LAD #33: FDR's First Inaugural Speech

Franklin D. Roosevelt took office shortly after the Great Depression started. His speech address the widespread unemployment and appealed to the people that he would bring about change. He says, "This Nation asks for action, and action now." Roosevelt promises to bring this much needed change and help the sickly country regain health. Not only is the president going to help the country back to its prosperity, but help to prevent this awful situation from striking again. FDR says he will act as an advocate of democracy, in order to help the people and the nation. He restores the people's faith in the president, during this hectic time.

LAD #32: Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact

This treaty, also known as the General Treaty for the Renunciation of War, renounced war as an official policy by the countries who signed it, which include Italy, Japan, the United States, France, Germany, and Great Britain. Although at first it was a treaty between the United States and France. It is named after the United States senator Frank B. Kellogg and French foreign minister Aristide Briand. This also set the legality of "crime against peace" if anyone broke the terms. (This treaty would later be instrumental at the Nuremberg Trials after WWII).

LAD #31: President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points

President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points was proposed in 1918, after World War I. He first talks about conditions in the world including many countries such as Russia, Great Britain, and Germany. The actual Fourteen Points are as follows:
I. Peace and Diplomacy should be followed and used.
II. Freedom of Seas will be granted to everyone.
III. Removal of Economic Barriers.
IV. Removal of armies and no further buildup.
V. Change of views on Colonial claims.
VI. The evacuation and better treatment of Russia
VII. The evacuation and restoration of Belgium.
VIII. The guarantee of French Territory, as well as the acquisition of Alsace-Lorraine.
IX. Adjustment of the borders of Italy.
X. Autonomy in Austria-Hungary.
XI. Evacuation and independence of Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro.
XII. Sovereignty to Turkey, and the Dardanelles would be opened for free passage of ships.
XIII. An independent Poland.
XIV. General Association of Nations (would become the League of Nations) to talk about world problems to avoid another awful war.
This was meant to create peace, allow for better relations, and avoid another costly war to all countries of the world. This also became influential in negotiating the Armistice with Germany (but did not deal with the Treaty of Versailles).

LAD #30: Schenck vs. US

This was a court case in 1919 that supported the Espionage Act, passed in 1917, that did not allow any interference with military plans or operations. Furthermore, this act said that no citizen could turn down the draft, therefore the First Amendment to the Constitution, the freedom of speech, cannot be used to object to the United States Draft. As a result, this case founded the "clear and present danger" test, which is about the draft and speech against it. "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic... The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent." This case found Schenck guilty (who appealed to the Supreme Court because he felt his right to freedom of speech had been violated) and was sent to jail for six months.