Farley, James A.

Description

Type: Letter
Description: (1888-1976) New York Irish Catholic politician, Chairman of New York State Democratic Committee, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and US Postmaster General 1933-40 simultaneously in first 2 terms of President Franklin Roosevelt. Campaign manager for Al Smith and Roosevelt’s NY gubernatorial campaigns as well as FDR’s 1932 & 1936 presidential campaigns. He pulled together New Deal coalition of Catholics, labor unions, and big city machines. Farley and his patronage machine helped fuel the New Deal’s social and infrastructure programs via the Post Office Department and WPA/PWA programs. He opposed FDR’s breaking the 2-term tradition of the presidency, and broke with him in 1940. As of 1942, Farley was supreme Democratic boss of New York.

In 1947, President Truman appointed him to the Hoover Commission, a/k/a the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government. His work on the Commission led to development and ratification of the 22^nd Amendment to the Constitution, establishing modern executive term-limit laws.

Farley guided and led Coca-Cola International for 30+ years, was responsible for its global expansion as a quasi-government agency in WW II. Used as a boost to the morale and energy levels of the fighting men, “Coke” was shipped with food and ammo as a “war priority item” which spread Coke’s market worldwide at government expense. Also at US expense after the war, 59 new Coke plants were installed to help rebuild Europe. NYC’s landmark James Farley Post Office is a monument to his public service career.

TLS “Jim” (in usual green ink) on 10 ½ x 7 personal letterhead, NYC, May 15 1951, to Neil McNeil, New York Times, congratulates him on receipt of the John O’Hara Cosgrave Award for distinguished work in journalism, hopes that in retirement he will have good health and happiness.

Neil MacNeil (1923-2008) Journalist, began as New York Times local reporter. He was United Press congressional correspondent 1949-58, then joined TIME Magazine becoming chief Congressional correspondent. He appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and CBS’ “Face the Nation.” For 3 years from 1964, he made a weekly report, “MacNeil on Congress,” for Eastern Educational Television Network, enlarged in 1967 into PBS’ “Washington Week in Review”, weekly regular to 1978.

John O’Hara Cosgrave (1866-1947) Australian-born editor and writer after whom an award for Distinguished Service to Journalism is named. In the 1890s, he was editor of The Wave and San Francisco Weekly (1889-90) and fostered early career of novelist Frank Norris. Cosgrave went east and became editor of Everybody’s Magazine (1900-1911), emphasizing investigative journalism and social justice (“muckraking”). Hepublished pieces by Kipling, Conan Doyle, Ambrose Bierce, G. B. Shaw, H. G. Wells, Upton Sinclair and Jack London; circulation reached 750,000 in 1904. In 1912, Cosgrave was managing editor of Collier’s for 3 months, then New York World Sunday editor 1912-27.

Condition: Very good