A New Democratic Leader

[Orwell]

He would bring into Washington change, he had been a successful businessman, Governor, and Congressman. He would reform not just the Democratic party, but the nation as a whole. During his time, child labor was outlawed and workmen's insurance gave every American, no matter the station or caste the ability to not fear any injury for the reasons of the impoverishment of his kin. When President Cox left office America has ushered in an unfathomable level of peace and prosperity, and of all the crowning achievement of both President Cox and Wilson, the United States' admission into the league of nations. My grandfather was proud to serve with the President for 8 years, and bring our parties standard forward in 1928, as your nominee I pledge to fight for the memory of President Cox and Wilson, and with me comes a new day for America and a new millennia for the American people with the guiding hand of government, we shall usher in a new day by the year 2000. Today as I accept your nomination for President, I also want to accept a contract with the American people, one promising the expansion of liberty, the collapse of totalitarianism, and the downfall of poverty in these coming years, I Curtis Roosevelt Dall do accept the Democratic nomination for President in 1992! For the people we have fought these years, this fight began on the banks of Deleware and will not end until every American no matter, race, gender, or creed has the equality and the dream enshrined in our nation's founding document. That is my promise, and that is the Democrat promise in 1992.

- Curtis Roosevelt Dall, (1930-?)

A New Democratic Leader

Hello folks, I hoped you liked the beginning of this timeline. this timeline will be focusing on the United States from the election of President James M. Cox to the present day. In our own timeline, President Warren G. Harding defeated Cox by a wide margin on election day, that won't be happening here. Cox is mainly a forgotten American figure, but in my opinion, he is one of the most interesting people in American history. He founded a media empire, Cox Enterprises is currently the 3rd largest cable TV provider in the United States, he was a progressive Governor of one of America's biggest state and was re-elected 4 times. The 1920 Presidential election is considered one of the greatest mistakes in American history, Irving Stone wrote a book in reference to failed Presidential candidates, and in this book he rated Cox as superior to every way then Harding, and of both tickets in 1920, Cox was the only person not to become President, with this he would outlive the other 3 men by at least a decade. Without further ado, I present to you the 29th President of the United States...

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James Middleton Cox

[Orwell]

A New Democratic Leader

The 1920 Presidential Election

As the first week of July subsided, the race for the White House was in full swing. Governor James M. Cox had secured the Democratic nomination on the 44th ballot, for Vice President he had selected the popular and well-spoken Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and 5th cousin of President Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. When the nomination had been secured, the status of the Democratic party was fractured many southerners and so-called hyphenated Americans were unhappy with the course the nation had taken in President Roosevelt's second term in office. Public opinion had long been souring towards the President and against the Democratic party but during the preceding weeks, it had turned quite rotten. However, by the middle of August, there was a new sense of hope among Governor Cox, an alliance had been struck between the Democratic Party and the Farmer-Labor party greatly bolstering chances in the west.

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Governor Cox, a solid orator would spend much of the early campaign on a whistlestop tour throughout the plains and mountain west making over 100 speeches between July and August in the western states, attracting great crowds and enthusiasm, promising to create a new America with American farmers, miners, and workers at the pinnacle of this new America. During this time Roosevelt toured much of the Mid-Atlantic and made plentiful time for Governor Cox's state of Ohio and the neighboring state of Indiana. An added bonus of the alliance with the Farmer-Labor Party was a series of fusion candidates ran in states such as Washington, Illinois, and Kentucky.

On the Republican side, much of the time was spent planning for a future administration, this was until early September when a story broke in the Democratic-aligned New York Journal that letters had been discovered between Harding and a mistress that had been corresponding for over a decade. Immediately a war began between the nation's newspapers, with Democratic-controlled Newspapers, such as the New York Journal, and Governor Cox's own Dayton Daily News supporting the letters supposedly written by Senator Harding, while the Republican-controlled Newspapers, such as Harding's Marion Star decried the letters as fake and an attempt to bring slander onto Senator Harding. By the end of September though, it was clear that the majority of the American public believed the accusations made against Senator Harding that he was an adulterer that lacked integrity.

Only a week before the election began, tragic news struck the country. President Wilson, who had guided some of the most important pieces of progressive legislation through Congress had suffered another serious stroke and died. Vice President Marshall was sworn into the Presidency and an outcry of support was felt for the Democratic nominee, as quickly Governor Cox requested that President Marshall spend time rallying the Democrats of his native Indiana to the cause of electing the Governor President. With these events coupled together, along with both Cox and Roosevelt's intense campaigning over the final months of the campaign it was clear there would be a close race, as Governor Cox retired to his Dayton home, he remarked to a reporter, "If I am victorious or defeated tonight, my thoughts and prayers are with Miss Wilson tonight, as the loss of her husband has led the nation to suffer from a heartbreak that does not require explanation."

As the returns began in from the Southern states and New England, both candidates saw the expected returns. The New England region stayed firmly in the grasp of Senator Harding. As 11 pm neared Governor Cox would retire, only to be awoken 2 hours later with a desperate message from his son with the news that the Governor's home state of Ohio had been won, promptly the Governor returned to bed as the month's of constant campaigning the election had been decided by two especially narrow states, with Governor Cox carrying Ohio and Indiana by 10,000 and 5,000 votes respectively.

In the modern-day, many believe that Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer ordered the men under his command to commit various forms of electoral fraud, including intimidation, voter fraud, and stuffing ballot boxes with votes for Governor Cox. However, much of this evidence was not revealed until decades later. With Governor Cox's narrow victory in both the electoral college and the popular vote, the Democrats and Farmer-Labor parties saw quite a lot of success gaining,

Presidential Results

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Governor Cox's victory in the popular and electoral vote was quite narrow, but Senator Harding conceded defeat politely in a telegraph to Dayton the next morning. With such a close result in both Ohio and Indiana, it was quite fortunate for Governor Cox to come out ahead, either state would have swung the election for Senator Harding. Now that Governor Cox has won the Presidential election, we're going to be turning to the Congressional side of things, because without the support of Congress President-Elect Cox is going to have a very difficult time passing his agenda especially with things like the Child Labor Ban, and the League of Nations which many people in his own party are against or at least neutral towards.

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Congressional changes from OTL

House

Democrats Gain: DE-AL, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, IN-1, IN-2, IN-3, IN-4, IN-5, IN-6, IN-7, IN-9, IN-11, KY-5, MA-4, MO-13, MO-15, NJ-4, NM-AL, NY-3, NY-28, OH-2, OH-6, OH-8, OH-11, OH-16, OK-5, OK-8, OR-3, PA-12, PA-20, PA-25, WA-5, WV-2, WV-4, WV-5, WV-6
Democrats Hold: IL-20, KS-8, KY-8, MD-2, MD-3, MA-7, MN-8, MO-1, MO-3, MO-4, MO-5, MO-6, MO-7, MO-8, MO-9, MO-16, MT-1, NV-AL, NJ-11, NY-7, NY-8, NY-12 (SOC), NY-15, NY-23, OH-3, OH-4, OH-9, OH-14, OH-17, OK-1, OK-2, OK-3, OK-6, PA-10, PA-13, PA-16, PA-22, TN-3, TN-4, TN-8, TX-14, UT-1, UT-2, VA-9, WV-1,
Farmer-Labor Pickups: MN-5, MN-7, MN-9, NE-3, WA-1, WA-2, WA-3,
Socialist Pickups/Holds: NY-20, WI-5
NPL Pickups/Hold: ND-1, ND-2, SD-3
Prohibition Hold: PA-28

Composition of the House:

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Democrats: 229 (+37)

Republicans: 193 (-47)

Farmer-Labor (D): 7 (+7)

Non-Partisan League: 3 (+2)

Socialist: 2 (+1)

Prohibition: 1 (No Change)

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Senate

Democratic Gains: Raymond B. Stevens defeats George H. Moses (NH), Breckenridge Long defeats Selden P. Spencer (MO),

Democratic Holds: George Chamberlain defeats Robert Stanfield (OR), Scott Ferris defeats John W. Harreld (OK), Charles B. Henderson defeats Tasker Oddie (NV), John Walter Smith defeats Ovington Walker (MD), J.C.W. Beckham defeats Richard P. Ernst (KY), James F. Nugent defeats Frank R. Gooding (ID), James D. Phelan defeats Samuel M. Shortridge (CA).

Farmer-Labor gains: James Thompson defeats Irvine Lenroot (WI), CL France defeats Welsey Livsey Jones (WA),

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Change in Senate Composition

Democratic Party: 46 (-1)

Republican Party: 48 (-1)

Farmer-Labor: 2 (+2)

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Congressional Overview

Democrats across the nation were swept into power, gaining a majority in the United States House of Representatives for the first time since 1914, in the Senate both the Democrats and Republicans lost seats to the upstart Farmer-Labor party. If all goes as expected, however, both Farmer Laborer Senator's James Thompson of Wisconsin and C.L. France of Washington will support the Democratic caucus which will result in the Senate being tied between the Democrat and Republican caucuses for the first time in decades, it will also be only the 2nd Democratic majority in 30 years. With Congress being secured by the Democrats, President-Elect Cox has a renewed hope in passing much of his agenda, but between the time the new Senator's are sworn in, in January and when President Cox is inaugurated in March there will be a deadlock in the Senate with the lack of a Vice President to break any ties that could arise, there have even been calls for an amendment to the constitution that would allow the President to be able to put forward a name to be confirmed by both the House and Senate to become Vice President of the United States.

The primary goals of President Cox's agenda are the passage of Workmen's Insurance, a Ban on Child Labor, the support of an increase in "Americanization" for the immigrants of the United States, and the largest foreign policy goal of President-Elect Cox's agenda is to campaign for the United State's admission into the League of Nation's. With a Democratic "majority" in the Senate, it appears now all more possible to reach this goal along with the fact some of the bills loudest opponents were defeated for reelection in 1920, including Wisconsin Senator Irving Lenroot who was defeated by an Independent candidate backed by the Farmer-Labor party.

During the time between the death of President Wilson in October of 1920, and the election and inauguration of President-Elect Cox in March of 1921, President Marshall kept the country running, however, the rift between President Wilson's widow and many of the former President's close advisors such as Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo did not allow for any progress to be made on the issue of the league of nations, and McAdoo angered over his defeat at the 1920 Democratic Convention and distraught over the loss of his father in law and mentor would resign his position in December of 1920. The most important part of President Marshall's administration was the formation of a proposed constitutional amendment which would be the 20th amendment to the constitution dealing with the role of the Vice President and the vacancy of the office of Vice President. The text reads as follows:

Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

This amendment was proposed to the full Senate by Democratic leader Francis Underwood on March 1, 1921, 3 days before the inauguration of the new Congressmen and President.

So, what did you the reader think of this first installment of A New Democratic Leader, this in all took me about 4 hours to research and write, and this timeline will be going until the present day. As you see the first major PoD (Point of Divergence) is the revelation of Harding's affair with Carrie Fulton Phillips which would serve to damage his reputation pretty severely, and then the second major PoD is the death of President Wilson from another stroke a couple of weeks before the election which helps Cox/Roosevelt get sympathy votes along with A. Mitchell Palmer's voter fraud, intimidation, etc. swinging Ohio and Indiana. This is all I have for today, you should expect the next update between Wednesday, April 15, and Saturday, April 17. Please let me know what you think of this timeline so far! Goodbye have a wonderful day!

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Nice writing!
It will be interesting to see how the Ds handle the roaring 20s, how the GOP picks it up from here, what reforms if any happen in the 20s, what career trajectory FDR has ITTL, what his cabinet looks like, and how the coming agricultural recession is handled by the Democrats.
So many questions!
Meanwhile I have a timeline of my own to write, but I did feel that your timeline was deserving of 8 minutes or so of my time.

[😥]

Very interesting!

[Elcaspar]

Very intriguing timeline. I will certainly be following this.

[Orwell]

A New Democratic Leader

The Beginning of President Cox's first term

The President's cabinet

March 1920

With a few surprise picks for the President's cabinet including Former Republican now Farmer Laborer Henry Wallace, many observers and reporters applaud the President's cabinet due to its experience, bipartisanship, and it's efficiency with Herbert Hoover being a very popular choice due to his status with the relief effort following The Great War.
 
The Cabinet of President James M. Cox (D-OH)
Vice President: Franklin D. Roosevelt (D-NY)
Secretary of State: John F. Shafroth (D-CO)
Secretary of Treasury: J. Swager Sherley (D-KY)
Secretary of War: Henry L. Stimson (R-NY)
Attorney General: Charles Allen Culberson (D-TX)
Postmaster General: James Farley (D-NY)
Secretary of Navy: Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (R-NY)
Secretary of the Interior: Gilbert M. Hitchcock (D-NE)
Secretary of Agriculture: Henry Cantwell Wallace (FL-IA)
Secretary of Commerce: Herbert Hoover (R-IA)
Secretary of Labor: Rueben G. Soderstrom (I-IL)

With the selection of Soderstrom to lead the Department of Labor, an olive branch was made to union leader Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor. The majority of the cabinet was made of Democratic loyalists the most prominent of these were the men serving in the so-called, "Big 3" Secretary of State John F. Shafroth was a prominent figure who had left the Senate the year before the election. He had originally been a Republican but split with the party over the issue of silver and had served over the last 15 as a loyal party man, as Governor and later Senator from Colorado. Shafroth's nomination for State showed a new direction in American foreign policy, as he was best known for his work in the Senate on the Jones-Shafroth Act which granted Puerto Ricans US Citizenship, he also served on both the Committee for Puerto Rico and the Pacific Islands and the Committee on the Philippines, the foreign policy of the Cox administration appeared to be focusing on Latin America and the Pacific instead of the European struggles that had plagued the Wilson administration's popularity.

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With the next member of big three, there was Kentuckian J. Swagger Sherley who had served in the House of Representatives for 16 years, in 1917 he assumed the role of Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations one of the more powerful roles in the junior chamber. Sherley along with now Senator Carter Glass was one of the architects behind the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 in the House of Representatives.  The move to appoint Sherley was one that would help Cox with those of the border states the states that had been so crucial to his election, Sherley was also still quite young only being 48 when he became Secretary of the Treasury, along with the political considerations Sherley was a likable man and he was also quite the progressive agreeing with President Cox on many of the key issues of the time. The primary goals of the Treasury Department during this time will be helping farmers in the Plains and West who have been negatively affected by the loss in revenue during the post-war economic recession. Other priorities will be to ensure that the Federal Reserve is run smoothly and to continue expanding legislation in regards to the power of a national bank.

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The final primary member of the cabinet was the longtime Texan Senator, Charles Allen Culberson. The Texan had served as the Attorney General of Texas, then two terms as Governor of the state, followed by being elected to serve the state for four terms in the United States Senate. With Culberson's resignation to assume the office of Attorney General, the Governor of Texas William P. Hobby Sr. resigned from the office and was then appointed by his Lt. Governor the newly minted Governor to the Senate in the special election primary Hobby would be challenged by Former Governor James "Pa" Fergusen. As Attorney General, Culberson would continue many of the policies of his predecessor A. Mitchell Palmer regarding that of Communism and Socialists among the American working class, but in a different vein of that of Palmer, Culberson would be a stronger advocate for free speech, Culberson who had served as the Democratic caucus leader from 1907-1909 would also be responsible for ensuring that the proposed 20th amendment to the constitution would not face any severe difficulties in its passage through Congress.

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The other members of the cabinet were of lesser note, with the Secretary of the Interior, Gilbert M. Hitchcock he would resign from the Senate following his appointment and confirmation, and the newly elected Governor would appoint the elder statesman of the Democratic party, the parties 3-time nominee and the still popular William Jennings Bryan to the United States Senate. No one dared to attack Bryan in the Democratic primary and he would defeat the Republican nominee former Governor Samuel Mckelvie by 5% in the November Special election, the Postmaster General was the Vice President's major contribution to the cabinet, as Farley was a brilliant political mind, and he promised improvements to the national party that had long been neglected under the eye President Wilson.

The next cabinet official of note was the son of former President Roosevelt and the first cousin of the second lady, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. was following a similar path to his father and cousin as he would be the third Roosevelt man in 30 years to serve in the Navy Department. The posting of Roosevelt was more so a favor to Eleanor then it was a political move and Theodore Jr. would prove up to the task of continuing the break back efficiency that it had during the Great War, however, the Navy would be more focused on the action in the Caribbean and Pacific than in the Atlantic, as one of the first actions Roosevelt took as Secretary of the Navy would be to order the expansion of the Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaii islands to be capable of supporting US Battleship operations from the base.

The final two cabinet officials of note, are Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson and Secretary of Agriculture Henry Cantwell Wallace. Stimson had served as Secretary of War to President Taft and was well versed on the issues facing Asia and Latin America. With Wallace, he had been a Republican from Iowa, but he defected to the Farmer-Labor party in 1920, one of the concessions made by President Cox to securing the majority in the Senate was the appointment of Wallace to the post of Secretary of Agriculture in the cabinet, which meant at least some power would be held by the Farmer-Labor party in the executive branch.

Texas Senate Special Election Primary

With the resignation of Senator Culberson on March 5, Governor Hobby resigned the office of Governor and had his replacement appoint him to the post of Senator on March 7. In Texas, the real election was in the Democratic primary, in this primary Hobby would face former Governor James "Pa" Fergusen who's immense popularity and clout in eastern Texas, would spell difficult battle in the primary. Hobby was the favorite of President Cox and most of the Washington establishment in this race, so many of the Texan House Democrats endorsed Hobby, along with the states now senior Senator Morris Shephard. The members of the Texas legislature that had voted to remove Fergusen from office as Governor 3 years earlier too were supportive of Senator Hobby in his struggle against Fergusen.

The race was heated with Fergusen attacking Hobby on being a puppet to the Washington interests, and Hobby attacking Fergusen on the corruption which had, had him removed from office three years before. The strongest region for Senator Hobby was the Rio Grande Valley where he held immense popularity for working with President Wilson, the Texas Rangers, and local militias in fighting off Mexican bandits who would constantly harass and harangue Texas towns during the last years of the 1910s. Pa Fergusons' strongest constituency was that of the ultra-conservative rural parts of eastern Texas, where his populist rhetoric and anti-establishment rhetoric truly struck home.  As election day neared closer, the race showed to be as many expected a dead heat between both candidates. In a final push before election day, Pa Fergusen rallied his lieutenants to order them to ensure "every ballot was counted" in counties that were friendly to the campaign. Similar orders were given by Senator Hobby to his supporters. when the polls were closed and the votes began to ring in only time could tell who the winner would be...


When the final ballots were counted, the tally would be Senator William P. Hobby Sr. 355,112 and Former Governor James "Pa" Fergusen 354,043.

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Blue: Senator William P. Hobby Sr.
Purple: Former Governor James "Pa" Fergusen

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Change in Senate Composition

Senator Charles Allen Culberson resigns to become Attorney General of the United States replaced by appointment of William P. Hobby Sr. by Governor Willard Arnold Johnson, Hobby won the special election with 78% of the vote. (D HOLD)

Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock resigns to become United States Secretary of the Interior replaced by the appointment of former Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan by Governor John H. Morehead, Bryan won the special election with 53% of the vote to Former Governor Samuel McKelvie's 46%. (D HOLD)

Composition of the Senate

Democratic: 46 seats (Majority Leader: Sen. Oscar Underwood (D-AL))

Republican: 48 seats (Caucus Chairman: Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge (R-MA))

Farmer-Labor: 2 (No leader, Senators caucus with the Democratic party)

The majority party with the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Roosevelt is the Democratic-Farmer Labor coalition.

So, what did you the reader think of this installment of A New Democratic Leader, this in all took me about 2 hours to research and write, and this timeline will be going until the present day most likely. I know this update wasn't supposed to come until Wednesday, but I figured that since it would be easier to explain the cabinet in a separate post, this would work better. This is all I have for today, you should expect the next update between Wednesday, April 15, and Saturday, April 17. Please let me know what you think of this timeline so far! I would really like to hear your opinions on the cabinet secretaries especially, Shafroth, Sherley, and Culberson, along with Roosevelt Jr. Goodbye have a wonderful day!

[Orwell]

A New Democratic Leader

The Beginning of President Cox's first term

March to June, 1921

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March and April 1921

The first month of the Cox administration saw the incoming cabinet be swiftly confirmed, as the three Republican nominees to the cabinet were confirmed with near unanimity, Soderstrom and Wallace were similarly confirmed, and the rest of the nominees were confirmed by large majorities. The first major policy initiative would be the passage of the 20th amendment to the constitution which was held major popular support following the death of President Wilson and the ascension of Vice President Marshall to the Presidency. The amendment came quickly to vote among the full house where it passed, 367-67 with the Socialist Congressmen voting against the proposed amendment, 64 Republican Congressmen, and the Willus James Huling of the Prohibition Party voting against the Amendment. The Senate would now takeover Debate on the amendment, this similarly ended quickly with a vote of 80-16 confirming the bill as passed by Congress and being sent to the states for ratification, by the end of March 17 of the required 36 states had ratified the amendment, and many others were expected to do so soon.

Following the passage of the amendment through Congress, President Cox's congressional allies along with Secretary of Treasury Sherley and Secretary of Labor Soderstrom focused on the first controversial piece of legislation being passed through Congress during his administration. This legislation would ban Child Labor in most instances, but to do so it would require certain concessions to conservative Democrats, For non-agricultural jobs, children under 14 may not be employed, children between 14 and 16 may be employed in allowed occupations during limited hours, and children between 16 and 17 may be employed for unlimited hours in non-hazardous occupations. A number of exceptions existed, such as for employment by family members, newspaper delivery, and child actors. There was also a special permit able to be granted, for if a child were to leave school past the age of 13 they could work an unlimited number of hours in non-hazardous occupations, but the availability of this exemption was controlled by the individual state's Labor boards.   The purpose of this legislation was the hopes of children being able to obtain an education before being sent to work.

The debate in the Senate was fierce with some southern Democrats allying with Republicans to attempt to kill the legislation, but some Republicans, led by notable progressives Robert LaFollette Sr, William Borah, and George W. Norris supported the bill. The dissenters not wanting to risk all-out chaos, eventually relented on the debate and the bill was taken to a full vote in the Senate, in a flurry of activity Senator Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas and "Majority Leader" Oscar Underwood of Alabama broke the ranks of the dissenting Democrats, by the time the full bill had reached the Senate floor the might of the dissenting faction had been broken, and when the bill came before the Senate to vote it was passed with a 50-46 majority guiding, the bill was taken before the House where a similar problem faced it, again Democrats revolted, but this time they were led by Speaker of the House Champ Clark who even with his health failing made his way through the Democratic coatrooms cajoling and convincing on-the-fence Congressmen of their duty to the farmers of their district. Again, however, a group of left-leaning Republicans would join the Democratic caucus led this time by Fiorello La Guardia of New York. With the complete support of the Farmer-Labor Congressmen, The Socialists, and the Non-Partisan League the vote was sure to be close, the leaders in support of the bill were the two Democratic leaders in the House not-named Clark, Majority Whip William Oldfield of Arkansas and Majority Leader Claude Kitchin of North Carolina before the final vote was called Secretary of the Treasury and Kentuckian J. Swager Sherley called together the Kentucky Democratic delegation and implored each man to support this legislation, and promised them if they didn't it would not just be the end of their careers in the House, but the end of their careers in Kentucky. Similar treatment was enacted by the Attorney General but to lesser success. When the Final Vote arrived 48 Democrats abandoned the caucus led by the Speaker of the House Champ Clark if this bill were to succeed and Clark lose, then it was almost insured either Oldfield or Kitchin would overthrow him in the coming days, the final tally was 211 votes against the legislation 223 votes in favor of the legislation, a victory however narrow was still a victory, with 48 Democrat defectors, the GOP had also had 27 defect to vote in favor of the legislation this victory was a major victory for reformers in the United States. Not a single Democrat from Kentucky opposed the legislation.

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With the victory on the issue of Child Labor, Speaker of the House Champ Clark's career seemed at an end, but before the House could reconvene Clark would pass away from a heart attack, the election to succeed him was originally contested by both Majority Leader Kitchin and the Majority Whip Oldfield, but the Democratic caucus voted to choose Oldfield as their nominee for Speaker of the House he was only 47 years old, but many in the Democratic delegation felt enamored by him for his strong support of the Child Labor bill, and he was also popular for his ties to Senate leader Oscar Underwood and his home state Senator Joseph T. Robinson. Speaker Oldfield was, unlike Clark a staunch loyalist to President Cox, Oldfield had been in favor of Cox since the Democratic convention when Cox had broken the deadlock between Mitchell Palmer and William Gibbs McAdoo neither men who Oldfield was cordial with.

May and June 1921

The pinnacle issue of these months during the Cox Presidency were, the death of Chief Justice of the United States Edward Douglas White, and the continued United States occupation of Haiti, Santo Domingo, and Nicaragua. These occupations, coupled with another attack by Pancho Villa on a New Mexico town. These were the first serious foreign policy challenges faced by President Cox, and the repercussions of them would have a major effect on his Presidency. Nicaragua had been occupied since 1912, much of the reason was to ensure that no other European power attempted to build a canal through the region. In 1916, General Emiliano Chamorro Vargas was appointed President of Nicaragua by the US-backed Congress, and the United States promised to withdraw forces from the country within 10 years. With Santo Domingo and Haiti, there were similar situations.

On May 19, 1921, Chief Justice Edward Douglas White passed away, White who had originally been appointed to the court by President Cleveland, had been in failing health for years. The President had quickly chosen a successor for the Chief Justice, the man to replace White as Chief Justice would be Roscoe Pound the Dean of Harvard Law School, who had also served as Dean of the University of Nebraska Law School and was considered by many a brilliant legal scholar. However, Pound was also a close associate of Associate Justice Louis Brandeis, Pound's nomination was met with approval from many, but more conservative Senator's did not like Pound's views on the constitution, where he believed it to be more a living document that should be read and ruled upon from a pragmatic perspective. He was confirmed by the Senate by acclamation and was sworn in as Chief Justice on June 19, 1921.

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The Supreme Court of the United States as of June 21, 1921

Chief Justice: Roscoe Pound (Appointed by President Cox in 1921)
Associate Justice: Joseph McKenna (Appointed by President McKinley in 1898)
Associate Justice: Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (Appointed by President Roosevelt in 1902)
Associate Justice: William R. Day (Appointed by President Roosevelt in 1903)
Associate Justice: John Hessin Clarke (Appointed by President Wilson in 1916)  
Associate Justice: Willis Van DeVanter (Appointed by President Taft in 1910)
Associate Justice: Mahlon Pitney (Appointed by President Taft in 1912)
Associate Justice: James Clark McReynolds (Appointed by President Wilson in 1914)  
Associate Justice: Louis Brandeis (Appointed by President Wilson in 1916)


On the issue of Nicaragua, Secretary of State John Franklin Shafroth negotiated with General Vargas propositioning the United States for a gradual withdrawal of the remaining 1,500 troops by the end of 1923, and for an American loan to Nicaragua of $2.5 million for public works and infrastructure to be constructed by his Government, in exchange General Vargas agreed to allow for American banana companies to operate once again within Nicaragua and to refuse any overture from a European nation which would result in the construction of a canal through Nicaraguan territory.

Negotiations with Haiti and Santo Domingo went successfully as well, with similar loans being accepted and the rights of US banana companies being confirmed. All together friendly governments established in Haiti and Santo Domingo, along with the Government of General Vargas in Nicaragua mean unfettered access to the bananas that are so valuable to these nations along with better and more technologically advanced infrastructure as a result from the American loan to these nations and the elimination of the possibility of a competing canal to rival the American one located in Panama.

So, what did you the reader think of this installment of A New Democratic Leader, this in all took me about 2 hours to research and write, and this timeline will be going until the present day most likely. The choice of Roscoe Pound for Chief Justice of SCOTUS and the passage of the Oldfield-Robinson Act were the main accomplishments of these few months, but the passage of the 20th amendment too was positive along with the US's settlements with Santo Domingo, Haiti, and Nicaragua. Well, the next update will probably be posted sometime this weekend, then we will be getting into the major farm crisis that gripped the United States at this time! Thanks for reading have a Great Day!

[KaiserDave]

This is one of the best timelines I’ve ever seen written here!

[Orwell]

A New Democratic Leader

The membership of 67th Congress

Democratic Gains: Raymond B. Stevens defeats George H. Moses (NH), Breckenridge Long defeats Selden P. Spencer (MO),

Democratic Holds: George Chamberlain defeats Robert Stanfield (OR), Scott Ferris defeats John W. Harreld (OK), Charles B. Henderson defeats Tasker Oddie (NV), John Walter Smith defeats Ovington Walker (MD), J.C.W. Beckham defeats Richard P. Ernst (KY), James F. Nugent defeats Frank R. Gooding (ID), James D. Phelan defeats Samuel M. Shortridge (CA).

Farmer-Labor gains: James Thompson defeats Irvine Lenroot (WI), CL France defeats Welsey Livsey Jones (WA).


Alabama
2. J. Thomas Heflin (D)
3. Oscar W. Underwood (D)
Arizona
1. Henry F. Ashurst (D)
3. Marcus A. Smith
Arkansas
2. Joseph T. Robinson (D)
3. Thaddeus H. Caraway (D)
California
1. Hiram W. Johnson (R)
3. James D. Phelan (D)
Colorado
2. Lawrence C. Phipps (R)
3. Samuel D. Nicholson (R)
Connecticut
1. George P. McLean (R)
3. Frank B. Brandegee (R)
Delaware
1. Josiah O. Wolcott (D)
2. L. Heiser Bail (R)
Florida
1. Park Trammell (D)
3. Duncan U. Fletcher (D)
Georgia
2. William J. Harris (D)
3. Thomas E. Watson (D)
Idaho
2. William E. Borah (R)
3. James F. Nugent (D)
Illinois
2. J. Medill McCormick (R)
3. William B. McKinley (R)
Indiana
1. Harry S. New (R)
3. James E. Watson (R)
Iowa
2. William S. Kenyon (R)
3. Albert B. Cummins (R)
Kansas
2. Arthur Capper (R)
3. Charles Curtis (R)
Kentucky
2. Augustus O. Stanley (D)
3. J.C.W. Beckham (D)
Louisiana
2. Joseph E. Ransdell (D)
3. Edwin S. Broussard (D)
Maine
1. Frederick Hale (R)
2. Bert M. Fernald (R)
Maryland
1. Joseph I. France (R)
3. John Walter Smith (D)
Massachusetts
1. Henry Cabot Lodge (R)
2. David I. Walsh (D)
Michigan
1. Charles E. Townsend (R)
2. Truman H. Newberry (R)
Minnesota
1. Frank B. Kellogg (R)
2. Knute Nelson (R)
Mississippi
1. John Sharp Williams (D)
2. B. Patton Harrison (D)
Missouri
1. James A. Reed (D)
3. Breckenrige Long (D)
Montana
1. Henry L. Myers (D)
2. Thomas J. Walsh (D)
Nebraska
1. William Jennings Bryan (D)
2. George W. Norris (R)
Nevada
1. Key Pittman (D)
3. Charles B. Henderson (D)
New Hampshire
2. Henry W. Keyes (R)
3. Raymond B. Stevens (D)
New Jersey
1. Joseph S. Frelinghuysen (R)
2. Walter E. Edge (R)
New Mexico
1. Andrieus A. Jones (D)
2. Albert B. Fall (R)
New York
1. William M. Calder (R)
3. James W. Wadsworth, Jr. (R)
North Carolina
2. Furnifold McL. Simmons (D)
3. Lee S. Overman (D)
North Dakota
1. Porter J. McCumber (R)
3. Edwin F. Ladd (R)
Ohio
1. Atlee Pomerene (D)
3. Frank B. Willis (R)
Oklahoma
2. Robert L. Owen (D)
3. Scott Ferris (D)
Oregon
2. Charles L. McNary (R)
3. George Earle Chamberlain (D)
Pennsylvania
1. Philander C. Knox (R)
3. Boies Penrose (R)
Rhode Island
1. Peter G. Gerry (D)
2. LeBaron B. Colt (R)
South Carolina
2. Nathaniel B. Dial (D)
3. Ellison D. Smith (D)
South Dakota
2. Thomas Sterling (R)
3. Peter Norbeck (R)
Tennessee
1. Kenneth D. McKellar (D)
2. John K. Shields (D)
Texas
1. William P. Hobby Sr.  (D)
2. Morris Sheppard (D)
Utah
1. William H. King (D)
3. Reed Smoot (R)
Vermont
1. Carroll S. Page (R)
3. William P. Dillingham (R)
Virginia
1. Claude A. Swanson (D)
2. Carter Glass (D)
Washington
1. Miles Poindexter (R)
3. C.L. France (FL)
West Virginia
1. Howard Sutherland (R)
2. Davis Elkins (R)
Wisconsin
1. Robert M. La Follette, Sr. (R)
3. James Thompson (FL)
Wyoming
1. John B. Kendrick (D)
2. Francis E. War

[Orwell]

A New Democratic Leader

The Beginning of President Cox's first term

July to October, 1921

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July and August, 1921

At the beginning of August, President Cox would order the commutation of Socialist leader Eugene Debs's 10-year prison sentence and order his immediate release. This order was met with much praise from Union officials, with many being controlled by Socialists. During this time there was continued growth in the Socialist movement, in 1920 Debs had expanded on his performance in 1916, and it was believed that he could expand on his result in 1924 as well. Early on in 1920, the Socialist party had 100,000 dues-paying members, with the success of the party both nationally and at congressional levels, winning two Congressional seats and almost four percent of the popular vote. The first major test of this renewed Socialist party would be the New York Mayoral election of 1921, the parties nominee from four years ago Morris Hillquit is again trying for the Mayorship of the nation's largest city alongside him the Socialist Party has nominated a slate of candidates for the New York City Council, and a candidate for New York City Comptroller in Harry W. Laidler a popular man among the younger Socialists of the city.

The Socialist campaign plan was simple, many prominent Socialists would be in the city to campaign for the Socialist ticket. Helen Keller the prominent author and reformer spent much of the summer in New York campaigning for the Socialist candidates in the city, she focused on rallying the woman vote around the parties ticket as well as the industrial vote she worked closely with the leadership of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. Anti-Poverty and Progressive reformer Upton Sinclair also made considerable visits to the city during the summer months rallying support among the industrial workers and immigrants in the city. New York City Municipal Judge Jacob Panken was also a mainstay in the campaign for his fellow Socialists. The last major surrogate was Congressman from NY-20 Meyer London to help them among his lower eastside constituency. As the summer ended a close race had ensued between the Socialist candidates and the Democratic, and Republican, candidates for Mayor and the 51 City Council seats, along with the position of Comptroller. 

The major issues facing the President were the issue of the League of Nations, with much political capital being used to pass the Robinson-Oldfield Act, President Cox felt it best to postpone any attempted entrance into the League until later in his term. The next major piece of legislation passed by Congress was the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, this would establish the concept of the modern federal budget along with establishing the Office of Management and Budget and the General Accounting Office, this legislation mandated that the President was required to annually present a budget to Congress. This bill passed with much bipartisan support, and was signed into law on June 10, 1921, by President Cox. Another major issue was the passage by Congress of the Willis Graham Act, which would have relented to the telephone industry allowing AT&T a natural monopoly over the industry, due to the problem of users not being able to call people who were not also subscribers to the independent cable companies, after it sailing through congress, it was approved by a simple acclamation and signed into law by President Cox in an attempt to relinquish these problems.

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The pinnacle issue, however, was the farming crisis stern states in crisis that had many midwestern and western states on their knees. This 'Farm Bill' was a combination of a minor increase in tariffs to secure the necessary Republican votes, along with the quality of life improvements demanded by groups like the Non-Partisan-League and the Farmer-Labor party which represented primarily rural farmers in the Western United States, the first step in an attempt to raise food prices was the purchase of $20,000,000 worth of foodstuffs to be sent to Russia in attempt to alleviate the famine, the Russian Famine Relief Act, was passed alongside the 'Farm Bill' in a continued attempt to aid the farmers. The bill known as the Bryan-Volstad Act would amend an exception in the Clayton-Anti Trust Act to allow for Farmer Cooperatives, as long as they were not in violation by creating a monopoly, but they were under the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture, it also formed irrigation districts to formally establish the boundaries of irrigation which was quite important in the western United States. The tariff increase was focusing specifically on farm goods such as wheat flour, corn, tobacco, and cotton among other staple American crops and its point was to lower the supply to increase the scarcity of goods therefore artificially raising prices. The final piece of the legislation was a small subsidy proposed to help make it more affordable for farmers to purchase modern machinery. It would pass easily at the end of August, immediately being signed into law by President Cox. 

September and October, 1921

With the passage of the farm bill in August, Congress turned its eyes towards a restructuring of the tax code, lowering the top marginal tax rate from 73 to 65 percent and eliminating the wartime excess tax as it was no longer necessary, but a new tax was also levied this time a 13 percent tax on the net income of a corporation, with the support of this bill split along partisan boundaries the Democrats looked to be able to sail through this legislation with majorities in both houses of Congress and the bill went as expected, with Vice President Roosevelt breaking the tie in the Senate moving the vote from 48-48 to 49-48 in favor of the legislations passage.

However, during this time there were reports of an open feud in the Republican caucus with prominent progressive Republican US Senator's Robert M. La Follette Sr. being unhappy with the conservative tidings over the caucus, even threatening to defect to the Farmer-Labor party, unless the Senate Republicans moved in a less conservative action, while the other members of the progressive Republicans sat on in silence afraid to stand as Lafollette did and get blacklisted by the Republican party bosses. However, at the end of September La Follette made his opinion clear as he announced he would be leaving the Senate Republican caucus, and joining the Senate Farmer-Labor caucus, bringing the tally of Farmer-Labor Senator's to three, with one James Thompson having defeated La Follette's acquaintance Irvine Lenroot in the 1920 election.  This news would bring the Senate composition from tied at 48-48 to a 49-47 Democratic coalition majority in the Senate.

With the defection of Senator La Follette, it was a major victory for progressives in the American Midwest as 3 major parties bid for power in Wisconsin, with the Republicans in control of much of the state, while the Farmer-Labor party controlled both Senate seats and the city of Milwaukee had a heavy Socialist presence with the Mayor being the second Mayor of Milwaukee to be a Socialist during this time. There are also strong Socialist movements in Illinois, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. Wisconsin truly is one of the more partisanly diverse states in the nation, with the Democrats failing to hold a single Congressional seat.

With the upcoming New York Mayoral election, the Democratic candidate incumbent Mayor John Francis Hylan was backed by the interests of the city and was originally favored to win reelection, but a damaging scandal over his comments on race put his hold the cities Black population in jeopardy along with the lose among industrial workers and working-class immigrant families to the Socialists, Former Mayor John Punroy Mitchell is also making serious progress among the more affluent voters of Manhattan and Staten Island, the Republican candidate was only expected to draw 10% of the vote, which could decide the election, but the strong Socialist campaign led by Hillquit would put Hillquist in a small lead for first in both the Bronx and Brooklyn, with the Brooklyn Jewish community supporting their favorite son with fervor.

The early fall months were otherwise slow, in both Italy and Belgium new governments had been elected with the Labour party becoming Belgium's largest party, but the Catholic and Liberal parties forming a government as a majority coalition. In Italy, the heavily Catholic People's Party also became the largest party, with the downtick in support for the Socialist party, but the real winner was the Nationalist Bloc who newly formed for this election gained 110 seats in the Italian parliament relegating the Italian Socialist Party to 3rd place in the Parliament for the first time since 1913. Other events around the world included, in America with the world series champion New York Giants being victorious over their crosstown rival New York Yankees in a spectacular 8 game series, with the Sultan of Swat himself Babe Ruth unable to play much of the late series due to injuries hampering the Yankees offense, and allowing the Giants to win by a 1-0 margin in the decisive game 8.

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rare and early newspapers

Senate Composition change

Republican Senator Robert La Follette Sr. defected to the Farmer-Labor party, (-1 R, +1 FL)

Republican Senator Philander C. Knox passed away and was replaced with fellow Republican William E. Crow (R hold)

Current Senate composiiton

Democratic Party: 46 (Oscar Underwood)

Republican Party: 47 (Henry Cabot Lodge Sr.)

Farmer-Labor Party: 3 (Caucusing with Democrats)

The Senate is no longer tied, with the defection of Senator La Follette, but there still is a very narrow majority for the Democrats.

So, what did you the reader think of this installment of A New Democratic Leader, this in all took me about 3 hours to research and write, and this timeline will be going until the present day most likely. This update basically is just focusing on the happenings of the world during the Cox administration and then some major plot lines being set up, with the NYC Mayoral election which you can expect a separate post on later this weekend, as always if you have any questions, comments or concerns please leave them down below, and make sure that you have a good weekend! Bye have a wonderful day!

[S019]

Just finished reading this, it's very interesting and detailed. I will be sure to keep following this.

[Orwell]

A New Democratic Leader

The 1921 New York Mayoral election

The year 1921 had been one of much fervor, with the defection of Senator La Follette to the Farmer-Labor Party, and the passage of the Oldman-Robinson Act as well as the Bryan-Volstad act, however in New York there had been a growing movement, throughout the years there had been a Socialist cause growing among the immigrant and working-class communities of Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens. For the first time in 1921, the Socialist Party of the United States was running a well-funded campaign their Mayoral candidate was the same as in 1917, he held immense popularity among both the Jewish and immigrant communities his name was Morris Hillquit, who had been in Riga, in the old Russian Empire during the latter half of the 1870s. Coupled with Hillquit was a full slate of 51 candidates for the City Council, and in over a dozen seats the Socialists had a chance to win, for the position of New York City Comptroller they had nominated the young lawyer Harry W. Laidler, coupled with an immense amount of campaigning from the candidates across the city as well as the popular surrogates such as Upton Sinclair, Hellen Keller, and the Socialist Judge Jacob Panken as election day neared the Socialists felt that this would be the beginning of their victories in New York, and soon they could control many of America's largest cities.

The platform of the Socialists was that of Democratic Socialism, which is achieving the goals of Socialism through "electoralism" as opposed to the revolution practiced and preached in Russia and much of Europe. In 1920 the citizens of New York had elected 5 members of the Socialist Party to the State Assembly signaling a growing power of the Socialists in the state, but when the Republicans and Democrats in the Assembly attempted to block their sitting, a mass outcry from the constituents forced their hands into sitting the 5 Socialist Assemblyman. Among the Socialist candidates for City Council, including a woman and an African American which would be historic firsts if either were to win election, but neither was likely since the woman Mrs.Mary Lane Smith was running for a council seat in Staten Island and the African American Mr.Arthur T. Cummings was challenging an incumbent Democrat for a seat in Manhattan both boroughs were thoroughly unfavorable to the Socialist cause.

The greatest ally to the Socialists within New York City, however, was likely the International Ladies Garment Workers Union or ILGWU it was one of the largest Unions in New York City at 100,000 members and was firmly controlled and allied to the Socialist movement when election day came turnout was solid throughout the city, but when the final results were tallied it was an outright victory for Hillquit in the Mayoral race winning 37% of the vote to the Democrats 32% the Independents 27% and the Republican candidate in a distant 3rd with, 4% of the vote. Laidler the Comptroller candidate faired worse though dropping the race by a 40-37-13 margin, but still a strong second-place showing for the Socialist candidate in the race for control of the city council 11 Socialists were elected to the council of the 51 total councilors along with 22 Democrats and 18 Republicans.

[Elcaspar]

Very nice that the Socialists managed to win the mayor's race. Can't wait to see more!

[Orwell]

The next update will be coming in the next few days, sorry for the inactivity I've just been busy with school and brainstorming, but good news is I have the timeline planned pretty good up until the midterms elections of 1922.

[UWS]

The next update will be coming in the next few days, sorry for the inactivity I've just been busy with school and brainstorming, but good news is I have the timeline planned pretty good up until the midterms elections of 1922.

I can't wait to see it.

[Orwell]

A New Democratic Leader

President James M. Cox's first term

November and December, 1921

The culmination of 4 years, thousands of hours, the life of President Wilson, and the political clout of President Cox, Vice President Roosevelt, Joseph T. Robinson, and Oscar Underwood to finally reach the greatest goal of President Wilson, the United States admission into the League of Nations. To achieve this President Cox agreed to some of Henry Cabot Lodge's reservations the entire list those bolded are the ones agreed to by President Cox and the Senate Democrats:   

1. The United States so understands and construes Article I that in case of notice of withdrawal from the League of Nations, as provided in said article, the United States shall be the sole judge as to whether all its international obligations and all its obligations under the said covenant have been fulfilled, and notice of withdrawal by the United States may be given by a concurrent resolution of the Congress of the United States.

2. The United States assumes no obligation to preserve the territorial integrity or political independence of any other country or to interfere in controversies between nations — whether members of the League or not — under the provisions of Article X, or to employ the military or naval forces of the United States under any article of the treaty for any purpose, unless in any particular case the Congress, which under the Constitution has the sole power to declare war or authorize the employment of the military or naval forces of the United States, shall by act or joint resolution so provide.

3. No mandate shall be accepted by the United States under Article XXII, Part I, or any other provision of the treaty of peace with Germany except by action of the Congress of the United States.

4. The United States reserves to itself exclusively the right to decide what questions are within its domestic jurisdiction and declares that all domestic and political questions relating wholly or in part to its internal affairs, including immigration, labor, coastwise traffic, the tariff, commerce, the suppression of traffic in women and children and in opium and other dangerous drugs, and all other domestic questions, are solely within the jurisdiction of the United States and are not under this treaty to be submitted in any way either to arbitration or to the consideration of the Council or of the Assembly of the League of Nations, or any agency thereof, or to the decision or recommendation of any other power.

5. The United States will not submit to arbitration or to inquiry by the Assembly or by the Council of the League of Nations, provided for in said treaty of peace, any questions which in the judgment of the United States depend upon or relate to its long-established policy, commonly known as the Monroe Doctrine; said doctrine is to be interpreted by the United States alone and is hereby declared to be wholly outside the jurisdiction of said League of Nations and entirely unaffected by any provision contained in the said treaty of peace with Germany.

6. The United States withholds its assent to Articles 156, 157, and 158, and reserves full liberty of action with respect to any controversy which may arise under said articles between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan.

7. The Congress of the United States will provide by law for the appointment of the representatives of the United States in the Assembly and the Council of the League of Nations, and may in its discretion provide for the participation of the United States in any commission, committee, tribunal court, council, or conference, or in the selection of any members thereof and for the appointment of members of said commissions, committees, tribunals, courts, councils, or conferences, or any other representatives under the treaty of peace, or in carrying out its provisions, and until such participation and appointment have been so provided for and the powers and duties of such representatives have been defined by law, no person shall represent the United States under either said League of Nations or the Treaty of Peace with Germany or be authorized to perform any act for or on behalf of the United States thereunder, and no citizen of the United States shall be selected or appointed as a member of said commissions, committees, tribunals, courts, councils, or conferences except with the approval of the Senate of the United States.


8. The United States understands that the reparation commission will regulate or interfere with exports from the United States to Germany, or from Germany to the United States, only when the United States, by act or joint resolution of Congress, approves such regulation or interference.

9. The United States shall not be obligated to contribute to any expenses of the League of Nations, or of the secretariat, or of any commission, or committee, or conference, or other agency organized under the League of Nations or under the Treaty or for the purpose of carrying out the Treaty provisions, unless and until an appropriation of funds available for such expenses shall have been made by the Congress of the United States.

10. The United States shall at any time adopt any plan for the limitation of armaments proposed by the Council of the League of Nations under the provisions of Article VIII, it reserves the right to increase such armaments without the consent of the Council whenever the United States is threatened with invasion or engaged in war.

11. The United States reserves the right to permit, in its discretion, the nationals of a covenant-breaking state, as defined in Article XVI of the Covenant of the League of Nations, residing within the United States or in countries other than that violating said Article XVI, to continue their commercial, financial, and personal relations with the nationals of the United States.

12. Nothing in Articles 296, 297 or in any of the annexes thereto, or in any other article, section, or annex of the Treaty of Peace with Germany, shall, as against citizens of the United States, be taken to mean any confirmation, ratification, or approval of any act otherwise illegal or in contravention of the rights of citizens of the United States.

13. The United States withholds its assent to Part XIII (Articles 387 to 427, inclusive), unless Congress by act or joint resolution shall hereafter make provision for representation in the organization established by said Part XIII, and in such event the participation of the United States will be governed and conditioned by the provisions of such act or joint resolution.

14. The United States assumes no obligation to be bound by any election, decision, report, or finding of the Council or Assembly in which any member of the League and its self-governing dominions, colonies, or parts of empire, in the aggregate have cast more than one vote, and assumes no obligation to be bound by any decision, report, or finding of the Council or Assembly arising out of any dispute between the United States and any member of the League, if such member, or any self-governing dominion, colony, empire, or part of empire united with it politically, has voted.

In the Senate, a battle between the hardliners led by Robert La Follette, George W. Norris, and Hiram Johnson led an eloquent defense and attempted to delay the passage of the bill, but they could not overcome the overwhelming force of Robinson, Oldfield, Underwood, Roosevelt, and Cox. When the bill was finally presented to the floor of the Senate. With the full Senate to vote, the vote was made at 11 am November 11, 1921, the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month the United States Congress finally ratified the treaty to admit her into the League of Nations with a 65-31 declaration affirming the United States as an international power for years to come. With the passage of this legislation, President Cox took to the radio giving his first radio address and the first address by a sitting President over the radio.

Hello, my fellow Americans. I come to you tonight in an hour of great jubilation and happiness, for we have successfully committed to an end to future war. As you all know on this day 4 years ago, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 the armistice between the powers of America, Britain, and France and the forces of the German Empire was put into force. This end to the greatest travesty and loss of life in the history of humanity would spell forth the end of war in our time. This dream was not one of a single man to end war, but the dreams of every man, woman, and child who has a lost a loved one to the evils of war and famine.

As the founding fathers spelled in the greatest document in the history of mankind, "We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." As we join this League of Nations these are beauties we bring to the international community, we shall establish justice across all of mankind, no matter the part of the globe the villain flees to. We shall not surrender our domestic rights and our nationhood to the league of nations, we are and forever will remain the greatest power on the continents of the Americas, and no European nation, Britain, France or otherwise shall infringe on the nations of America.

In the order of liberty, we shall support the movements of all people in Europe to have their own state, German, Czech, Italian, Greek, or Turk no matter the ethnicity no matter the religion, the only matter is that of popular sovereignty for without the will of the people and without the power of them to guide the government. The government will seep into authoritarian rule like that of the Bolshevik in Russia. To defend our shores is the greatest responsibility of government, no nation, and no voting body will bring the United States to war other than her Congress, have it be known that in the year 1921 when the United States formally and totally joined the League of Nations it was the beginning of a New Dawn, not just for her as a nation, but for the continent and the world as a whole. Today will be a day marked in history, today will be a day rejoiced for centuries, and today will be known as the day war ceased from being a concern, and today will be forever thought of in jubilation by the people, not just of America but of the world.

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Following his radio address, President Cox would attend a memorial service at Arlington National Cemetary where he would dedicate the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as a memorial to all soldiers lost by the United States in the Great War. Along with the signing of the treaty to join the League of Nations, President Cox also began negotiations for the Washington Conference For Limitation of Armaments, which was planned to take place over a series of months to limit Japanese naval expansion into the Pacific, along with limiting the size of the other navies of the world, but it was expected to take months of negotiations to find a compromise that was agreed to by all of the parties.

The final major result of November was the signing of the 1921 "Four Powers" Treaty between the United States, Empire of Japan, British Empire, and France. This treaty affirmed the earlier Lansing-Ishii agreement which agreed to halt any and all territorial expansion in the Pacific by all of the four powers, but the main development of the treaty truly was the termination of the 1902 Anglo-Japanese alliance.   

rear clear

For- Key Pittman (D-NV), William Jennings Bryan (D-NE), Charles B. Henderson (D-NV), Joseph T. Robinson (D-AR), Thaddeus H. Caraway (D-AR), Andreius A. Jones (D-NM), Furnifold McLendel Simmons (D-NC), Lee S. Stevens (D-NC), Josiah O. Wolcott (D-DE), Porter J. McCumber (R-ND), Park Trammell (D-FL), Duncan U. Fletcher (D-FL), Atlee Pomerane (D-OH), William J. Harris (D-GA), Hoke Smith (D-GA), Robert L. Owen (D-OK), Scott Ferris (D-OK), George E. Chamberlain (D-OR), Peter G. Gerry (D-RI), Nathanial B. Dial (D-SC), Ellison B. Smith (D-SC), Augustus O. Stanley (D-KY), J.C.W. Beckham (D-KY), Kenneth McKellar (D-TN), John K. Shields (D-TN), Joseph E. Ransdell (D-LA), Edward J. Gay (D-LA), William P. Hobby Sr. (D-TX), Morris Sheppard (D-TX), William H. King (D-UT), John W. Smith (D-MD), David I. Walsh (D-MA), Claude A. Swanson (D-VA), Carter Glass (D-VA), John S. Williams (D-MS), Pat Harrison (D-MS), James A. Reed (D-MO), Breckenridge Long (D-MO), Henry L. Meyers (D-MT), Thomas J. Walsh (D-MT), John B. Kendrick (D-WY).

Irrecencociable- George W. Norris (R-NE), Henry W. Keyes (R-NH), Joseph S. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ),  Hiram Johnson (R-CA), Albert B. Fall (R-NM), William M. Calder (R-NY), Frank B. Brandegee (R-CT), L. Heisler Ball (R-DE), Edwin F. Ladd (R-ND), Warren G. Harding (R-OH), William Borah (R-ID), Joseph M. McCormack (R-IL), Lawerence Y. Sherman (R-IL), William E. Crow (R-PA), Boies Penrose (R-PA), Harry S. New (R-IN), James E. Watson (R-IN), LeBaron B. Colt (R-RI), Albert B. Cummins (R-IA), Charles Curtis (R-KS), Thomas Sterling (R-SD), Peter Norbeck (R-SD), Bert M. Fernald (R-ME), Reed Smoot (R-UT), Carroll S. Page (R-VT), William P. Dilingham (R-VT), Charles E. Townsend (R-MI), Truman H. Newberry (R-MI), David Elkins (R-WV), Robert M. Lafollette (FL-WI),  Frank B. Kellogg (R-MN).

Reservationist- Ashurst (D-AZ), Raymond B. Stevens (D-NH), Walter E. Edge (R-NJ), Lawerence C. Philips (R-CO), James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. (R-NY), George P. McLean (R-CT), James F. Nugent (D-ID), Charles L. McNary (R-OR), William S. Kenyon (R-IA), Arthur Capper (R-KS), Frederick Hale (R-ME), Joseph I. France (R-MD), Henry Cabot Lodge Sr. (R-MA), Miles Poindexter (R-WA), Howard Sutherland (R-WV), James Thompson (FL-WI), Francis E. Warren (R-WY), Knute Nelson (R-MN), C.L. France (FL-WA), Charles S. Thomas (D-CO), William E. Crow (R-PA), James D. Phelan (D-CA).

forbes.com

December

With the tribulations of joining the League over with, much political clout was used by President Cox, remained committed to his domestic agenda. The heavy debate over prohibition remained, but on December 12, 1921, President Cox signed legislation known as the "Anti-Beer" Bill which outlawed doctors being able to give prescriptions of beer to their patients. This legislation further strengthened the grips of prohibition on the United States.

A positive development was the Sheppard-Towner Act, a bipartisan piece of progressive legislation that laid the groundwork for. The act provided a guide to the instruction of hygiene of maternity and infancy care through 1) public health nurses, visiting nurses, consultation centers, and childcare conferences; 2) the distribution of educational materials on prenatal care, and 3) the regulation and licensure of midwives. Appropriation of $1,480,000 for the fiscal year of 1921-1922 and $1,240,000 for the next five years ending on June 30, 1927, were made for the act. Of the funds, $5000 would go to each state with a dollar for dollar matching up to an explicit cap determined by the state's population. Costs of administering the program would not exceed $50,000 in total.  This program was administered by the Children's Bureau, though the states could decide how to utilize the money themselves.

In Baseball news, the American League and National League have voted on reverting to the 7 game world series and continuing with the 9 game series format respectively with Baseball Commissioner
 and Federal Judge, Kennesaw Mountain Landis deciding in favor of the American League, so the 1922 World Series will be decided by a best of 7 series between the American League and National League champions.   

Finally, in a pair of international stories, the Canadian Federal elections were held on December 12, 1921, with the incumbent Prime Minister Arthur Meighen's Conservative party being defeated by a large margin by W.L. Mackenzie King's Liberal Party and Thomas Crerar's Progressive Party, the final tally counted is 122 liberals, 55 Progressives, and 48 Conservatives in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister and Conservative Leader Arthur Meighen was defeated in his riding this large victory was spurred mostly due to the fact the Liberals won all of the ridings in Quebec and had great victories in the Atlantic provinces as well, the Conservative collapse in Quebec was mostly due to the 1917 conscription crisis.

user creation

The other major international news was the establishment of the Irish Free State with the signing of the Anglo-Irish treaty on 6, December 1921. The main provisions of the treaty were as follows:

1) Crown forces would withdraw from most of Ireland.

2) Ireland was to become a self-governing dominion of the British Empire, a status shared by Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, and  South Africa.

3) As with the other dominions, the King would be the Head of State of the Irish Free State and would be represented by a Governor-General.

4) Members of the new free state's parliament would be required to take an Oath of Allegiance to the Irish Free State. A secondary part of the oath was to "be faithful to His Majesty King George V, His heirs and successors by law, in virtue of the common citizenship".
 
5) Northern Ireland (which had been created earlier by the Government of Ireland Act) would have the option of withdrawing from the Irish Free State within one month of the Treaty coming into effect.

Almost immediately was this treaty denounced by the President of the Irish Republic Éamon de Valera and other "anti-treaty" forces. However, the treaty was supported by one of the main heroes of the Irish people Michael Collins and a majority of the Daíl to confirm the treaty.

As the first year of the Cox Presidency ends, it's been a wild wide, I'm sorry this update took so long to release, but as you can see it is a wild one. This update is around 20,000 characters in total, but a large chunk of that is focusing on the United States admittance into the League of Nations, so already you can see that this America is drastically different then the one we had in our original timeline, but since I know some people enjoy this timeline, I'd like to end this little Author's note by saying I really like to hear feedback from the audience about this timeline, and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns I would love to hear about them in this thread, or you can shoot me a PM if you feel like it. The next update should be coming out in the next few days, however, I have been pretty busy with school lately so apologies if there are any delays, without further ado I wish you all a good day and I hope you enjoyed it.

[Orwell]

The next update should be coming Wednesday night

[Orwell]

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A New Democratic Leader

The Cox Administration

January and Feburary 1922

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Charlie

He had been in office for 9 months, but most of it had been spent on lobbying Congress to pass the President's agenda, much of the work was set onto his Deputy Attorney General Frank Murphy, who was a young competent lawyer who had served under President Wilson. He decided to visit his friend Bill Hobby in the Senate, who had defeated Pa Ferguson and won his own old Senate seat in 1921. Charlie thought about if he should have stayed in the Senate, he was quite a powerful Senator, and someone such as Mitchell Palmer could have stayed and run the Justice Department, but with the enforcement of Prohibiton and the threat of the Reds across America Charlie knew he had to accept the job when President Cox came to ask him, this would be Charlie's last stop in his political career that spanned over 30 years. He had begun as Attorney General of Texas, before spending 2 terms in the Governor's mansion and finally spending 21 years in the United States Senate.

When he reached Senator Hobby's office he remembered the faces of all the young Texas men he had met, one of those faces he couldn't help, but shake was that of a gangly man from the Hill Country, a friend of Bill Hobby's he would ask him, as Charlie entered the office he asked, "Oh Billy, who was that Hill Country Congressman, uhh he wasn't no German.... uh" Bill Hobby's eyes immediately knew who Charlie was talking about, "Sam Johnson?" Charlie finally remembered, "Ah that's the one, with James leaving Congress to run for the Governor's mansion, how about we get him up here to Washington D.C. come the beginning of next year." Bill thought it over for a minute and then reached into his desk, he removed a pouch and two pipes, quietly he pinched tobbaco into both of them took the one to his right and moved it to the side of the desk Charlie was standing, finally he said, "Mr.Attorney General we'll be sitting here with Congressman Sam Johnson by this time next spring"

January

As America celebates the New Year, President Cox, Vice President Roosevelt and their staff's prepared for the arrival of the French Prime Minister Astride Briand for the Washington Confrence on the Limitations of Naval Warfare which would be taking place between January 4, 1921 and January 14, 1921, the United States Delegate to the League of Nations was a 40 year old United States Army Lt. Col. George C. Marshall, when he was intially nominated in December of 1921, Secretary of State Shafroth said, "If you want something done, and done right you ask Georgie right there. I have not known a man more dependeble or skilled in my life in the art of logistics, and tactics as George C. Marshall he will make an excellent representative of our nation on an international stage. He helped plan our nations greatest victories during the Great War in Europe, and if Blackjack Pershing trusts the man, damn well should the United States Senate."

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The Washington Confrence began with representatives of 9 of the League of Nations member states, those attending the conference were the USSR, United States, Netherlands, Belgium, The British Empire, France, Italy, Japan, Portugal, and the Republic of China. Along with Prime Minister Briand, the United States hosted the Chinese Premier Sun Yat Sen in the latter half of the confrence. On January 14, 1921. Representatives from the Nine Nations, agreed to a treaty and the agreement stated that it would be pushed for at the beginning of the next session of the League. This resolution within the League would push for the 'Open China' policy to become international law on 1, January 1925.

Domestically, there was not much movement in Congress, but Speaker Bill Oldfield who having no children of his mentored a pair of freshmen Congressmen John W. Ewing of Indiana, and James R. Clements of Deleware. The three men who lacked similar personalities made great allies in Congress as each man's weakness was combatted by anothers strength, both Ewing and James R. Clements lacked political influence on Capital Hill, and that was a resource Bill Oldfield had in spades as Speaker of the House. John Wallace Ewing was the son of Scottish immigrants and devout Protestants, he had been elected to Congress in 1920 on a platform of supporting the Volstad Act, and prohibition in the United States constiution. His stance on the Klan in rural Indiana was that of silence, knowing he couldn't denounce them out right and still hope to be elected in the state. Ewing a man in his early 30's was the son of a Mill worker, but through the sponsership of a close family friend he had been able to attend Indiana University and began to practice law in 1910, he joined the United States Army as a Liuetant with the outbreak of the War in 1917, and served at the Argonne and at Bellau Wood, while serving in Battery D of 129th Field Artillery his commanding officer had been a small bifocale sporting Missourian named Truman, for his service at Bellau Wood he was awarded two citations for Bravery and a Purple heart following a wound sustained in battle. With his election the House in 1920, he marks as one of the finest orators in the House and his friendship with Speaker Oldfield and Representative Clements should insure a rise in political power for the young man.

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Ewing family photo c. 1895 John Wallace Ewing standing back

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John Wallace Ewing before entering Congress in 1920

Scott Johnston SJNMA c. 1919

James Clements class picture as Brigade Commander at Virginia Military Institute

Col. James Ryan Clements was born the heir to a wealthy farming family in Deleware, he came from a loving home and was apart of the "American Aristocracy". Nearly everything in life was handed to James, but a similar level of expectations came as well, when he finished his studies at the prestigious Exeter Academy as Head Prefect, President of the Student Union, and Valedictorian he attended the Virginia Military Institute where he would become the school's Brigade Commander and Cadet Colonel as a Senior in 1896, following his graduation he would be comissioned as a 2nd Liutenant in the United States Army, but that was a reserve duty as soon he was called to active duty and sent to Cuba as the Adjutant of the 1st US Volunteer Cavalary Regiment nicknamed the "Rough Riders" under the command of Colonel Leonard Wood and Liuetenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Clements was breveted the rank of Major due to his position as Adjutant and took part in both the battle of San Juan Hill and the Siege of Santiago, the former of which he fought right alongside Theodore Roosevelt in the most brutal section of the conflict. With the victory in the Spanish-American war, Clements returned to reserve duty in 1899, and managed his families vast estates for his father John Douglass Clements who had been a Civil War veteran, leading a regiment of Deleware soldiers during the battle of Gettysburg and losing his leg in the dense fighting to a cannon shot. In 1904, John Clements died after a bout of Pnuemonia leaving his, 26 year old son as one of the richest men in Deleware. For the next few years, Clements would focus on building his business, expanding from farming to begin ship building, mining, and newspapers throughout the Mid Atlantic. In 1920, he ran for Congress in Deleware with an extremely well funded and well ran campaign, and defeated the Republican incumbent Congressman Caleb R. Layton by a 55-40 margin in the November election.

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Clements hat seen behind Roosevelt

President Cox met with Speaker Oldfield and Senator Oscar Underwood under the cover of darkness at the White House in late January of 1922. He inquired about two possibilities in Congress, one that would benefit the isolationists, but not displease the Imperialists too much, the Independence of the Phillipine islands by 1930, and the latter issue was one of much controversery but also a focal point of Cox campaign, a ban on schools teaching in langauges other than English before the 8th grade.

 In areas such as the Texas Hill Country it was common place for some young people not to learn English until the 2nd or 3rd grade due to the almost monolithic presence of German in their society, President Cox felt as many members of Congress did that if America were to be united in the future, the nation needed a united culture, and a united language, Oldfield and Underwood both understood the President's intentions, but they pleaded with him to rethink they both did not believe that the legislation would be passed in their chamber and they risked angering both the Farmer-Labor and Socialist Congressmen that allied with the Democrats on certain key votes, but when they left the room President Cox had given them their marching orders and they returned to their respective offices and barked out the orders for aids to bring them members of their delegations they knew would be trouble.

Feburary

With the news of President Cox's plans for the reform of the American schooling system reached the newspapers, readers around the nation were incensed with the President's plans to ban the teaching of non English languages before the 8th grade. Thousands of letters poured onto Capital Hill each day, and when the bill reached debate in the House, the two Socialist members of the chamber requested to speak, the request was granted by the presiding officer, and the two men, Meyer London and Max Eastman preceded to begin singing "The Internationale" in Russian following after this began the presiding officer ordered them to stop, and when they refused he ordered the House Sergeant at Arms to physically remove the two Congressmen from the chamber they were carried from the chamber while continuing to sing "The Internationale" (1) this action by London and Eastman brought them great publicity and was used as a PR tool by the Socialist Party showing that they were the only one's to stand and fight for the rights of the working class in America.

Washington Post via HoC

Later dramatization of the incident in the 2009 move, "Oppression"

With the dramatic arrest of both London and Eastman, Congressional opposition significantly stepped up with fierce debate occuring between those in favor and those opposed to the legislation, one day a shouting match broke out that lasted for half an hour before order was finally restored to the Senate. An unknown Senator was heard saying in deference to the bill's opponents, "Reds every goddamn one of them, if they have their way we'll all be like the Romanovs by Christmas." The legislation finally reached a vote before the full House and the vote went as expected, in the affirmative 155 and in the negation 280. This, was to be the first major defeat of James Middleton Cox's Presidency, but it would not be the last. The public uproar over the legislation was not over yet, and neither would the effects of this legislation on the American poltical climate for years to come, the fight over this bill would be memorialized in the 2009 American movie "Oppression" which would win the Oscar for best picture, and give Daniel Day Lewis the Oscar for Best Actor for his potrayal of Congressman Max Eastman.

Outside of politics one of the biggest sporting events in history took place on Feburary 12, 1922 as the world's first million dollar fight took place pitting Heavyweight champion of the world Jack Dempsey and Light Heavyweight Champion of the world Georges Carpentier, the fight ended 2 minutes into the 5th round when the American Dempsey knocked Carpentier to the ground, and was declared the winner by Knockout.

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Sam

The newest member of the United States Senate sat in Sam's living room, Bill Petty Sr. who had been a friend of Sam's when he resided in the Governor's mansion drank from a tin coffee cup, Bill looked at him then back at his coffee and said, "Well Sam, you know I look good upon you, and Im sure you've heard the rumors that James Buchanan is giving the Governor's mansion a go, well I was up in D.C. last month talking Charlie Culberson the Attorney General, and he had the idea you'd like to come to Washington and help do some good for a few years."

Sam was took back, he didn't expect for Petty to offer him a place in the United States Congress, Sam had spent 6 years in the State House and he thought that was all that would happen. Sam took a breath, and asked "Why the hell not, Senator I am running for Congress." with those words Bill Petty smiled and stood up to shake the hand of Sam Johnson, soon to be Congressman Samuel Ealy Johnson Jr. would this finally be the end of the "Johnson" curse that had caused so much turmoil in the Johnson family over the last 60 years. that much was unknown, but waht Sam knew is that he had a hard battle to win the nomination. "Bill, when do we get started?"

Petty laughed, "Well Sammie, I think we should give it a minute don't you think the primary election isn't until August, and you'll have the support of me and Charlie. I think we have some connections that could help you out in this part of the state. I'll telegraph Johnson City soon." With those words he left the Johnson home and headed to his automobile, Sam could not believe his luck, maybe he finally would become a somebody, not just in Blanco county, or Austin but in the United States Congress. (2)

It has returned! I have been sick and busy with school recently, but I hope this update is worth the wait, I added in a few point of view's for this chapter and I was wondering if I could get some feedback on the developments not just of the Pov's but of the chapter as a whole, as always I hope you enjoy the rest of your day/night. Goodbye.

(1) The Internationale in Russian in case anyone wanted to give it a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8EMx7Y16Vo
(2) Much of my information about Samuel Ealy Johnson Jr. comes from Robert Caro's incredible biographies on Lyndon Baines Johnson, I highly suggest them as they're excellent reads for anyone interested in his Presidency, according to Richard Nixon the three best Politicians of the 20th century were, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson. That's quite high praise.

[Orwell]

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A New Democratic Leader

The Cox Administration

March and April 1922

March

As Febuarary ended and March began the problems that President Cox had encountered during the beignning of the year continued to harrang President Cox. With the failure of the Americanization legislation in the House of Representatives even with the use of much of his political capital. However, on March, 4, 1922 President Cox ordered that the Secretary of the Smithsonian Dr.Charles Doolittle Walcott be fired and removed from office for the corrupt practices he had presided over in regards to the certification of the Aircraft, to replace Secretary Walcott, President Cox was nominating his close friend and one of the inventors of the first Aeroplane Orville Wright, who was a longtime of the President.

Another responsibility of Secretary Wright would be to oversee the new developments in the realm of aviation, with a push for the formation of the new department of the Army, "The Army Air Corps". With the announcement of hearings being scheduled over the asscension of the current Army Air Service to full Departmental service being investigated, the vast majority of the Military Establishment, Congressmen on the Armed Services committee, and Diplomatic Corps were in agreement that the Air Service should become a full department underneath the Army, much like the Marine Corps in how it served as a land component to the nation's naval forces, the Air Corps would serve as an aerial component to the land forces of the Army.

The Nation's first Aircraft Carrier was cristened as well, the United States Ship Langley was launched on March 20, to great spectacle from Norfolk Naval Yard in Virginia. The ship will be sent on a tour of the world, the Carrier will be escorted by two American Battleships the USS Tennessee and the USS California where it will travel to Britain, then to Portugal and France, finally it will make it's way to the Orient where it will visit China and Japan before finally finishing it's world tour in the Phillipines in September of 1922, notable officers on board the Lexington include one Hyman G. Rickover a recent graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolois.

Mesothelioma Help

The leading supporters of the "Army Air Corps" are Major General Billy Mitchell of the United States Army, who had been the commander of all American air units in France during the Great War, he is assissted by his Aide-De-Camp Captain Henry"Hap"Arnold. The final major proponent of the Air Corps was Colonel Oscar Westover, who while not as revolutionary as Mitchell and Arnold was still one of the most progressive minds in the Army command, while many others such as General Pershing and his allies in Col. Marshall and General Summerall are reluctant to approve of the Air Corps.


With the beginning of the formation of the "Army Air Corps", President Cox would turn his sights to fighting against a plague that had continued to infect the nation, the Volstad Act that had passed in the years prior, Cox an ever present proponent of Prohibition worked to establish the Bureau of Prohibition as an Indpendent department within the perview of the Justice department with the Director answering to the Attorney General of the United States Charles A. Culberson.

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During the first year of his administration it was estimated that the Bootleggers had summgled over 100 million dollars worth of illegal alcohol into the United States and sold it for massive profits, the actions of said men were getting more nefarious by the day, with the murder of a Prohibition Bureau agent in Feburary 1922 on the streets of Chicago. It was hoped that the new found powers of the Brueau of Prohibition had an effect on the damage the mobsters could cause and limit their activities across the nation. However, the goals of Cox were not entirely selfless, as the Women's Christian Temperance Union, boasted over 320,000 members as of their final report in 1921, if Cox wished to win victory in 1924 he would need these key votes concentrated mainly in key states in the Plains and Midwest such as Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, and Nebraska. 

April

With the failure of the education agenda of President Cox, an issue agreed upon generally by the Republicans and many Democrats was a limitation of immigration and the instiution of further quotas to further limit immigration from eastern and southern Europe, while this policy was not approved by the Socialists and many of the northern urban Democrats. In the end however it seemed a majority of both houses of Congress would elect to vote in favor of the quotas set forth in the Logan-Hawley Act.

The legislation itsself would prove to be minor, however the repercussions would be major as on April 22, 1922 the Socialist Party of America would pack nearly 50,000 supporters into the Polo Grounds, where many prominent Socialists of the era spoke, this event took place at a time when the strength of the Socialist Party of America was at it's apex, with tens of thousands of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe feeling betrayed by the Democrats support for immigration quotas when those immigrants had been such loyal party men many defected to the Socialist party with the promises of such great reforms, such as Workman's Insurance, Unemployment Insurance, a minimum wage, and other seemingly necessary reforms to those immigrating from Eastern Europe.

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When the Mayor of New York, most likely the most powerful Socialist in America Morris Hillquit took the stage, and when his speech began the men within the stadium fell silent:

My fellow workers today, in the halls of Congress our nation. The one currently owned by the Capitalists our lawmakers say they will regulate, passed a measure to launch quotas onto immigrants fleeing tyranny and deceit in Europe. Many of you here today, are immigrants. My good Meyer London who voiced some of the loudest opposition to the bill is an immigrant. The Socialist movement, not just in America, but in the world as a whole cannot stop immigration, because immigration is a human decency, that even I did not believe that the corrupt, dissentless body of government in Washington D.C. would allow to come to a halt. These people flee from their eastern nations to come to America, because they wish to work, they wish to prosper, and they wish to remain.

This step towards tyranny and destruction is one too great for America to take without our total destruction as a nation and as a people. We are not one people, under God we are many millions of people each unique and suited for our own destiny under this shining sun that blesses the people from Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island to the new states of New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma, and out to the far western reaches of the American Empire in Hawaii, Alaska, and The Phillipines. Fellow Socialists, the time to act is now, as we see in Italy the battle between the workers and the capitalists, as we see across our shining nation, where 600,000 coal miners strike in opposition to the slave conditions entrenched upon them by the employer, Workers! I call to you do not betray your brother in the mine, and your brother will not betray in your factor, or on your dock, for the only true victory the workers of the world can hope to achieve is one where we are not divided by the capitalists, but one where we are United in our fight against their tyranny and torture.

James

President Cox sat within the oval office with Secretary of War Stimson, Attorney General Culberson, and the Vice President. He was at his desk and was visably angry. "Dammit Franklin you know the repercussions of this, not just on the party, but on the damn nation! We have half a million coal miners on the line, I can't break the strike or the midwest bolts from the party, we have Congressmen from our own damn party defying us, and don't get me started on the Republicans! We're fracturing Franklin we need something to bring the party together do any of you have any idea what we're going here?"

Franklin looked at the President, his glasses had been snapped in his anger and Franklin calmly looked at him and took a deep breath, "Mr.President we need to appeal to the working class again, those Commies have us beat at every turn especially the Jew Hillquit. I think Attorney General Culberson has a few ideas on how we could deal with him and his "comrades" Mr.President." Cox chuckled showing a smile for the first time today, "Well tell me then."

Culberson said, "Well Mr.President there has been a deep investigation into the actions of New York City Hall and specifically the actions of Mayor Hillquit..." as Culberson was speaking one of the President's aides requested to enter the Oval office, "Mr.Preisdent this is urgent, it cannot wait." The President boomed, "Come in. This better be important son," the aide handed the President the telegram dotted with sweat and partially cumprled it was still readable, Associate Justice William Day was dead. Cox placed the paper down, stood up and looked at the men in the room, "Gentleman, Justice Day is dead, this conversation must be resumed at another time, Franklin may I speak to you in private, I have an idea on whom could be the next Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Oh and Charles, before you leave, I have heard rumors of bootlegging happening in New York City, I would suggest you send men to investigate... discreetly."

Bit of a shorter update today, but a slew of major players are introduced for the future of this timeline. Does anyone have any suggestions or picks for who might challenge Cox in 1924 or if Cox will run for reelection please respond below as I always love to hear everyone's opinion on this timeline and the other work I do here on the forum.

[Elcaspar]

Things seem to be spicing up a bit for the Cox Administration.

[Orwell]

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A New Democratic Leader

The Cox Administration

May and June 1922

May

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With the death of Associate Justice William R. Day at the end of April 1922, President Cox, Vice President Roosevelt and the cabinet convened to decide upon on a new nominee for Associate Justice. The first choice had been Former Associate Justice and 1916 Presidential candidate Charles Evans Hughes, who while being open to the idea of returning to the court, decided against it and informed the White House that he would be running for Governor of New York in the fall with the support of the state's current Republican Governor Nathan L. Miller, who wanted to retire and reenter private life, but believed without a strong candidate the Republican's could lose the Governorship to Democratic challenger and former Governor Alfred E. Smith.

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The next leading candidate was a Democrat, this one Henry De Lamar Clayton Jr. was quite a progressive Former Congressman from Alabama, who had been appointed to the Federal Court by President Wilson in early 1914. During his time in the House, Clayton had proven himself as he spearheaded the impeachment of two Federal Judges as a House Impeachment Manager, he also introduced the Clayton Anti-Trust Act and served as a key sponsor. Clayton's major service in the house was his Chairmanship of the Committee on Judiciary for the 62nd and 63rd Congresses. There are some reservations about the appointment of Clayton to the Supreme Court, as he is known for unbiased and strict constiutional opinions as well as the age of Clayton as he is 64 years old and not in perfect health.

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The final candidate and the eventual nominee is someone that many in Congress could have predicted from his personal realtionship with President Cox, and many in the Republican Senate caucus were happily allowing for him to be removed from the chamber. This man is the noted maverick Senator William Borah of Idaho, a noted progressive who challenged the Clayton Anti-trust act as being a sell-out to the Trusts themselves as it was only passed to make it seem as Congress were battaling the Trusts. Borah was also a fierce opponent of the Federal Reserve and Federal Trade Commission as he believed both of them would end up in the control of the bankers and industries they sought to regulate.

Much like his close friend President Cox, Borah is a strong supporter of Prohibition, he is moderate on the issue of tariffs, and other progressive policies. With the defection of Senator Robert La Follete from the Republican Party to the Farmer-Labor Party, Borah, George W. Norris of Nebraska, and Fiorello La Guardia remain some of the most prominent Progressive Republicans in the halls of Congress. With Borah's resignation to become an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, it seemed like the next United States Senator from Idaho would be of the conservative bent Addison T. Smith the Representative from Idaho's 1st Congressional district, who while not as conservative as some eastern Republicans is far to the right of Borah.

There are some problems with Borah's nomination, before his first election to the United States Senate and even after, Borah was indicted on charges of Land Fraud, and he was also one of the lead prosecutors in the case against International Worker's of the World organizer Bill Haywood, who was accused of conspiring to murder a Former Governor of Idaho in a labor dispute. However, the power of the IWW has been greatly reduced, and many of the leading Trade Unions, including the striking United Mine Workers of America continue to oppose Socialism, however with the current inaction by the Cox administration and the outright support from prominent Socialists such as Eugene Debs, Morris Hillquit, and David Eastman the support for the Socialists is growing among the workers across the United States.

In the end, the charges against Borah for the supposed land fraud stemmed from a political feud with the United States Attorney, and following Borah's inaguration in the Senate, then President Roosevelt fired the Attorney and appointed someone less vile to the position. By the end of May 1922, the vetting process for Senator Borah had been completed and having ruled out the appointment of Henry De Lamar Clayton Jr., and with Former Justice Charles Evans Hughes refusing an appointment to the bench it was decided that Borah would be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, it would be an easy confirmation as both the Democrats and Republicans respected Borah and expected him to sail through both the committee hearing and the floor vote.

In sporting news, the meat of the major league season took earnest in May, at the end of the month the leagues have the Clevleland Indians leading the American league with a record of 33-16 through the 1st of June, that is a 2 game lead over the Washington Senators, and a 3 1/2 game lead over the New York Yankees. In the Senior Circuit, The Cincinatti Red's at a 30-17 mark followed closely by the defending World Champion New York Giants, and the Chicago Cubs.

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Statistically one of the key reasons for Clevlelands hot streak is the play of Tris Speaker, through the end of May he is batting a .487 mark with a .588 OBP and 42 RBI's through 32 games. (He is at a 255 OPS+ league average is 100) For comparison the next best player in the league is hitting .378 a whole .109 less than Speaker. Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns is batting .378 with 11 home runs and 50 RBI's, leading the league in those latter 2 categories while being 2nd to only Speaker in average. On the pitching side, Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators is having another incredible season, through the end of the month Johnson holds a record of 9-2 with a 2.18 ERA, he leads baseball with both of those statistics.

In international news, a general strike was called in Rome by workers affiliated with Socialist leaning Trade Unions, in response to the growing fascist sentiment within the nation. The leader of the USSR Vladmir Lenin suffered a stroke, which seems to have debilitated the right side of his body and left him unable to speak, and in Austria Ignaz Seipel became chancellor of the Republic.

June

As spring morphed into summer, it seemed that it would be a quiet run up to the midterm elections. It seemed almost certain the Republican party would regain control of at least one house of Congress, but some of the most heavily contested Congressional elections saw news, in West Virginia Democratic Congressman Matthew Neely is challenging the incumbent Republican Howard Sutherland. Utah Democratic Senator William H. King is under a tough contest from the Former Mayor of Salt Lake City Ernest Bamberger, the same stands for Senator Peter G. Gerry in Rhode Island who is challenged by a local businessman R. Livingston Beeckham.

Ohio Democratic Senator and friend of President Cox Atlee Pomerene is battling Congressman Simeon Fess to retain his seat in the Senate, Republican Senator William Calder is under threat from New York City Doctor Royal S. Copeland. New Meixco Democrat Andrieus Jones is being challenged by mining magnate Stephen Davis Jr. while in Nebraska Senator William Jennings Bryan having been appointed to the seat last year is being harranged by Republican challenger Robert B. Howell. Other major Senate races include, Montana, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maryland, Indiana, and Delaware. The Republicans only need to win over 2 Senate seats from the Democrats to win the majority come November, but a larger victory could happen.

In Washington, the reforms President Cox promised continue to churn slowly. However, with the defeat of his "Americanization" bill earlier in the year, he has expended much political capital. It would take time for President Cox to regain the trust of Congress, and even the members of his own party before he could continue to enact his progressive agenda, good news however came when on June 6, Former Senator William Borah was sworn in as an associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Borah's successor in the Senate was Addison T. Smith, but with Borah on the court the court reached a series of major decisions, with all but one being unanimous. In Federal Baseball Club v. National League, Justice Borah dissented from the majority opinion that Major League Baseball was not privy to regulation under the Clayton Anti-Trust act, with this, "For any recognition of a monopoly by this court as not a monopoly paints a picture for the people, that in fact if you have complete control of an industry not even the Supreme Court will strike down your existance, for these reasons and others I have presented I respectfully dissent"

In baseball news, Tris Speaker's Clevleand Indians continued to reign atop the American League, but with Speaker coming back to earth with his average (still an MLB leader) falling to .406 by the beginning of June. Trailing the Indians are the Yankees who trail by 1 game, followed by the Senators who trail by 4 games, the Browns who are down by 5, then the Chicago White Soxs and Detroit Tigers who trail by 9 and 10 games respectively, while in the league cellar sit the Boston Red Sox and the Philidelphia Athletics trailing by 14 1/2 and 20 1/2 respectively. In the National League the New York Giants have captured the top slot in what is quickly becoming a two horse race, as 1 1/2 games behind the Giants sit the Reds, at 8 1/2 back the Pittsburgh Pirates sit in third, followed by the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs who sit at 15 games back apiece. Rounding out the celler in the Senior Circuit are the Brooklyn Robins at 19 games back, the Philidelphia Phillies at 20 games back, and the Boston Braves at 21 games back.

Notable Stats this month include, Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns who launched 8 home runs, and 29 RBI's in the month of May to put himself on top of the league in both homeruns and RBI's with 19 and 79 respectively. Pete Donohue of the Cincinatti Reds checks in leading baseball in wins with 11, tied with Walter Johnson and Carmen Hill, while another Red Dolf Luque keeps the lowest ERA in baseball, with Walter Johnson hot on his heels again (Luque 2.19, Johnson 2.20) That is all the baseball news for the month of June see you again in July!

Well it's been a while, but I hope this update is worth it, we have a new Supreme Court Justice and hopefully it suprised some people, but in Cox's autobiography (Journey Through My Years $20 on Amazon) he details that if he would have been elected President in 1920 that he would have put both Henry De Lamar Clayton Jr. and Borah on the Supreme Court, I think for this context it would make more sense for Borah to be the nominee in this situation. Now for the baseball stuff, as some of you may know I am a big baseball fan, so I am going to be running an OOTP save file that goes to the present day and that will give me all my information on baseball for future posts within this universe. I hope you enjoyed this update have a wonderful day.

[Orwell]

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A New Democratic Leader

The Cox Administration

July 1922

President Cox turned to foreign policy for the first time since the United States joined the League of Nations in November of 1921. However, it was actually a domestic matter, in the platform for the 1920 election against Senator Harding, the Democrats and Cox had promised Independence for the Phillipine islands within ten years, and by this point it was reaching a point where Cox and much of Congress was willing to work on a compromise to grant the Independence to the Filipino people. As of 1920 there are 10,500,000 people residing in the Philipine islands, they are currently under Governor-General Leonard Wood.

The Republicans in Congress were lukewarm to the freedom of the Phillipines, but it was expected that many of the more progressive Republicans in both houses of Congress such as George W. Norris, Fiorella La Guardia, and the Farmer Labor caucus, (La Follete, Thompson, and France) would back the legislation as it would lead to a less international situation in the United States, however many Democrats wished to continue the strong ties the United States and Phillipines had grown during the past 22 years of occupation. The idea between the two was the continued development of the Phillipines under a bicamerial legislature similar to that of the United States, and in 15 years on July 4, 1937 the Phillipines will be secured in their Independence from the United States.

The secondary parts of the legislation allowed for a 2/3 Majority in the Filipino legislature to move the Independence back 5 years if they felt it would be beneficial to the Filipino people and with the consent of the United States Congress and President. There was also a 5 million dollar loan made to the Phillipine islands on a yearly basis over the decade totaling $50 million, the usage of the money was to be directed to improving the roads, rails, schools, and other infrastructure improvements in the Phillipine islands. In exchange for these loans the Phillipines would grant the United States 99 year leases on the Naval Base at Subic Bay, along with 4 other sites that would be agreed upon by the Phillipino government and the United States Military. To decern the sites of these military bases, President Cox by way of Army Chief of Stadd Pershing was the Superintendent of West Point Brigader General Douglas MacArthur, who would also be serving as the Commander of the Military District of Manila.

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The first Phillipines Presidential election was scheduled for October, 1922 and the leading candidates were Senate President Manuel L. Quezon, Emilio Aguinaldo who had served as the First President of the Phillipines during their brief Indpendence in 1899, and an excommunicated Filipino Bishop named Gregorio Aglipay. It is expected that Quezon and his Nacionalista Party will defeat Aguinaldo's National Socialists, and Aglipay's Republicans in both the elections to the Presidency, along with the House and Senate of the Phillipines.

On the homefront, Labor unrest continued as President Cox met with representatives of the United Mine Workers of America and many of the Mine Owners in an attempt to mediate the dispute. The main concerns the miners had were the lack of safe working conditions, the low pay, and the poor benefits the mine owners contributed to the workers. President Cox proposed a 5% wage increase for the coal miners which was agreed to upon by the Owners, along with an increase to their dues to the survivor benefit the Mine workers would be placated by this and United Mine Workers President John Lewis agreed to the terms presented by President Cox as did the onwers.

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Following what Cox had belived to be successful negotiations, and the agreement of John Lewis a silent coup was carried out within the Mine Workers union, those loyal to Lewis had not forseen the growing power of those who wanted a leader more supportive of the left wing in the Union. In the night of July, 7, 1922 dozens of Anti-Lewis UMWA Local heads, and District President's filed into a confrence room in Pittsburgh, their leader was John Brophy a young Englishman and a leftist, the President of the United Mine Workers District 2 of Central Pennsylvania. The men in that room made up a majority of the needed votes to remove Lewis, and that is exactly what they did replacing him with John Brophy. The reason behind the coup against Lewis was obvious, while many were content with his policies, they did not respect his attitude towards work stoppages or the Mine Owners. The strike was back on, as Lewis had been removed from power before he could enforce, and the next day another drastic note, 400,000 Railroad workers would begin striking on July 9, that brought the total number of striking workers to nearly 1 million and it showed the growing strength of the Unions in the United States of America.

In the Major Leagues the New York Yankees have taken first place in the American League with a 65-39 record while the Wahoos trail by 3 games, in third place sit the St. Louis Brown's led by MLB RBI leader Ken Williams they sit 10 back, 1/2 game behind the Browns are the Washington Senators led by Big Right Hander Walter Johnson, 14 1/2 games back are the Chicago White Socks, 16 1/2 are the Detroit Tigers, 20 games back are the Boston Red Socks, and in the basement of the American League sits the Philidelphia Atheltics 29 1/2 games back with a measly record of 34/67 good for a .337 winning percentage. In the national league, the defending World Champion New York Giants continue their reign atop the National League with a record of 67-36, 3 1/2 games back are the Cincinatti Red's, 8 games behind the Red's and 11 1/2 behind the Giants are the St. Louis Cardinals, a game behind the Cardinals are the Pittsburgh Pirates, followed by the Chicago Cubs at 20 games back, the Phillies of Philidelphia at 23 games back, the Boston Braves at 25 back, and finally the Brooklyn Robbins at 28 1/2 games behind the Giants.

[Orwell]

This will be revived later this weekend