George Howard Earle III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Howard Earle III
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| United States Ambassador to Bulgaria | |
| In office February 14, 1940 – April 2, 1940 |
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| President | Franklin Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Ray Atherton |
| Succeeded by | Donald Heath |
| Member of the Democratic National Committee from Pennsylvania |
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| In office May 22, 1936 – February 21, 1940 |
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| Preceded by | Sedgwick Kistler |
| Succeeded by | David Lawrence |
| 30th Governor of Pennsylvania | |
| In office January 15, 1935 – January 17, 1939 |
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| Lieutenant | Thomas Kennedy |
| Preceded by | Gifford Pinchot |
| Succeeded by | Arthur James |
| United States Minister to Austria | |
| In office July 24, 1933 – March 25, 1934 |
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| President | Franklin Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Gilchrist Baker Stockton |
| Succeeded by | George Messersmith |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Hussey Earle III
December 5, 1890 Devon, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | December 30, 1974 (aged 84) Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
George Howard Earle III (December 5, 1890 – December 30, 1974) was an important American politician and diplomat. He was part of the well-known Earle family. George Earle served as the 30th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1935 to 1939. He was one of only two Democrats to be Governor of Pennsylvania between the Civil War and World War II.
George Earle worked in his family's sugar business after studying at Harvard University. During World War I, he was in charge of a submarine chaser, which was also his own private yacht. Even though he grew up in a Republican family, he joined the Democrats. He did this because he was unhappy with how the Republicans handled the Great Depression. He supported Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1932 presidential election. Later, he became the U.S. Minister to Austria from 1933 to 1934. In this role, he warned the Roosevelt government about the growing danger from Nazi Germany.
Earle became governor after defeating Republican William A. Schnader in the 1934 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election. As governor, he started a big plan called the "Little New Deal." This plan aimed to help people deal with the problems of the Great Depression. His government created a new Department of Public Assistance to help people in need. They also stopped private police forces used by some companies. Construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike began during his time. He also introduced Pennsylvania's first gasoline and cigarette taxes and set up a forty-hour work week. The "Little New Deal" made Earle very popular across the country.
After his time as governor, Earle tried to become a U.S. Senator in 1938 but lost. He was then appointed as the Ambassador to Bulgaria in 1940. During World War II, he worked as a special helper in the Balkans. He wrote a report about the Katyn massacre, saying the Soviet Union was responsible. However, this report was not allowed to be published. After the war, he worked as an assistant governor in American Samoa. He later retired from public service and passed away in 1974.
Early Life and Public Service Beginnings
George Earle grew up in a wealthy family in Montgomery County. His family had been in America since the Mayflower ship arrived. His great-grandfather, Samuel Van Leer, was important during the American Revolutionary War. After graduating from Harvard University, Earle worked overseas in his family's sugar business.
In 1916, he joined the military. When the United States entered World War I, Earle commanded a submarine chaser called USS Victor. This ship was also his private yacht. He received the Navy Cross in 1918 for preventing a dangerous explosion. After the war, Earle went back to his private businesses, especially in the sugar industry.
Even though he was raised a Republican, Earle joined the Democratic Party. He felt that the Republican Party was not handling the Great Depression well. After helping Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1932 election, Earle became the Ambassador to Austria from 1933 to 1934. While in Austria, Earle watched the Nazi Party carefully. He warned the Roosevelt government about the possible dangers of Nazi Germany.
Serving as Governor of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania had not elected a Democratic governor in over forty years. But George Earle won the 1934 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, defeating Republican Attorney General William A. Schnader. For the first half of his term, Earle faced a divided state legislature. However, his party gained control of both parts of the Pennsylvania legislature in the 1936 election.
Earle greatly admired President Roosevelt. He started an ambitious plan called the "Little New Deal" for Pennsylvania. This led to many new laws being proposed in 1935-36. His government created a new Department of Public Assistance. This department was designed to make sure that help for people in need was given out fairly. Earle's government also worked to improve conditions for workers. They increased the rights of unions to bargain and stopped private police forces used by many coal and steel companies.
Construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike also began during his time as governor. Other important laws passed included Pennsylvania's first taxes on gasoline and cigarettes. They also introduced rules for teacher job security and a maximum forty-hour work week. Earle's government also made some "Blue laws" (rules about what people could do on Sundays) less strict. They passed the nation's first law to control milk prices and made company-hired police forces illegal for mining companies.
George Earle's "Little New Deal" made him very famous. He even appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1937. A Gallup poll that same year showed he was the third most popular Democrat in the country. Earle could not run for governor again right away because of state rules. So, he ran for the United States Senate in 1938. However, he lost to the Republican Senator James J. Davis. This loss was part of a bigger change where Republicans gained control of the legislature and governorship again. Pennsylvania did not elect another Democratic governor until 1954.
After Being Governor
In 1940, Earle was appointed as Ambassador to Bulgaria. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy again. This time, he was a lieutenant commander and a special helper in the Balkans. He even suggested a plan he believed could end the war in Europe sooner.
In 1944, President Roosevelt asked Earle to gather information about the Katyn massacre. This was a massacre of Polish educated people by the Soviet government. Earle used his contacts in Bulgaria and Romania and concluded that the Soviet Union was responsible. However, after talking with the head of the Office of War Information, President Roosevelt disagreed with Earle's findings. Roosevelt believed Nazi Germany was responsible and ordered Earle's report to be kept secret. At this time, the United States and the Soviet Union were allies fighting against Nazi Germany and Japan.
When Earle officially asked for permission to publish his findings, the President gave him a written order to stop. Earle was then given a different job and spent the rest of World War II in American Samoa.
After the war, Earle served as an assistant governor of American Samoa. Later, he returned to private business. His son, Ralph Earle II, also became an ambassador.
