Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1968 A Rhetorical Study of Selected Radio Speeches of Governor W. Lee O'DANIELOF Texas in Behalf of Social Security Legislation, 1939-1941. James T. Yauger Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Yauger, James T., "A Rhetorical Study of Selected Radio Speeches of Governor W. Lee O'DANIELOF Texas in Behalf of Social Security Legislation, 1939-1941." (1968). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 1527. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/1527 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This dissertation has been 69-4510 microfilmed exactly as received YAUGER, James T., 1930- A RHETORICAL STUDY OF SELECTED RADIO SPEECHES OF GOVERNOR W. LEE O'DANIEL OF TEXAS IN BEHALF OF SOCIAL SECURITY LEGIS­ LATION, 1939-1941. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1968 Speech University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan Copyright by James T. Yauger 1969 A RHETORICAL STUDY OF SELECTED RADIO SPEECHES OF GOVERNOR W. LEE O'DANIEL OF TEXAS IN BEHALF OF SOCIAL SECURITY LEGISLATION, 1939-1941 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Speech by James T. Yauger B.F.A. Texas Christian University, 1952 M. Ed. Midwestern University, 1956 August 1968 ACKNOWLEDGMENT Sincere appreciation is extended to Dr. Waldo W. Braden, who directed this study. Appreciation is also extended to William. J. Lawson, Reuben Williams, Mrs. Garfield Crawford, and James M. Day without whose cooperation this study would have been im­ possible. Further acknowledgment is extended to the staff of the Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT . ........................................ ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION.................................. I Purpose of the study........................ 7 Plan of the s t u d y .......................... 8 Sources and contributory studies.............. II Authenticity of speech texts.................. 12 II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE TIMES.............. 14 The problem of the a g e d ...................... 14 The campaign of 1938................... 17 0*Daniel's background .................... 18 Campaign issues .......................... 21 Car’Daign methods............................ 22 R e s u l t s .................................... 27 Aftermath of the cam paign........... 31 Preparation for the governorship............ 37 The inauguration of the governor. ..... 39 Public reaction ................ ..... 42 S u m m a r y ...................................... 45 III. THE O ’DANIEL IMAGE.............................. 48 Entry into politics .............. 48 iii iv Page Long-range strategy ...................... 48 Campaign tactics............................ 51 Foreshadowings of trouble .................. 59 The unbeatable combination.................. 65 Factors contributing to 0 ’Daniel’s effectiveness ............................ 68 Experience......................... 69 Appearance and personality.................. 70 Creativity.................................. 73 Language..................... 74- Religious attitudes ........ ....... 75 Voice and delivery.......................... 76 Speech preparation............................ 79 0 ’Daniel’s philosophy of radio. ....... 82 S u m m a r y ............................. 86 IV. THE MANSION BROADCASTS.......................... 88 Network coverage.............................. 88 Classification of scripts .................. 92 The hillbilly band............................ 96 The immediate setting ........................ 98 Studio audience ..................... 100 Audience (General)........................... 101 S u m m a r y ..................................... 102 V Page V. RADIO ADDRESSES OF 1939 IN BEHALF OF SOCIAL SECURITY LEGISLATION................. 104 Broadcast of March 19, 1939 ................ 106 Antecedent action . ...................... 106 Immediate occasion. ............... 110 Format. ................................. 110 Speech of March 19, 1939. ......... Ill Broadcast of April 2, 1939........ 118 Antecedent action ........................ 118 Immediate occasion......................... 119 Format..................................... 120 Speech of April 2, 1939 .................. 120 Broadcast of June 4, 1939 .................. 132 Antecedent action .... ................ 132 Immediate occasion......................... 134 Format......... 135 Speech of June 4, 1939.................... 136 Broadcast of June 11, 193 9.................. 147 Antecedent action ........................ 147 Immediate occasion......................... 147 Format..................................... 148 Speech of June 11, 1939 .................. 148 Broadcast of June 25, 1939.................. 159 vi Page Antecedent action. ............. 159 Immediate occasion ........................ 159 F o r m a t ..................................... 160 Speech of June 25, 1939..................... 160 Broadcast of September 24, 1939............... 168 Antecedent action........................... 168 Immediate occasion........................ |169 \ F o r m a t .................................... il70 >. Speech of September 24, 1939 .............. 170 Broadcast of October 22, 1939................ 182 Antecedent action........................... 182 Immediate occasion ........................ 185 Format ............. 185 Speech of October 22, 1939 ................ 186 Broadcast of November 19, 1939 .............. 198 Antecedent action................. 198 Immediate occasion ........................ 200 Format ......... ..... 200 Speech of November 19, 1939................ 200 Summary....................................... 212 'V VI. RADIO ADDRESSES OF 1941 IN BEHALF OF SOCIAL SECURITY LEGISLATION................... 216 Broadcast of March 9, 1 9 4 1 ................... 217 \ \ vii Page Antecedent action........................... 217 Immediate occasion ................... 228 F o r m a t ................................. ..229 Speech of March 9, 1941..................... 229 Broadcast of March 16, 1941................... 242 Antecedent action, ........................ 242 Immediate occasion................... 243 Format ....................... 245 Speech of March 16, 1941 .................. 245 Broadcast of March 23, 1941.................. 252 Antecedent action........................... 252 Immediate occasion ........................ 253 Format ........................... 253 Speech of March 23, 1941 .................. 253 Broadcast of March 30, 1941............... 266 Antecedent action........................... 266 Immediate occasion ........................ 267 F o r m a t ..................................... 26 7 Speech of March 30,' 1941 .............. 267 Broadcast of April 6, 1941 .......... 278 Antecedent action........................... 278 Immediate occasion .................... ..279 viii Page Format . ............. .......279 Speech of April 6, 1941............ 279 Broadcast of April 20, 1941. ......... 292 Antecedent action..... ................. 292 Immediate occasion... ...................... 293 F o r m a t ............................ 295 Speech of April 20, 1941 .......... 295 Summary................ ...................... 305 VII. CONCLUSIONS. ............................ 310 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY........................ 326 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ..... ............................ 333 ABSTRACT W. Lee O ’Daniel, governor of Texas (1939-1941) championed the cause of social security legislation in the state. This study evaluates O ’Daniel's radio speaking in behalf of enabling legislation to finance the three social security amendments to the Texas Constitution approved by the voters in 1935. The study includes chapters on the historical back­ ground of the times, 0 ’Daniel’s image building, the broad­ casts from the Governor’s Mansion, the antecedent action, occasions, and speeches in behalf of social security legis­ lation. Fourteen radio addresses were examined with a par­ ticular consideration of their contribution to the ultimate solution of the social security problem in Texas, and to the furthering of the personal political career of the speaker. The primary source materials were the W. Lee O ’Daniel Papers and the W. Lee O ’Daniel Radio Scripts located in the Texas State Archives, Austin, Texas. Other sources included the House and Senate Journals of the Texas Legislature, 1939- 1941, an electrical transcription of an O ’Daniel broadcast, and official state documents. ix X Faced with the reality that Texas legislators were opposed to the passage of social security legislation and to him personally, O ’Daniel used his radio broadcasts as a means of coercing and intimidating the legislature into granting his demands. He was unable to attract major sup­ port with these tactics, but he was held in almost rever­ ential respect by his regular radio listeners. The gover­ nor was no logician, but he knew how to make himself cred­ ible to his audience