The Better America Federation was a pro-business,

anti-communist Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in the Russian Empire, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, w ...

political surveillance organization based in California, U.S. in the 1920s.

History

The organization was founded on May 7, 1920, in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

by Harry Marston Haldeman (the grandfather of Harry R. Haldeman of

Watergate The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the administration of President Richard Nixon from 1972 to 1974 that led to Nixon's resignation. The scandal stemmed from the Nixon administration's continual ...

fame), railway developer

Eli P. Clark Eli P. Clark (1847–1931) was a pioneer railway builder of Southern California and a leader in the civic, philanthropic and social activities of Los Angeles. Early life Eli P. Clark was born on November 25, 1847 near Iowa City, Iowa. His fathe ...

and other businessmen, mostly from the utilities sector. It was formed ‘‘for the political welfare of the nation,". In practical terms the BAF collected and circulated information on individuals it claimed held radical political ideas, opposed legislation supporting and protecting the right of labor to organize, and opposed all related activities it viewed as ‘‘inimical to the welfare of the nation." The organization's headquarters were in Los Angeles, though local chapters were dispersed across California at the organization's peak in the early 1920s. The Better America Federation evolved from an earlier organization, also led by Haldeman, called the Commercial Federation of California which formed in 1914 as an alliance of open-shop businessmen determined to oppose California's increasingly progressive political character. Its founding president, Harry M. Haldeman, was the president of the Pacific Pipe and Supplies Company. The vice president for Los Angeles County was Reese J. Llewellyn, the president of Llewellyn Iron Works. Donors included private individuals and corporations like

Southern California Edison Southern California Edison (or SCE Corp), the largest subsidiary of Edison International, is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California. It provides 15 million people with electricity across a service territory of app ...

. The organization published pamphlets and organized other campaigns to introduce democratic literature into Californian public institutions and lobbied members of the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...

. It promoted a conservative interpretation of American patriotism, while alarming the public about the dangers of domestic communism. Furthermore, it argued the

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven ar ...

should not be amended. The organization was opposed to labor unions and regulation of industry. Moreover, it promoted a six-day workweek and it rejected the minimum wage. In schools, it warned against "

bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...

" authors like

Edward Alsworth Ross Edward Alsworth Ross (December 12, 1866 – July 22, 1951) was a progressive American sociologist, eugenicist, economist, and major figure of early criminology. Early life He was born in Virden, Illinois. His father was a farmer. He attended ...

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr. Arthur Meier Schlesinger Sr. (; February 27, 1888 – October 30, 1965) was an American historian who taught at Harvard University, pioneering social history and urban history. He was a Progressive Era intellectual who stressed material caus ...

and

David Saville Muzzey David Saville Muzzey (1870–1965) was an American historian. His history textbooks were used by millions of American children. He was accused of being a "bolshevik" by the Better America Federation. He also served as senior leader at the New York ...

used in textbooks. They also objected to

Garfield Bromley Oxnam Garfield Bromley Oxnam (August 14, 1891 – March 12, 1963) was a social reformer and American Bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1936. Early life Garfield Bromley Oxnam was born in Los Angeles on August 14, 1891. His father ...

joining a school board. Moreover, it was opposed to "compulsory education beyond the age of 14". One of its claimed successes was to ban ''

The Nation ''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...

'' and ''

The New Republic ''The New Republic'' is an American magazine of commentary on politics, contemporary culture, and the arts. Founded in 1914 by several leaders of the progressive movement, it attempted to find a balance between "a liberalism centered in hum ...

'' from public schools in California, which it viewed as full of left-wing political bias. Haldeman also claimed credit for electing a majority of Southern California's representatives to the state legislature in 1918, and for their subsequent promotion of legislation criminalizing radical political speech in California. Scholars have suggested the organization has influenced conservative politics in California to this day.

Pamphlets

*''A Brief Outline of Arguments'' (1920) *''Behind the Veil'' *''The Red Menace'' *''The World Endangered'' *''America is Calling'' *''S.O.S.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Better America Foundation 1920 establishments in California Anti-communist organizations in the United States Economy of Los Angeles