In our previous episode, we covered Herbert Hoover's rise to prominence, from his humble beginnings in a Quaker community in Iowa, to his years as a hard-driving businessman and world traveler.

We covered how he became the great humanitarian during World War I. His was that classic Horatio Alger story, the orphan who overcomes insurmountable odds and

attains great success. We also covered Hoover's obsession with efficiency, something that progressives

of the day took notice of. Many of them hoped that he could lead their movement into a new era,

now that Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow

Wilson had left the stage. But Hoover's story was really just beginning. It's often argued

that Herbert Hoover saved more people, tens of millions, if not over 100 million people,

than anyone else in history. There was relief efforts during the war.

Biographer Kenneth White described this as a major historical accomplishment,

one Hoover was rightly praised for. And now that the war was over, it seemed clear that Hoover

would play some major role in the new decade, the 1920s. That story is the subject of this episode of This American President.

Music As the war concluded, it was only natural for speculation to ensue about Hoover's future.

And it was clear that Hoover was interested in playing some major role in the new era of peace.

And that era was an exciting and promising time. America was an industrial giant, something made

clear by the fact that Europe, one of its few competitors, was in shambles from the war.

Now that the fighting had stopped, there was hope that America could reach new heights of

prosperity and achievement. But aside from his views on efficiency,

Hoover had yet to make his political beliefs known, or to offer a comprehensive explanation of what

he believed and what policies he supported. So he began to give speeches to increase his visibility

and more clearly delineate his worldview.

It was clear that Hoover believed that traditional laissez-faire economics was obsolete.

He had written back in 1919, quote,

...