1932

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study begins. 200 black men diagnosed with syphilis are never told of their illness, are denied treatment, and instead are used as human guinea pigs in order to follow the progression and symptoms of the disease. They all subsequently die from syphilis, their families never told that they could have been treated.

Rockefeller Foundation grants are used to establish full-time departments of psychiatry in teaching hospitals and medical schools, including Chicago, Duke, Harvard, McGill, St. Louis, Tulane, Yale, and Washington.

The presidential campaign is staged against the background of the depression. Millions of people mistakenly blame President Hoover for the depression. Political manager James A. Farley is able to procure a strong lead for Roosevelt long before the Democratic convention opens. Roosevelt flies to Chicago to make his acceptance speech in person, showing that he is prepared to act boldly and that polio will not hamper him as president.

Hoover fights a vigorous battle, denouncing Roosevelt’s ideas, but Roosevelt carries all but 6 states. Hoover then wants to work with Roosevelt on emergency measures but Roosevelt believes that without authority he can take no responsibility.

On December 13, 1932, Chairman McFadden introduced a resolution of impeachment against President Hoover for high crimes and misdemeanors, which covers many pages, including violation of contracts, unlawful dissipation of the financial resources of the United States, and his appointment of Eugene Meyer to the Federal Reserve Board. The resolution was tabled and never acted upon by the House since it is a moot point after the election of Roosevelt.

In December of 1932, it seemed inevitable to many observers of the German scene that Hitler was also ready for a toboggan slide into oblivion. Despite the fact that he had done well in national campaigns, he had spent all the money from his usual sources and now faced heavy debts.