Woah! Was not expecting LaFollette to commit suicide. What are the Democrats plan for 1940?

La Follette committed suicide IRL, after (but not immediately) he lost reelection to Senate.

As of 1940, wait and see

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January 20, 1938: Prime Minister Chamberlain made, what was called "a firm and sound declaration of will" by the British press and the "most arrogant ultimatum ever seen", by their Irish counterparts. Chamberlain demanded that Irish Government would agree to a presence of some British forces on Free State soil to "combat IRA terrorist, if you're unable or unwilling to do so yourself".

January 21, 1938: Prime Minister Eamon De Valera rejected Chamberlain's demands. Blaming the Irish country and the Irish people for an terrorist act, our authorities had nothing to do with, in insulting. His Majesty King George was also a sovereign of the Free State.

January 25, 1938: Due to an impact of the British-Irish crisis on American public, Secretary of State Joseph Grew called both offered United States as an arbiter.

January 28, 1938: Just a few hours after deadline passed, British troops, grouped in Ulster, entered the Free Irish State.

January 29, 1938: Mass demonstrations in New York against British intervention.

January 30, 1938: President Green delivered his first State of the Union address (La Follette was originally scheduled to do so on January 3, but for obvious reasons, the whole thing was delayed). In his speech, Green empathized a successfull economic recovery and appealed to all Americans to "enjoy the fruit of our success and work hard to secure it". He also payed a tribute to La Follette. While foreign policy went unnoticed in the address, the President and Secretary Grew, concerned about an impact British-Irish conflict made, are privately working hard behind the scenes.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

February 1, 1938: Prime Minister De Valera asks the League of Nations for help and made an additional appeal to the prominent Irish Americans to support the Free State's cause.

February 3, 1938: President Green announced his choice for the Vice Presidency. According to a custom of balancing the two top seats with a members of diffrent party's regional wings, he selected Senator Gerald P. Nye of North Dakota.

March 3, 1938: Oil discovered in Saudi Arabia.

March 14, 1938: French Premier Leon Blum reassures Polish, Czechoslovak and Estonian governments that France will honor its treaty obligations to aid them in event of war.

March 18, 1938: Mexico nationalizes all oil properties of the United States and other foreign-owned companies.

March 20, 1938: Germany abolishes the War Ministry and creates the Oberkommando der Reichswehr.

March 30, 1938: Polish agent in Berlin, Major Jerzy Sosnowski, who penetrated the German General Staff most secret plans, is arrested, along with his German accomplicies. While diplomatic immunity preserved him from death verdict or ending up in jail (he was merely expelled after few weeks), his two female accomplices working in the Defense Ministry, Benita von Falkenhayn and Renate von Natzmer, would be tried by a military tribunal and eventually beheaded in Plotzensee Prison in May.

April 10, 1938: Senator Nye is confirmed as Vice President, taking an oath of office the following day.

April 12, 1938: Staff talks between Great Britain and Germany finalized with an establishment of military cooperation.

April 24, 1938: Konstantin Päts becomes President of Estonia.

April 30, 1938: Poland presents a secret document obtained by Sosnowski at the League of Nations meeting in Geneva, denouncing Germany breaking the terms of the treaty. German Foreign Minister rejects an accusations.

May 14, 1938: Chile withdraws from the League of Nations.

May 30, 1938: Czechoslovakia orders a partial mobilization of its armed forces along the German border.

June 1, 1938: Irish Parliament declares country, which is now partially occupied by the British forces, an "Irish Republic".

June 3, 1938: The United States officially recognized the Irish Republic, much to the British annoyance.

June 25, 1938: President Green signs the Fair Labor Standards Act, which raised the minimum wage and setting the maximum work week at 40 hours, though only for businesses engaged in interstate commerce.

August 3, 1938: A Bill that provides an U.S. citizenship to the Native Americans, sponsored by Senator Al Smith, is passed and signed into a law by President Green. Green himself was very supportive to the bill through the entire process.

September 2, 1938: Polish forces assembles on Lithuania borders, after government in Kaunas rejected ultimatum, regarding reestablishing official relations, canceled in early 1920s.

October 30, 1938: Orson Welles's radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds is broadcast, causing panic in various parts of the United States.

November 19, 1938: Trade union members elect John L. Lewis as the first president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).

November 22, 1938: During a budget talks in the White House, President Green secured funds needed to finish La Follette's three last great programs. Also, during on the same occasion, Green, a Spanish-American War veteran, successfully convinced the congressional leaders to agree on moderate fleet enlargement. With everything going around, we should be prepeared for defense. I'm not asking for much here.

December 1, 1938: Under a pressure from Irish American population, the United States recalls it's ambassador in London.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

While writing a detailed timeline in "date by date" format is surely very complicated and consuming process, I feel sometimes something was left behind.

Thus, while retaining current formal, I shall add sometimes larger fictional entries from encyclopedias/books/press.

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January 5, 1939: The Irish Republic is completely occupied by the British forces. Whereabouts of Prime Minister De Valera and many of his colleagues is unknown.

January 6, 1939: President Green acts like a responsible caretaker, TIME wrote on an occasion of the first anniversary of Theodore F. Green's administration. Even his political opponents admits that a after deep political crisis, that initially appeared to break a spin of the Progressive Party, at least for now, he ensured enough stability for them to survive. While he's not flashy chief executive, flooding the Congress with new projects, like La Follette, he's quietly working to keep Progressive agenda alive.

February 13, 1939: With a retirement of Justice Louis Brandeis, President Green nominates Attorney General William O. Douglas to replace him.

February 14, 1939: Eamon De Valera is found... in the New York City. A leader of an occupied Ireland is welcomed by a friendly crowds and figures like Senator Smith. While State Department isn't really pleased with having such a problem on their soil, considering Irish cause popularity, it's impossible to do something. De Valera soon establishes a government in exile, that enjoys wide diplomatic recognition.

March 2, 1939: Cardinal Pacelli succeeds Pope Pius XI as the 260th Pope.

April 7, 1939: Italy invades Albania.

April 11, 1939: Hungary leaves the League of Nations and issues a territorial demands to Czechoslovakia.

April 14, 1939: John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath is first published.

April 23, 1939: Despite an attempts from the Southern Democrats to block the nomination, William O. Douglas is confirmed by the Senate, becoming a second Justice nominated by the Progressive President.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

April 29, 1939: After a budget fiasco caused the grand SDP-Centre coalition to collapse and drove Chancellor Otto Braun from power, the so-called "National Unity Government" is formed with Centre and numerous smaller, right-leaning parties, including National Party, largely a former Nazis led by Hermann Goering, who worked very hard after Hitler's death to make NP a part of the Weimar Republic system, that seems very solid, after surviving the great depression challenges. President Marx, whose term is soon to expire, appoints a powerful insider and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Franz Von Papen, as the new Chancellor.

May 11, 1939: Without a formal declaration of war, Japanese and Manchurian forces launched an offensive in Soviet Mongolia, starting the Soviet-Japanese War. This event was later considered by the historians as a beginning of the Second Great War in Asia.

May 14, 1939: Empires of Japan and Manchuko formally declares war against Soviet Union and the Republic of Tuva. The storm is coming to our west coast, visibly concerned President Green told to Secretary Grew in Washington, upon receiving the news.

May 28, 1939: Despite the Grand Coalition breakup, former Chancellor and Prime Minister of Prussia, Otto Braun of SPD, emerges as a winner in the first round of third direct German presidential election. The popularity of his government, that led German recovery from the depression, in Prussia, the largest state of the Reich, was a key to this victory.

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Comments, suggestions, questions about individuals not mentioned so far?

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

How're Arthur Vandenberg, Robert Taft, Teddy Roosevelt Jr., and Bobby Kennedy doing?

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Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. is, as mentioned, Secretary of War since 1933, that means in Hoover/Grew/La Follette/Green administrations

Robert Taft is currently serving in the Ohio State Senate, being a leader of the very limited Republican causus here. He's depising both Democrats (due to internationalist positions) and Progressives.

Anthur Vandenberg was defeated for reelection in 1934.

Bobby Kennedy is a schoolboy, who just lost his daddy and two older brothers. He's dreaming of becoming President one day.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

June 4, 1939: Largely symbolic so far contingent of the Polish troops arrives to the Czechoslovak-Hungarian border region, to demonstrate a willingness to honor an alliance between Warsaw and Prague.

June 12, 1939: The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is officially dedicated in Cooperstown, New York.

June 17, 1939: The last public execution took place in France, as Eugene Weidmann is guillotined in Versailles. Media scandal causes President Albert Lebrun to ban all futher public executions. Guillotine retired behind the prison yards for good.

June 24, 1939: Centre Party candidate, former Chancellor Joseph Wirth is narrowly elected Reich President in a runoff over favored SPD's Otto Braun. Although considered too left-friendly by the Centre's mainsteam, as well as allied rightist parties, Writh was accepted as a candidate due to his appeal to the said side of political scene, even if, as closeness of the election proved, he lost a number of right-wing support.

On the same day, the government of Siam changes it's name to Thailand, which means "Free Land".

June 27, 1939: Poland launches an offensive against Lithuania, after an ultimatum expires.

July 14, 1939: Secretary of War Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. arrives to Paris, officially for an ordinary meeting with his French counterpart, however unofficially he meet with Prime Minister Daladier, as President Green's envoy. Despite an isolationist feelings dominating his Progressive Party (except of Smith wing), Green realizes that a second major world conflict is coming closer and closer and, with bad relations with the British and their allies, is looking for a possible ties to their rivals: France and the "Little Entente".

July 27, 1939: The only recorded snowfall in Auckland, New Zealand since records began in 1853.

July 28, 1939: Roosevelt meets with the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edward Raczyński, is Warsaw. Roosevelt and the White House claims this visit was strictly private, as Poland is presently engaged in a war with Lithuania.

July 31, 1939: Guillotine became the sole method of executions in the entire Germany after Berlin authorities, following a highly-publicized execution of two women, convicted for spying for Poland (see earlier entries), decides to abolish an old axe and block method, being the last country on Earth to use it before.

August 24, 1939: Prime Minister Chamberlain requests, and Parliament passed, a War Powers Act.

August 25, 1939: An Irish Republican Army bomb explodes in the centre of Coventry, England, killing 5 people.

August 27, 1939: Germany demands an withdrawal of an additional Polish forces from Danzig (Gdańsk).

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Progressive Party (United States)
From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Factions of the Progressive Party (1930s)

Western Base

The Western Base was a founding part of the Progressive Party. Composing mostly a progressive Republicans, primarily Theodore Roosevelt's followers in 1912, westerners were feuding for years with conservatives over control of the GOP and eventually left. This time, they were joined with Wisconsin's La Follette machine (that opposed TR in 1912 due to "Fighting Bob" personal rivalry over progressives leadership with the former President), notable progressive Western Democrats, such as Montana's Senator Burton K. Wheeler, and minor statewide parties, like Farmer-Labor in Minnesota or Non-Partisan League in North Dakota.

Due to a seniority factor, from 1920s to mid-1950s, western base was dominating Progressive congressional leadership.

Politically, the Western Base, despite it's predominately agricultural leanings, was indisputably the most left-oriented wing of the party, but also, regarding foreign affairs, most staunchly isolationist.

Notable members of the "Western Base" includes Vice President Gerald Nye, Senators Hiram W. Johnson, William Borah, Burton Wheeler, Henrik Shipstead, Speaker William Lemke, Secretary Alf Landon, Postmaster General Frank Knox.


Senator Hiram W. Johnson (P-CA)

Crossbenchers

This name, borrowed from a British political dictionary, was more applying to a certain individuals, rather than a consistent wing of the Progressive Party.

The "Crossbenchers" were, basically, a former members of either Democratic of Republican parties that joined Progressives for various reasons, but still were at disagreements with some key points of party's ideological core. Later, Progressives with such a significant differences from the party's mainstream would be dubbed as a "Progressives In Name Only" (PINO).

Among notable 1930s era crossbenchers were people like Senator David I. Walsh of Massachusetts, economically more conservative-leaning, with, however, a strong socially progressive views, or Representative Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. of the same state, a scion of the legendary Republican dynasty. Lodge was ad odds with his new party on issues such as economy or foreign affairs, but had no place in the Democratic Party.


Senator David I. Walsh (P-MA)


(To Be Continued)

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Reformists

The Reformists were a product of the "Progressive Era", a period of social activism and reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. A champions of modernization, efficiency movement and social progress, they weren't, of course, as "radical", as the Western Base and the alliance between the two were formed due to the Reformist being rejected by the Republican Party under Coolidge's leadership.

Later, when the Great Depression came, most of the Reformists endorsed a "Recovery and Reform" program under their famous member, Herbert Hoover, but preferred more moderate path, than the Western Base, especially when it came to the labor and farming issues.

Indisputably the most prominent Reforming Progressive was party's first presidential nominee in 1924, and later President from 1933 to 1934, Herbert Hoover. Hoover and the Reformist weren't the largest and best organized part of the party, but his own prestige before and from 1924 allowed him to become the first Progressive ever elected President. Some historians believe that the Western Base, needing cross-regional appeal, had to accept them to take a first place during the first phase.

While Charles Evans Hughes never became a Progressive Party member and did not endorse them after 1928, he played a key role in Reforming defection from the GOP in 1925.


President Herbert C. Hoover (P-CA)

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Comments, suggestions, questions?

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

What are these bay-staters doing?

Leverett Saltonstall

Paul Dever (I would assume still D, but...)

Joseph Martin

Christian Herter

Marcus A. Coolidge

Also, solid choice on making David Walsh a Progressive, since he had received their ballot-line in the early 1910's.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I'll respond once I finish fake wiki entry

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Neotammanists

Al Smith was another example of a defection, this time from the Democratic Party. Davis victory in 1924 marked a time, when forces such as rural, Protestants from the South, West, and small-town Midwest, who were supporters of Prohibition, and, of course, in many cases, the Ku Klux Klan, started to dominate Democratic Party.

Smith was, at the time, an unofficial leader of the opposing forces, representing anti-Prohibitionists (called "wets"), Roman Catholics and other ethnic minorities, big-city delegates in the Northeast and urban Midwest and liberals opposed to the influence of the Ku Klux Klan. Smith and his followers first tried to remind the Democratic Party, that they are ignoring a part of their constituency, and eventually, isolated such as Republican Reformists, switched to the Progressives.

Smith was party's presidential nominee in 1928 (as, after Hoover four years ago, the Western Base allowed another candidate outside their circle in order to broad new formation's appeal). While he lost badly to Davis, it was the time when Progressives made gains among urban and ethnic minorities voters, that became an important component of their coalition in next years.

A fellow "Progressive Era" politician, Smith loyally supporter Hoover's "Recovery and Reforms" program and similarly was endorsing La Follette's policy, until the two split over civil right issue. Smith role in killing La Follette's National Health Service program caused a lot of his liberal supporters to abandon him, although he continued to wield an influence over ethnic urban machines or, how they were dubbed by the press, "Neotammanists".

Politically, Neotammanists were more conservative economically than Western Base, and disagreed on foreign policy (including Smith's strong supporter for Ireland).


Senator Al Smith (P-NY) 

Bluebloods

Another ironic press nickname, that became a part of an American political history. The "Bluebloods" were recruiting primarily from the former Liberal Democrats from the Northeast: predominately an educated WASPs from the urban areas. Due to his makeup, they were called "Bluebloods".

Economically, the Bluebloods were in a major agreement with the Western Base, as well as this part of the Neotammanist, loyal but to the left to Smith (primarily ethnic circles), although the two factions did not merge. In foreign affairs there was no universal agreement although, due to their economic and geographical nature, they tended to be more interested in European affairs.

What was most distinguishing the Bluebloods was their staunch social liberalism.

Most notable Blueblood was without a doubts President Theodore F. Green. Another notable names were figures such as Senator Francis T. Maloney, political boss Jim Farley, Governor George Aiken (a former Republican).


President Theodore F. Green (P-RI)

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Saltonstall and Denver... I'm not sure, really.

Joe Martin is still a Republican Congressman.

Herter is the Progressive for the same reasons, as other Crossbenchers.

Coolidge is still a Democrat and is serving his second Senate term,

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I like the different factions in the Progressive Party, especially the, of course, "PINOs" and the Neotammanists, which for obvious reasons I identify best with.

How's the one termm Cal Coolidge doing? I'd think the Republicans might try to call him back as a "savior of the party" given that he was the last man to hold the office of President and be a Republican.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I like the different factions in the Progressive Party, especially the, of course, "PINOs" and the Neotammanists, which for obvious reasons I identify best with.

How's the one termm Cal Coolidge doing? I'd think the Republicans might try to call him back as a "savior of the party" given that he was the last man to hold the office of President and be a Republican.

January 5, 1933: Former President Calvin Coolidge dies in his Massachusetts home. Dubbed frequently as a "Man who buried the Republican Party", Coolidge said shortly before his death: "I no longer fit to this time".

[Mechaman]

OH MY FOOKING LARDY THIS IS A FOOKIN GRATE TENLIME YA GET THAR KALLY BAR!
[/overexcitement to the point of being illiterate]

You do not know how EXCITED!!!!! I am to see a TL with a strong Progressive Party.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I like the different factions in the Progressive Party, especially the, of course, "PINOs" and the Neotammanists, which for obvious reasons I identify best with.

How's the one termm Cal Coolidge doing? I'd think the Republicans might try to call him back as a "savior of the party" given that he was the last man to hold the office of President and be a Republican.

January 5, 1933: Former President Calvin Coolidge dies in his Massachusetts home. Dubbed frequently as a "Man who buried the Republican Party", Coolidge said shortly before his death: "I no longer fit to this time".

Sorry for skipping over that. I was hoping maybe his death could be butterflied away.

I wonder what happens to the Republicans. It better not be like Ben's TL where they remain a party despite not having had victory in sixty years or something like that.