Entry 2

Arthur A. Robertson

My first reaction to this entry was shock over the wits and decisions that he made throughout the prosperous market.  He was able to stay calm and realize that the market will only go up so much before it must go down, and Robertson made the wise decision and took out his money.  It made me think how all of these Americans are being harmed because of the insane risks that they took.  Many ask what made so many Americans but all of their money into stocks?  Was it because the roaring twenties was such an optimistic time period?  Better yet, why did Robertson help feed so many people during the Great Depression?  Robertson was an exception to the norm of the Great Depression.  He took out his money, which was genius, because he and his brother had a bad feeling about the stock market.  According to Studs Terkel, “[Robertson] agreed to line up seventy-five of em’ into the Macfadden restaurant and I’d feed em for seven cents apiece.  I did this every day.”  I found this amazing because he was willing to help so many people although he was creating a “substantial loss” in his profits.  He made the humane decision in order to help people learn about  the mistakes that they made in the past and is willing to help them out of their hole in the ground.  Robertson helped Jesse Livermore out of the hole two times.  He was willing to give up $400,000 and $5,000 in order for Livermore to end his debt.  Although he was safe was his money Robertson was making risks in order to help hundreds of Americans during the Great Depression which makes him a great American.  He looked passed his loss in money directly at the smiles of Americans when they were being fed with his money.

Ed Paulsen

His story shows how important and loved the New Deal was by the unemployed Americans.  It makes me believe that Wilson and the previous government were just letting Americans die without helping them.  I believe that these people lived such hard lives because the Great Depression forced so many people to live life only for themselves because they could not make enough money or find enough food to live in a group.  While talking to Terkel, Paulsen says, “It wasn’t a big thing, but it created a coyote mentality.  You were a predator. You had to be.  The coyote is crafty.  He can be fantastically courageous and a coward at the same time.  He’ll run, but when he’s cornered, he’ll fight,” (Terkel 98).  The depression caused all of these people to attack and act aggressive just to live.  It is crazy how desperate they are for just a simple job and place to live.  With the Transient Camp there to help, Paulsen describes the New Deal as his salvation.  It gave him a hope for a future and the resources in order to find shelter and food in the present.  The New Deal was so important to so many Americans which strikes me.