212 a short history of the united states
public development of hydroelectric facilities, and the right of Con-
gress to override decisions of the Supreme Court. At the Democratic
convention northern delegates who represented Jews, Catholics, and
the foreign-born demanded the condemnation of the Ku Klux Klan
and repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, but southern delegates,
controlled to a large extent by the KKK and representing religious fun-
damentalists, objected. After a protracted struggle between Governor
Alfred E. Smith of New York, a “wet” on Prohibition, a Catholic, and
a chieftain of New York City’s Democratic stronghold, Tammany Hall,
and a former secretary of the treasury, William G. McAdoo, who sup-
ported southern “drys,” the convention gave the nod to John Davis, a
New York lawyer with strong ties to banking and industrial interests.
But it took 103 ballots to produce this candidate.
An important innovation occurred during the campaign. For the
first time the conventions were broadcast over the newest form of com-
munication, radio. Radio stations in New York, Washington, and six-
teen stations in twelve cities across the country, carried the proceedings.
Some politicians had a natural flare for this new medium, such as
Franklin D. Roosevelt. His speech for nomination of Governor Smith,
wherein he dubbed him “the Happy Warrior of the political battle-
fi eld,” electrified the audience and made him an instant celebrity.
This new method of communication became immediately pop ular
and necessitated the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission,
with five members appointed by the President to issue and revoke li-
censes for the operation of radio stations and to regulate programming.
The name of this commission was later changed to the Federal Com-
munications Commission (FCC), and granted additional power over
television after its invention.
Not unexpectedly, Coolidge and the Republican Party enjoyed a
stunning victory. Coolidge himself garnered over 15 million votes,
compared with 8 million for Davis and almost 5 million for La Follette.
Both houses of Congress were also captured by the Republicans.
The Roaring Twenties were rightly named. And how they
roared. American songs, jazz, the shimmy (a dance), and illegal drink-
ing gave the 1920 s a special and uniquely American quality. In addi-