Hoover, Herbert Clark

US mining engineer and Republican politician

Secretary of Commerce 1921-1928

31st president of US 1929-1933

after 1929 stock market crash, attempted unsuccessfully and belatedly to deal with Great Depression, providing some assistance to businesses, including establishment of Reconstruction Finance Corporation 1932, but declining to provide direct federal relief to the unemployed

signed Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act 1930

ordered dispersal of Bonus Army encampment in Washington DC 1932

signed Norris-La Guardia Act 1932

Republican presidential candidate 1932

vocal opponent of Franklin Roosevelt's policies, especially New Deal programs and diplomatic recognition of Soviet Union

coordinator of Food Supply for World Famine 1946-1947

chairman of Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government (1st Hoover Commission) 1947-1949

chairman of Commission on Government Operations (2nd Hoover Commission) 1953-1955

• "No greater nor more affectionate honor can be conferred on an American than to have a public school named after him."
• "Once upon a time my political opponents honored me as possessing the fabulous intellectual and economic power by which I created a world-wide depression all by myself."
• "When there is a lack of honor in government, the morals of the whole people are poisoned."
• "Children are our most valuable natural resource."
• "It is a curious fact that when we get sick we want an uncommon doctor... When we get into a war, we dreadfully want an uncommon admiral and an uncommon general. Only when we get into politics are we content with the common man."