Difference between revisions of "Hamilton Fish, III"
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| − | '''Hamilton Stuyvesant Fish, III''' (December 7, 1888 – January 18, 1991), also known as '''Hamilton Fish, Jr.''' or occasionally '''Hamilton Fish, Sr.''',<ref name=wapo>Pearson, Richard (January 20, 1991). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1991/01/20/isolationist-congressman-hamilton-fish-sr-dies/4544ee14-84a6-4827-9744-5c7bd599615a/ ISOLATIONIST CONGRESSMAN HAMILTON FISH SR. DIES]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> was a [[conservative]]<ref>Fascinating Politics (April 15, 2020). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2020/04/15/mc-index-scores-of-people-i-have-profiled/ MC-Index Scores of People I Have Profiled]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> [[Republican]] from [[New York]] who represented the state's 26th congressional district in the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1920 to 1945. He was previously a state representative from Putnam County. | + | '''Hamilton Stuyvesant Fish, III''' (December 7, 1888 – January 18, 1991), also known as '''Hamilton Fish, Jr.''' or occasionally '''Hamilton Fish, Sr.''',<ref name=wapo>Pearson, Richard (January 20, 1991). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1991/01/20/isolationist-congressman-hamilton-fish-sr-dies/4544ee14-84a6-4827-9744-5c7bd599615a/ ISOLATIONIST CONGRESSMAN HAMILTON FISH SR. DIES]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> was a military officer<ref name=encyclopedia.com>Lankevich, George J. [https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/fish-hamilton Fish, Hamilton]. ''Encyclopedia.com''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> and [[conservative]]<ref>Fascinating Politics (April 15, 2020). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2020/04/15/mc-index-scores-of-people-i-have-profiled/ MC-Index Scores of People I Have Profiled]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> [[Republican]] from [[New York]] who represented the state's 26th congressional district in the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1920 to 1945, known partly for sponsoring the Anti-Lynching Bill of 1940 with Democratic colleague [[Joseph Gavagan]]. He was previously a state representative from Putnam County. |
Along with U.S. senators Gerald P. Nye and [[Burton K. Wheeler]], Fish was a leading [[Non-Interventionism|non-interventionist]] in Congress.<ref>Fascinating Politics (July 25, 2021). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2021/07/25/the-america-first-senators-gerald-p-nye-and-burton-k-wheeler/ The America First Senators: Gerald P. Nye and Burton K. Wheeler]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | Along with U.S. senators Gerald P. Nye and [[Burton K. Wheeler]], Fish was a leading [[Non-Interventionism|non-interventionist]] in Congress.<ref>Fascinating Politics (July 25, 2021). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2021/07/25/the-america-first-senators-gerald-p-nye-and-burton-k-wheeler/ The America First Senators: Gerald P. Nye and Burton K. Wheeler]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | ||
| Line 38: | Line 38: | ||
Fish was first elected to Congress in a 1920 special election, defeating Democrat opponent Rosslyn M. Cox by a landslide.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=733811 NY District 26 - Special Election Race - Nov 02, 1920]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> He was re-elected to a full House term that year in a rematch against Cox by a near-identical margin of victory.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=292812 NY District 26 Race - Nov 02, 1920]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | Fish was first elected to Congress in a 1920 special election, defeating Democrat opponent Rosslyn M. Cox by a landslide.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=733811 NY District 26 - Special Election Race - Nov 02, 1920]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> He was re-elected to a full House term that year in a rematch against Cox by a near-identical margin of victory.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=292812 NY District 26 Race - Nov 02, 1920]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | ||
| − | ===1920s: spearheading | + | ===1920s: spearheading Lodge–Fish resolution=== |
| − | [[File:Hamilton Fish, III 1921 portrait.png|thumb|left|185px|Fish in March 1921.<ref>[https://www.loc.gov/resource/npcc.20900/ Hamilton Fish, N.Y., [3/1/21] digital file from original]. ''Library of Congress''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref>]] | + | [[File:Hamilton Fish, III 1921 portrait.png|thumb|left|185px|Fish in March 1921.<ref>[https://www.loc.gov/resource/npcc.20900/ Hamilton Fish, N.Y., [3/1/21<nowiki>]</nowiki> digital file from original]. ''Library of Congress''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref>]] |
| − | A [[Zionist]], Fish co-sponsored with [[Massachusetts]] Sen. [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr.]] the | + | A [[Zionist]], Fish co-sponsored with [[Massachusetts]] Sen. [[Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr.]], the Lodge–Fish resolution 1922 which affirmed [[Israel]] as a permanent national home for Jews.<ref name=fascinatingpoliticsbio>Fascinating Politics (December 30, 2018). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/12/30/hamilton-fish-an-american-hero-smeared-by-british-intelligence/ Hamilton Fish: An American Hero Smeared By British Intelligence]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> It asserted that the United States:<ref>Glatt, Benjamin (September 21, 2016). [https://www.jpost.com/Christian-News/After-WWI-Christian-Zionists-sought-a-political-expression-in-the-world-468294 After WWI, Christian Zionists sought a political expression in the world]. ''The Jerusalem Post''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> |
{{cquote|...favors the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of Christian and all other non-Jewish communities in Palestine, and that the Holy places and religious buildings and sites in Palestine shall be adequately protected.}} | {{cquote|...favors the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of Christian and all other non-Jewish communities in Palestine, and that the Holy places and religious buildings and sites in Palestine shall be adequately protected.}} | ||
| − | The resolution unanimously passed both houses of Congress and was signed into law by President [[Warren G. Harding]] on September 21, 1922.<ref>Freund, Michael (November 5, 2020). [https://www.jpost.com/opinion/warren-g-harding-a-forgotten-zionist-hero-648118 Warren G. Harding - a forgotten Zionist hero]. ''The Jerusalem Post''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | + | The resolution unanimously passed both houses of Congress and was signed into law by President [[Warren G. Harding]] on September 21, 1922.<ref>Freund, Michael (November 5, 2020). [https://www.jpost.com/opinion/warren-g-harding-a-forgotten-zionist-hero-648118 Warren G. Harding - a forgotten Zionist hero]. ''The Jerusalem Post''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> Fish's leading efforts at the time received the praise of Zionist leaders.<ref>January 10, 1923. [https://www.jta.org/archive/zionists-acclaim-congressman-fish Zionists Acclaim Congressman Fish]. ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> |
| − | The same year the | + | The same year the Lodge–Fish resolution was approved and passed, Fish also supported the [[anti-lynching bill]] (the [[Dyer Bill]]) introduced by conservative Republican colleague Leonidas C. Dyer of [[Missouri]],<ref name=fascinatingpoliticsbio/> which passed the House though was blocked in the Senate by an anti-civil rights group consisting of racist [[Mississippi]] politician Pat Harrison and [[liberal Republican]] [[William E. Borah]]. |
| + | |||
| + | Fish also advocated in 1923 for making [[Jerusalem]] the capital of the [[League of Nations]], noting its:<ref>March 16, 1923. [https://www.jta.org/archive/congressman-wants-jerusalem-made-seat-of-league-of-nations Congressman Wants Jerusalem Made Seat of League of Nations]. ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | ||
| + | {{cquote|...connecting link between East and West.}} | ||
===1930s: opposing New Deal and interventionism=== | ===1930s: opposing New Deal and interventionism=== | ||
| + | {{anti-lynching sb}} | ||
During the presidency of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], Fish became a leading opponent of the [[liberal]] [[New Deal]] agenda, though supported some of its programs such as [[Social Security]] and a minimum wage at the federal level.<ref name=fascinatingpoliticsbio/> Along with [[Joseph W. Martin]] and Bruce Barton, Fish was part of the "Martin, Barton and Fish" trio staunchly derided by FDR for their [[conservatism]].<ref>[https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/fischman-fishburne.html#559.40.43 Fish, Hamilton, Jr. (1888-1991)]. ''The Political Graveyard''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref><ref>Pace, Eric (January 20, 1991). [https://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/20/obituaries/hamilton-fish-in-congress-24-years-dies-at-102.html Hamilton Fish, in Congress 24 Years, Dies at 102]. ''The New York Times''. Archived version available [https://archive.md/568ET here]. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | During the presidency of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], Fish became a leading opponent of the [[liberal]] [[New Deal]] agenda, though supported some of its programs such as [[Social Security]] and a minimum wage at the federal level.<ref name=fascinatingpoliticsbio/> Along with [[Joseph W. Martin]] and Bruce Barton, Fish was part of the "Martin, Barton and Fish" trio staunchly derided by FDR for their [[conservatism]].<ref>[https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/fischman-fishburne.html#559.40.43 Fish, Hamilton, Jr. (1888-1991)]. ''The Political Graveyard''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref><ref>Pace, Eric (January 20, 1991). [https://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/20/obituaries/hamilton-fish-in-congress-24-years-dies-at-102.html Hamilton Fish, in Congress 24 Years, Dies at 102]. ''The New York Times''. Archived version available [https://archive.md/568ET here]. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 1936, Fish faced a challenge from Democrat Alpha R. Whiton, who was backed by the Roosevelt Administration.<ref>September 13, 1936. [https://www.nytimes.com/1936/09/13/archives/new-deal-backs-whiton-administration-hopes-he-will-defeat-hamilton.html NEW DEAL BACKS WHITON; Administration Hopes He Will Defeat Hamilton Fish.]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> He easily defeated Whiton in the general election by nearly twenty percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=507753 NY District 26 Race - Nov 03, 1936]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | ||
In the House, Fish was a leading [[non-interventionist]] who was disdained by supporters and beneficiaries of internationalist-oriented policies.<ref name=fascinatingpoliticsbio/> When the United States slowly approached war amidst [[World War II]], his foreign policy views became more vocal. Pushing back against Roosevelt's attacks on neutrality laws in 1939,<ref>Glass, Andrew (September 21, 2018). [https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/21/fdr-assails-neutrality-laws-1939-826061 FDR assails neutrality laws, Sept. 21, 1939]. ''Politico''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> Fish joined the majority of House Republicans in voting against legislation which granted FDR additional foreign policy powers.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/76-2/h93 TO AGREE TO THE CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.J. RES. 306 THA CONFERENCE REPORT CHANGES THE HOUSE'S ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, IN PART, BY GIVING THE PRESIDENT THE POWER TO DETERMINE WHERE "COMBAT-ZONES," WHERE AMERICAN SHIPPING IS NOT PER- MITTED TO GO, EXIST; ALSO, THE CONFERENCE REPORT INCORPO- RATES THE SENATE PROVISION THAT INDIVIDUALS FROM BELLIGERENT STATES, MAY BUY GOODS AND/OR NEGOTIATE LOANS FROM AMERICAN FIRMS.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | In the House, Fish was a leading [[non-interventionist]] who was disdained by supporters and beneficiaries of internationalist-oriented policies.<ref name=fascinatingpoliticsbio/> When the United States slowly approached war amidst [[World War II]], his foreign policy views became more vocal. Pushing back against Roosevelt's attacks on neutrality laws in 1939,<ref>Glass, Andrew (September 21, 2018). [https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/21/fdr-assails-neutrality-laws-1939-826061 FDR assails neutrality laws, Sept. 21, 1939]. ''Politico''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> Fish joined the majority of House Republicans in voting against legislation which granted FDR additional foreign policy powers.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/76-2/h93 TO AGREE TO THE CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.J. RES. 306 THA CONFERENCE REPORT CHANGES THE HOUSE'S ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, IN PART, BY GIVING THE PRESIDENT THE POWER TO DETERMINE WHERE "COMBAT-ZONES," WHERE AMERICAN SHIPPING IS NOT PER- MITTED TO GO, EXIST; ALSO, THE CONFERENCE REPORT INCORPO- RATES THE SENATE PROVISION THAT INDIVIDUALS FROM BELLIGERENT STATES, MAY BUY GOODS AND/OR NEGOTIATE LOANS FROM AMERICAN FIRMS.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | ||
| Line 56: | Line 62: | ||
{{cquote|...put the fear of God into every isolationist senator and congressman in the country.}} | {{cquote|...put the fear of God into every isolationist senator and congressman in the country.}} | ||
| − | The British Security Coordination distributed propaganda depicting Fish as an ally of Nazis.<ref name=bscsmear/> The effort ultimately cost Fish a significant amount of support in his home district, though he was narrowly re-elected by seven percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=508699 NY District 26 Race - Nov 05, 1940]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | + | The [[British Security Coordination]] (known as the [[BSC]]) distributed propaganda depicting Fish as an ally of Nazis.<ref name=bscsmear/> The effort ultimately cost Fish a significant amount of support in his home district, though he was narrowly re-elected by seven percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=508699 NY District 26 Race - Nov 05, 1940]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> |
===Accusations of anti-Semitism=== | ===Accusations of anti-Semitism=== | ||
| − | Due to his adamant conservatism, Fish has been an occasional target by [[leftists]] who hurl the charge that he was supposedly anti-Semitic and sympathized with bigoted [[Nazi]] ideologies.<ref>Hart, Bradley W. (December 21, 2018). [https://archive.md/iv0UP It started with Nazis: Concerns over foreign agents not just a Trump-era phenomenon]. ''Salon'' via ''archive.md''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> Although his career was embroiled in a number of controversies, including distributing the anti-Semitic publication [[Protocols of the Elders of Zion]] at one point, such occurrences are largely considered careless as opposed to the notion that it was evidence he was in league with virulent anti-Semites.<ref name=fascinatingpoliticsbio/> | + | Due to his adamant conservatism, Fish has been an occasional target by [[leftists]] who hurl the charge that he was supposedly anti-Semitic and sympathized with bigoted [[Nazi]] ideologies.<ref>March 8, 2010. [https://archive.md/3RdOV Newstalgia Reference Room: Hamilton Fish III - 1941]. ''Crooks and Liars'' via ''archive.md''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref><ref>Hart, Bradley W. (December 21, 2018). [https://archive.md/iv0UP It started with Nazis: Concerns over foreign agents not just a Trump-era phenomenon]. ''Salon'' via ''archive.md''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> Although his career was embroiled in a number of controversies, including distributing the anti-Semitic publication [[Protocols of the Elders of Zion]] at one point, such occurrences are largely considered careless as opposed to the notion that it was evidence he was in league with virulent anti-Semites.<ref name=fascinatingpoliticsbio/> |
| + | |||
| + | Despite the "anti-Semitic" charge, Fish was an early opponent of Nazi Germany, spearheading an effort in late May 1933 to formally oppose Nazi persecutions of Jews.<ref>Gurock, Jeffrey. [https://books.google.com/books?id=tc9cAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA216&dq=%22hamilton+fish%22+jews+germany&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LWRQU5yhCszJsQS1gYGQAg&ved=0CE0Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=%22hamilton%20fish%22%20jews%20germany&f=false America, American Jews, and the Holocaust: American Jewish History]. ''Google Books''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> He had also decried 1930 order by Britain prohibiting Jews from immigrating to their homeland, stating at the time:<ref>June 18, 1930. [https://www.jta.org/archive/congressman-hamilton-fish-in-house-speech-protests-stoppage-of-immigration Congressman Hamilton Fish in House Speech Protests Stoppage of Immigration]. ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | ||
| + | {{cquote|Our Jewish citizens have poured tens of millions of dollars into the country for the purpose of upbuilding it. They have made great sacrifices so that there could be laid a basis for a new center of Jewish civilization, and so that tens of thousands of Jews from Eastern Europe, suffering from economic destitution and political and religious discrimination, might find a haven. | ||
| − | + | The attitude taken by the British Government threatens the work that has been done in Palestine by the Jews of the world in the past decade. There has been laid down the principle that Jewish immigration into Palestine should be governed by the economic capacity of the country. That principle is now being violated by Great Britain. To hinder the entrance of Jews into Palestine for any other reason is to make mockery of the Jewish National Home; it is to betray the trust that has been placed in Britain by the civilized countries of the world. It is finally to nullify the agreement that has been entered into between Great Britain and our government.}} | |
==Later life== | ==Later life== | ||
| Line 68: | Line 77: | ||
==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
| − | The "Martin, Barton, and Fish" sneer used by Roosevelt in the 1930s was invoked in 2012 in comparison to "Ryan, Cantor, and Mitch," referring to congressional Republican leaders [[Paul Ryan]], [[Eric Cantor]], and [[Mitch McConnell]].<ref>Abrams, Paul (March 25, 2012). [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republicans-obama_b_1378380 FDR in 2012: 'Martin, Barton and Fish' Would Become 'Ryan, Cantor and Mitch']. ''Huffington Post''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> | + | The "Martin, Barton, and Fish" sneer used by Roosevelt in the 1930s was invoked in 2012 in comparison to "Ryan, Cantor, and Mitch," referring to congressional Republican leaders [[Paul Ryan]], [[Eric Cantor]], and [[Mitch McConnell]].<ref>Abrams, Paul (March 25, 2012). [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republicans-obama_b_1378380 FDR in 2012: 'Martin, Barton and Fish' Would Become 'Ryan, Cantor and Mitch']. ''Huffington Post''. Retrieved October 23, 2021.</ref> (see: [[U.S. "Party-switch" myth]]) |
==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 76: | Line 85: | ||
*[https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/F000142 Profile] at the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress | *[https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/F000142 Profile] at the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress | ||
*[https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/06/17/truth-is-stranger-than-fiction-pre-wwii-non-interventionists-more-likely-to-support-civil-rights-at-home-than-interventionists/ Truth is Stranger Than Fiction: Pre-WWII Non-Interventionists More Likely to Support Civil Rights at Home Than Interventionists] – ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History'', published June 17, 2018 | *[https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/06/17/truth-is-stranger-than-fiction-pre-wwii-non-interventionists-more-likely-to-support-civil-rights-at-home-than-interventionists/ Truth is Stranger Than Fiction: Pre-WWII Non-Interventionists More Likely to Support Civil Rights at Home Than Interventionists] – ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History'', published June 17, 2018 | ||
| + | *[https://www.nytimes.com/1935/07/21/archives/sinclair-and-fish-attack-new-deal-epic-founder-and-congress.html SINCLAIR AND FISH ATTACK NEW DEAL; EPIC Founder and Congress Republican, in Chautauqua Debate, Term It 'Failure.' DIFFER ONLY ON REASONS Californian Sees Flouting of 'Economic Law' -- Opponent Says 'Socialism Always Fails.' SINCLAIR AND FISH ATTACK NEW DEAL] – ''The New York Times'', published July 21, 1935 | ||
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/340/hamilton-fish Profile] at ''Find a Grave | *[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/340/hamilton-fish Profile] at ''Find a Grave | ||
Latest revision as of 19:47, May 29, 2023
| Hamilton S. Fish, III | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Former U.S. Representative from New York's 26th Congressional District From: November 2, 1920 – January 3, 1945 | |||
| Predecessor | Edmund Platt | ||
| Successor | Peter A. Quinn | ||
| Former State Assemblyman from New York (Putnam District) From: January 1, 1914 – December 31, 1916 | |||
| Predecessor | John R. Yale | ||
| Successor | John P. Donohoe | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Republican | ||
| Spouse(s) | Grace Chapin (died 1960) Marie Blackton (died 1974) Alice Desmond (div. 1984) Lydia Ambrogio | ||
| Military Service | |||
| Allegiance | United States | ||
| Service/branch | United States Army | ||
| Service Years | 1917–1919 | ||
| Rank | Major | ||
| Commands | Company K, 369th Infantry, 93rd Division | ||
| Battles/wars | World War I | ||
| Awards | Silver Star Croix de guerre | ||
Hamilton Stuyvesant Fish, III (December 7, 1888 – January 18, 1991), also known as Hamilton Fish, Jr. or occasionally Hamilton Fish, Sr.,[1] was a military officer[2] and conservative[3] Republican from New York who represented the state's 26th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1920 to 1945, known partly for sponsoring the Anti-Lynching Bill of 1940 with Democratic colleague Joseph Gavagan. He was previously a state representative from Putnam County.
Along with U.S. senators Gerald P. Nye and Burton K. Wheeler, Fish was a leading non-interventionist in Congress.[4]
U.S. House of Representatives
Fish was first elected to Congress in a 1920 special election, defeating Democrat opponent Rosslyn M. Cox by a landslide.[5] He was re-elected to a full House term that year in a rematch against Cox by a near-identical margin of victory.[6]
1920s: spearheading Lodge–Fish resolution
Fish in March 1921.[7]
A Zionist, Fish co-sponsored with Massachusetts Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr., the Lodge–Fish resolution 1922 which affirmed Israel as a permanent national home for Jews.[8] It asserted that the United States:[9]
| “ | ...favors the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of Christian and all other non-Jewish communities in Palestine, and that the Holy places and religious buildings and sites in Palestine shall be adequately protected. | ” |
The resolution unanimously passed both houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Warren G. Harding on September 21, 1922.[10] Fish's leading efforts at the time received the praise of Zionist leaders.[11]
The same year the Lodge–Fish resolution was approved and passed, Fish also supported the anti-lynching bill (the Dyer Bill) introduced by conservative Republican colleague Leonidas C. Dyer of Missouri,[8] which passed the House though was blocked in the Senate by an anti-civil rights group consisting of racist Mississippi politician Pat Harrison and liberal Republican William E. Borah.
Fish also advocated in 1923 for making Jerusalem the capital of the League of Nations, noting its:[12]
| “ | ...connecting link between East and West. | ” |
1930s: opposing New Deal and interventionism
|
During the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Fish became a leading opponent of the liberal New Deal agenda, though supported some of its programs such as Social Security and a minimum wage at the federal level.[8] Along with Joseph W. Martin and Bruce Barton, Fish was part of the "Martin, Barton and Fish" trio staunchly derided by FDR for their conservatism.[13][14]
In 1936, Fish faced a challenge from Democrat Alpha R. Whiton, who was backed by the Roosevelt Administration.[15] He easily defeated Whiton in the general election by nearly twenty percentage points.[16]
In the House, Fish was a leading non-interventionist who was disdained by supporters and beneficiaries of internationalist-oriented policies.[8] When the United States slowly approached war amidst World War II, his foreign policy views became more vocal. Pushing back against Roosevelt's attacks on neutrality laws in 1939,[17] Fish joined the majority of House Republicans in voting against legislation which granted FDR additional foreign policy powers.[18]
1940s: World War II, smear by British intelligence
In his 1940 re-election bid, Fish was targeted for defeat by the British government, which intended to:[19]
| “ | ...put the fear of God into every isolationist senator and congressman in the country. | ” |
The British Security Coordination (known as the BSC) distributed propaganda depicting Fish as an ally of Nazis.[19] The effort ultimately cost Fish a significant amount of support in his home district, though he was narrowly re-elected by seven percentage points.[20]
Accusations of anti-Semitism
Due to his adamant conservatism, Fish has been an occasional target by leftists who hurl the charge that he was supposedly anti-Semitic and sympathized with bigoted Nazi ideologies.[21][22] Although his career was embroiled in a number of controversies, including distributing the anti-Semitic publication Protocols of the Elders of Zion at one point, such occurrences are largely considered careless as opposed to the notion that it was evidence he was in league with virulent anti-Semites.[8]
Despite the "anti-Semitic" charge, Fish was an early opponent of Nazi Germany, spearheading an effort in late May 1933 to formally oppose Nazi persecutions of Jews.[23] He had also decried 1930 order by Britain prohibiting Jews from immigrating to their homeland, stating at the time:[24]
| “ | Our Jewish citizens have poured tens of millions of dollars into the country for the purpose of upbuilding it. They have made great sacrifices so that there could be laid a basis for a new center of Jewish civilization, and so that tens of thousands of Jews from Eastern Europe, suffering from economic destitution and political and religious discrimination, might find a haven.
The attitude taken by the British Government threatens the work that has been done in Palestine by the Jews of the world in the past decade. There has been laid down the principle that Jewish immigration into Palestine should be governed by the economic capacity of the country. That principle is now being violated by Great Britain. To hinder the entrance of Jews into Palestine for any other reason is to make mockery of the Jewish National Home; it is to betray the trust that has been placed in Britain by the civilized countries of the world. It is finally to nullify the agreement that has been entered into between Great Britain and our government. |
” |
Later life
In late January 1970, Fish called for President Richard Nixon and his administration to affirm the right of Israel to self-defense, stating:[25]
| “ | Israel is not asking for men or for volunteers but only for the right to buy armaments to defend her independence and security until the different Arab nations agree to definite peace terms with her. | ” |
Legacy
The "Martin, Barton, and Fish" sneer used by Roosevelt in the 1930s was invoked in 2012 in comparison to "Ryan, Cantor, and Mitch," referring to congressional Republican leaders Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor, and Mitch McConnell.[26] (see: U.S. "Party-switch" myth)
References
- ↑ Pearson, Richard (January 20, 1991). ISOLATIONIST CONGRESSMAN HAMILTON FISH SR. DIES. The Washington Post. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Lankevich, George J. Fish, Hamilton. Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Fascinating Politics (April 15, 2020). MC-Index Scores of People I Have Profiled. Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Fascinating Politics (July 25, 2021). The America First Senators: Gerald P. Nye and Burton K. Wheeler. Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ NY District 26 - Special Election Race - Nov 02, 1920. Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ NY District 26 Race - Nov 02, 1920. Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Hamilton Fish, N.Y., [3/1/21] digital file from original. Library of Congress. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Fascinating Politics (December 30, 2018). Hamilton Fish: An American Hero Smeared By British Intelligence. Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Glatt, Benjamin (September 21, 2016). After WWI, Christian Zionists sought a political expression in the world. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Freund, Michael (November 5, 2020). Warren G. Harding - a forgotten Zionist hero. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ January 10, 1923. Zionists Acclaim Congressman Fish. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ March 16, 1923. Congressman Wants Jerusalem Made Seat of League of Nations. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Fish, Hamilton, Jr. (1888-1991). The Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Pace, Eric (January 20, 1991). Hamilton Fish, in Congress 24 Years, Dies at 102. The New York Times. Archived version available here. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ September 13, 1936. NEW DEAL BACKS WHITON; Administration Hopes He Will Defeat Hamilton Fish.. The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ NY District 26 Race - Nov 03, 1936. Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Glass, Andrew (September 21, 2018). FDR assails neutrality laws, Sept. 21, 1939. Politico. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ TO AGREE TO THE CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.J. RES. 306 THA CONFERENCE REPORT CHANGES THE HOUSE'S ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, IN PART, BY GIVING THE PRESIDENT THE POWER TO DETERMINE WHERE "COMBAT-ZONES," WHERE AMERICAN SHIPPING IS NOT PER- MITTED TO GO, EXIST; ALSO, THE CONFERENCE REPORT INCORPO- RATES THE SENATE PROVISION THAT INDIVIDUALS FROM BELLIGERENT STATES, MAY BUY GOODS AND/OR NEGOTIATE LOANS FROM AMERICAN FIRMS.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Usdin, Steve (January 16, 2017). When a Foreign Government Interfered in a U.S. Election — to Reelect FDR. Politico Magazine. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ NY District 26 Race - Nov 05, 1940. Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ March 8, 2010. Newstalgia Reference Room: Hamilton Fish III - 1941. Crooks and Liars via archive.md. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Hart, Bradley W. (December 21, 2018). It started with Nazis: Concerns over foreign agents not just a Trump-era phenomenon. Salon via archive.md. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Gurock, Jeffrey. America, American Jews, and the Holocaust: American Jewish History. Google Books. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ June 18, 1930. Congressman Hamilton Fish in House Speech Protests Stoppage of Immigration. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ January 27, 1970. Hamilton Fish, Former Isolationist; Defends Israel’s Right to Armed Defense. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ↑ Abrams, Paul (March 25, 2012). FDR in 2012: 'Martin, Barton and Fish' Would Become 'Ryan, Cantor and Mitch'. Huffington Post. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
External links
- Profile at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Truth is Stranger Than Fiction: Pre-WWII Non-Interventionists More Likely to Support Civil Rights at Home Than Interventionists – Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History, published June 17, 2018
- SINCLAIR AND FISH ATTACK NEW DEAL; EPIC Founder and Congress Republican, in Chautauqua Debate, Term It 'Failure.' DIFFER ONLY ON REASONS Californian Sees Flouting of 'Economic Law' -- Opponent Says 'Socialism Always Fails.' SINCLAIR AND FISH ATTACK NEW DEAL – The New York Times, published July 21, 1935
- Profile at Find a Grave