Father Coughlin

Who was Father Coughlin?

Father Charles Coughlin was a Roman Catholic priest and a radio preacher who was a critic of Roosevelt's New Deal. He originally supported FDR, but later turned against him.

Why did Father Coughlin oppose the deal?

Originally a supporter of the New Deal, Coughlin turned against Roosevelt when Roosevelt refused to nationalise the banking system and provide for the free coinage of silver.

What did Father Coughlin do about it?

Coughlin used three methods to oppose the New Deal:

• ❖ In 1934 he set up the National Union for Social Justice, calling for more reforms of banking and business, fairer taxes, and for the government to take over some industries (nationalisation).
• ❖ In 1936, with Townsend and Gerald Smith of the Share Our Wealth scheme, Coughlin set up the National Union Party and promoted William Lemke for president in the 1936 election.
• ❖ Father Coughlin broadcast his views on a radio programme called 'The Golden Hour', which had 30 million listeners.

What impact did Father Coughlin have?

The Second New Deal answered many of Roosevelt's critics by providing some of the things they asked for, and making it harder for them to oppose him. Coughlin's anti-Semitic views also caused him to lose support.