Are these cartoons for or against Roosevelt? Sources E, F and G all show different views towards Roosevelt.

Source F is much more favorable towards Roosevelt. It is a newspaper cartoon from one of the early days in Roosevelt’s presidency when he had just seen off Herbert Hoover in the 1932 election. Hoover is in the cartoon; he is the man walking off in the background and is walking off holding a timetable maybe for a bus or a train emphasizing the fact that his aim to get a car in every garage was not achieved for Hoover himself. Roosevelt is shown holding a large dustbin full of rubbish representing Hoover’s policies, a sign with ‘prosperity is around the corner’, and the problems in America at that time, a scarecrow labeled ‘ruined individual’. He is setting the dustbin out in the road for collection as someone who has just bought a new house might throw out belongings left by a previous owner, this is to show that Roosevelt is getting rid of Hoover’s policies of no government intervention with the economy and that that prosperity would soon occur naturally. He also has his sleeves rolled up to show that he is ready and willing to work hard. There is also a caption at the bottom of the cartoon, which reads, “getting rid of the rubbish” to show that Roosevelt is getting rid of Hoover’s do-nothing policies. The cartoon is saying that whereas Hoover was a ‘do-not’ do-nothing’ president, Roosevelt is going to actively try to end the Depression with his New Deal. The mood of the cartoon matches the mood of the U.S. public at the time that the New Deal was going to bring prosperity to America.

Source G is different from the other to because it is both positive and negative. Roosevelt is shown as a doctor treating an ill-looking Uncle Sam who represents the Americans suffering from the Depression. There is a round table next to Uncle Sam, which is covered with bottles of tried medicines representing the various New Deal agencies. The NRA is the largest bottle because the NRA was the most prominent agency in the New Deal, it was the national recovery agency, it arranged public parades to boost moral and encourage people to feel better as the New Deal was working . The cartoonist is saying that despite all these agencies the Depression is still there and that the New Deal is ineffective. There is a speech bubble coming from Roosevelt, which says “Of course we may have to change remedies if we don’t get results”, Roosevelt is speaking to a Nurse representing Congress. This shows that the cartoonist believes that despite his previous methods not working Roosevelt is still willing to try and bring the Depression to an end and is willing to try again. Also showing Congress as a nurse helping Roosevelt could be showing that Congress supports Roosevelt and is willing to stand by him despite his New Deal being ineffective so far.

Therefore I think that cartoon E is against Roosevelt because it is saying that his New Deal is ineffective and that he is wasting taxpayers’ money. Cartoon F is supporting Roosevelt because it shows him as a President who will actively try to end the Depression. Cartoon G is both for and against Roosevelt because although it says that the New Deal is ineffective.