美国总统30 赫伯特·胡佛.docx

美国总统30赫伯特胡佛HerbertHoover:Blamedplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00repeatByKellyJeanKelly24September,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutHerbertHoover.Hetookofficein1929.HerbertHooverHooverwaspresidentfortheearlyyearsofwhatAmericanscalltheGreatDepression.Duringthoseyears,theUnitedStateseconomyslidintoasevererecession.Manybanksandbusinessesfailed.Attimes,nearlyoneinfourpeopleintheU.S.workforcewereunemployed.Millionsofpeoplelosttheirhomesandsavings.Hooverdidnotcausethedepression.Theconditionshadbeeninplacebeforehetookoffice.ButmanyAmericansblamedHooverfortheirsuffering.Theybelievedhepermittedtheeconomiccrisistocontinue-andevendeepen-duringhistimeinoffice.EarlylifeHerbertHooverwasborninasmallhouseinthestateofIowa.HisparentswereQuakers.Theirreligionvaluedsimplicity,hardwork,equalityamongpeople,andpeacefulresolutionofconflict.Hooverandhisbrotherandsisterwereinfluencedbythesebeliefs,evenaftertheirparentsdied.BythetimeyoungHerbertHooverwasnine,hewasanorphan.HemovedtothestateofOregon,inthePacificNorthwest,andlivedwithanuncle.Hooverdidnotthriveinthatsituation.Reportssaythatheusuallykepttohimself.Andhedidnotdoparticularlywellinschool.YetoneofficialfromStanfordUniversitylikedwhathesawintheyoungman-hardworkandadesiretolearnnewthings.Atthetime,StanfordUniversitywasjustgettingestablished.ItadmittedHooverintoitsfirstclass.HooverhadtoworkhardatStanford,bothinclassandtoearnmoneytopaytuition.Buttheexperiencebroughtmanybenefits.Hooverstudiedgeology,andwentontoworkasaminingengineer.ThejobledtopositionsinAustralia,Chinaandotherpartsoftheworld.Hebecameaninternationally-knownexpertonmining.Healsowrotealeadingtextbookonmining.Theseexperiences,alongwithgoodbusinessinvestments,ledtogreatwealthforHoover.1.ouHenryHooverhadagiftforlanguages.Shelearnedasmanyaseight-includingMandarin-duringhertravelswithherhusband.AtStanford,healsometthewomanwhowouldbecomehiswife.HernamewasLouHenry.ShewasthefirstwomanfromStanfordtocompleteastudyprogramwithadegreeingeology.TheHooverswentontohavetwosons.HumanitarianworkDuringWorldWarI,theHoovers'liveschangeddramatically.ThefamilywaslivinginLondonwhenthewarbegan.U.S.governmentofficialsaskedHoovertoorganizeanevacuationeffortforAmericantouristswhowereinEurope.Inonlyafewweeks,Hoover'scommitteesucceeded.1.ater,hehelpedgetfoodandsuppliestopeopleinBelgium.Asaresult,Hooverearnedapublicimageasasmart,skilledhumanitarian.WhentheUnitedStatesenteredWorldWarI,PresidentWoodrowWilsonaskedHoovertoleadthegovernment'sFoodAdministration.Inthatposition,HooverledanefforttochangeAmericans'behaviorinordertosupportthewareffort.Heaskedthemtolimitthekindsoffoodtheyateandgoodstheybought.Theeffortwas,forthemostpart,successful.Americanscalledtheirmovestolimittheirconsumption,toHooverize."Hooverwentontoorganizeprogramstoaidothercountries,includingRussia.HealsohelpedpartsoftheU.S.recoverafterterribleflooding.Andzassecretaryofcommerce,hepushedbusinesses,researchers,andgovernmentofficialstoworktogether.Hooveraimedtoreduce"boomandbust"cyclesandkeeptheU.S.economyhealthy.Inallhisefforts,HooverurgedAmericanstochoosetoparticipate.Hedidnotbelieveinusinggovernmentrequirementstoforcecooperation.Instead,hesupported"individualism"-theideathatAmericansmustprotectthequalitiesofcreativity,equalopportunity,andservicetoothers.Hoover'sbeliefswerepopularwithmanyAmericansatthetime-andwithmanyAmericanstoday.Intheelectionof1928,Hoovereasilywonthepresidency.Hepromisedtocontinueleadingthecountrydownthepathofprosperity.PresidencyWhenHoovertookofficein1929zhesaid,"Ihavenofearsforthefutureofourcountry.Itisbrightwithhope."ThatwasinMarch.InOctober,theU.S.stockmarketcrashed.Thousandsofinvestorslosttheirsavings.TheeventwaspartofasharpdownturnintheeconomiesoftheUnitedStatesandofmanyothercountries.Atfirst,Hooverbelievedthedownturnwouldpass.Butastimewenton,thesituationgrewworse.Businessescouldnotexpandtheirworkforce.Farmerscouldnotaffordtoharvesttheircrops.Everydaypeoplehadtoolittlemoneytopayforhousingcostsand,insomecases,food.Andthenbanksacrossthecountrybegantofail.51V APresident Herbert HooverPresidentHooverworkedhardtofixtheproblems.Hetriedmanyapproaches:creatinggovernmentagencies,urgingprivateandpublicgroupstocooperate,andworkingtobalancethefederalbudget.ButHooverdidnotwanttousefederalmoneytoprovidedirectaidtoAmericans.Heworriedthatsuchactionswouldmakepeopledependentonthegovernment,andreducepeople'sindividualpowerandmorale.Nordidhewanttousethefederalgovernmenttotrytocontroltheeconomy.Governmentintervention,hesaid,wouldleadtosocialism,andeventuallydestroythecountry'sfoundingbeliefs.Instead,Hoovertriedtosupportstatesandbusinessesindirectlyandurgedpeopletofindwaystohelponeanother.YetmanylawmakersandmembersofthepublicrejectedHoover'smeasuresasinsufficient,andevencruel.Someusedhisnamedifferentlythantheyhadbeforehetookoffice.Now,theycalledthedirtyshelterswherehungryandhomelesspeoplelived"Hoovervilles."Andtheycalledmen'semptypocke