[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: seasons greetings



As the below quote indidates "chicken in every pot" was already proverbial
in the 1920s. Supposedly the term originated with French King Henry IV, who
wished a "poule au pot" for his peasants every Sunday.

See for example:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/printablenew/21365.html

and http://www.bartleby.com/65/he/Henry4Fr.html

and a column on the misattribution to Hoover:

http://www.sptimes.com/News/042401/Columns/Proof_that_sometimes_.shtml


Thomas J. Wood
Archivist
Archives/Special Collections LIB 144
University of Illinois at Springfield
P.O. Box 19243
Springfield IL 62794-9243
217-206-6520 | wood@uis.edu | http://www.uis.edu/library/lib-arch

-----Original Message-----
From: Brad Bauer [mailto:Brad.Bauer@NARA.GOV]
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2001 5:13 PM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Re: seasons greetings


....and a further clarification about the "chicken in every pot" quote.

Hoover himself, contrary to popular belief, never uttered this statement,
nor intended to use it as a campaign slogan.  Something similar, however,
was used in an ad sponsored by the Republican National Committee during the
1928 campaign.  The ad, with the heading "A Chicken for Every Pot,"
contained within its text the following quote:

"Republican prosperity has reduced hours and increased earning capacity,
silenced discontent, put the proverbial 'chicken in every pot.'  And a car
in every backyard, to boot."

Throughout his post-Presidential years, Hoover tried (in vain) to
disassociate himself from this quote.....and we still get reference
questions about it on a fairly regular basis.  It wouldn't be a bad
marketing slogan for KFC though, would it? (a chicken in every bucket for
the car in every drive-through??)

Cheers,

Brad Bauer

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>