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- [Presenter] This project 
is a cooperative production

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of the Ken Hechler 
Documentary Project LLC

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and Marshall University,

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being presented with 
financial assistance from

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the West Virginia 
Humanities Council,

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a state affiliate of 
the National Endowment

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for the Humanities.

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Any views, findings, conclusions

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or recommendations 
expressed in this program

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do not necessarily 
represent those of the

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National Endowment 
for the Humanities.

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- Your great movement 
has many heroes,

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the greatest heroes are 
you the coal miners.

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You've taken the future,

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your future in your hands

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and you proclaimed no longer

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are we gonna live and 
work and die like animals.

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We're free men.

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- Mark me down as one of 
Ken Hechler's big fans.

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This is someone that 
understands that

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the government has 
to step in sometime

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and stop the bullies from 
picking on the little guy.

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(upbeat guitar music)

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- [Presenter] Presented 
the Harry S. Truman Award

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for Public Service in 2002,

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Ken Hechler spent a 
lifetime establishing

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a formidable reputation 
through his efforts

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on behalf of ordinary people.

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His passionate 
pursuit of justice

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sprang from his experience

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as a political science professor

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and combat historian,

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as a researcher for 
presidents Franklin Roosevelt

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and Harry Truman,

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and as a US Congressman 
and West Virginia

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Secretary of State.

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The philosophies, 
decisions, and events

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shaping Ken Hechler's life offer

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a detailed study in 
character and the merits

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and challenges of politics 
and public service.

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- To me it takes a very 
special kind of a talent

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to be the type of a servant 
that Dr. Hechler has been,

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to do anything else in 
the way of an occupation

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other than working with people.

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I just don't think 
you'd be successful.

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(upbeat guitar music)

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- Ken Hechler was 
always this person who

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really didn't say that much,

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but his presence made 
you feel comfortable

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to engage him and to trust him.

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- He looks at you 
and kind of looks,

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then he nods and listens to you.

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You have the feeling 
every word you say

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he's digesting and that 
he's gonna think about that.

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- Ken had this great 
zest for public service.

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I mean there was an 
enthusiasm that he brought

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to public life that I think was

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a distinguishing characteristic.

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- I think politics 
and public service,

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and I put those two together,

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are the life blood 
of Ken Hechler.

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He loves the challenge.

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It invigorates him.

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It energizes him.

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- Ken always remind 
me of a windmill.

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I mean he was everywhere.

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I mean he was in the 
front row, the back row,

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always button holing 
somebody and always talking

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about something for West 
Virginia or his constituents.

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I've been in politics 
all my life and

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I don't remember seeing 
anything like it.

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- Lincoln said that 
governments should do

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for people what people 
cannot individually

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or collectively 
do for themselves.

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- [Presenter] As a 
student of history

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and as a public servant, Ken 
Hechler came to understand

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that people make 
government work,

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the government must be 
accessible to the people,

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the government must 
serve the people,

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and that government 
without justice

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leads to people to ruin.

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- What's justice?

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Just a sense of fair play.

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It is a level playing 
field that all people

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regardless of their 
station in life,

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regardless of their class,

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regardless of how 
much money they have,

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regardless of their ethnicity,

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regardless of they look,

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everybody is treated equally.

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That's justice.

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- The mark of a good politician 
is to provide justice.

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- I'm gonna fight for 
a labor reform bill

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which will help clean 
up racketeering--

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- It's one of the things, it's 
the hallmark of Ken Hechler.

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But whatever you may 
disagree with him

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I don't think you could 
ever question his motive

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that he tried to do what 
he thinks is in fact just.

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- The preamble to 
the Constitution of 
the United States

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sets certain priorities.

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The very first priority 
is establish justice.

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We the People of 
the United States,

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in Order to form a more perfect 
Union, establish Justice.

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Establish for whom?

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For we the people,

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the most important 
individuals, human beings,

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not special interest, 
not corporations,

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not heads of labor unions,

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not any other special 
interest, but We the people.

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- [Presenter] Central to 
the story of Ken Hechler

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are individuals in 
government, in politics,

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acting on behalf of the 
people they represent.

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- Politics is a 
noble profession.

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To go into politics is to enter

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one of the most important 
human endeavors.

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- It's hard work, 
it's challenging,

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but it can also be 
enormously gratifying.

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If you know what you're doing

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and you're effective at it,

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you can make positive 
things happen that otherwise

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would not happen.

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- Politics is the 
authoritative allocation

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of scare resources.

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There is never 
enough to go around

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for everything that is good.

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Someone in authority 
has to determine

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what are we going to do.

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Shall we build a new school 
room or a new highway?

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Shall we develop more tourism

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or shall we help mental health?

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That's what politics 
is, pure and simple.

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So if you really want to 
do good with a capital G,

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politics is where it's at.

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- But in the popular sense 
politics is thought of

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as a game of winning 
elections at whatever cost.

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- I must say for my experience 
it's the politicians

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that have given 
politics a bad name by

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just winning to hold 
office and wanting

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to get re-elected rather than

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using their office as 
what Theodore Roosevelt

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described as a bullied pulpit.

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It was very inspiring 
because he set an example.

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He always had the underlying 
principle of justice.

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(calm music)

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- [Presenter] Ken Hechler's 
pursuit of justice

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is rooted in progressivism 
driven most notably

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by Theodore Roosevelt,

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the movement tackled 
social and economic woes

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arising during the 
industrial revolution.

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- Progressives were driven by

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a true sense of social justice 
for the poor, let's say,

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or the dispossessed 
on the one hand,

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and seeing their 
self interest served

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by rectifying that injustice.

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And also seeing their 
self-interest served by

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a continuation of capitalism.

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- [Theodore] Our aim is to 
promote prosperity and then

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to see the prosperity 
is passed around,

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that there is a proper 
division of prosperity.

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- [Presenter] Demanding 
increased wages

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and a shorter work day,

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anthracite coal 
miners in Pennsylvania

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went on strike in 1902.

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The strike provided 
President Theodore Roosevelt

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an unprecedented opportunity

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to put his progressive ideals 
to work for the nation.

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- Up until this time any time 
there was a labor conflict,

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particularly after 
the civil war,

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the federal government 
to the extent

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that it did intervene 
tended to intervene

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when the strikers were 
winning in order to beat them

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and used their 
authority to help out

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the business or the corporate 
side of the equation.

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- Everybody expected, 
well, this couldn't be

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just one of the same old things.

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Give the coal operators 
what they want

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and grind labor under the heels.

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And Roosevelt 
surprised everybody by

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making sure that equity 
and justice prevailed.

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- Which worked 
largely to the benefit

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at least temporarily on 
certain bread and butter issues

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for the workers at the 
expense of the operators.

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Roosevelt saw this partly as 
a national well-being issue

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because he was afraid 
stockpiles of anthracite coal

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were going to run out 
as winter approached,

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and he thought this would 
undermine the health

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and well-being of the people

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and the health and 
well-being of the economy.

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- [Presenter] A sound 
recording made 10 years later

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captured the essence or 
Theodore Roosevelt's commitment

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to social and 
industrial justice.

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- [Theodore] As a 
people we cannot afford

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to let any group of citizens

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or any individual 
citizens live on labor

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under conditions which are 
injurious to the common welfare.

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Industry therefore 
must submit to such

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public regulation as 
well make it a means

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of life and health not 
of death or inhibition.

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(calm music)

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- [Presenter] In 1918 
Theodore Roosevelt

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addressed a crowd near 
his Long Island home

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and impressed the Hechler family

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of Roslyn, New York.

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- Instead of sitting up on 
the stage or walking out

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from behind the curtain,

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he started at the back 
of the audience and

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walked down the aisle 
shaking hands with people

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grinning in such a way 
that looked like his teeth

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were moving from side to side.

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But it was such a 
dramatic difference

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for most politicians 
in the manner in which

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he showed how 
excited he was about

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getting out among the people.

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- [Presenter] Ken's parents, 
Charles and Catherine Hechler

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were staunch 
Republicans and ardent

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practitioners of what 
Theodore Roosevelt

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described as the strenuous life.

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- Theodore Roosevelt denounced

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what he called the 
doctrine of ignoble ease.

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He always used to say 
as a person gets older

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it's much better to wear 
out than to rust out,

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to be active, to participate,

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to work hard, and 
not to vegetate.

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- [Presenter] Charles Hechler

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after teaching animal 
husbandry at the

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University of Missouri 
became superintendent

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of Harbor Hill, 
a 600 acre estate

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owned by Long Island 
millionaire Clarence Mackay.

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- There are about 150 
employees on the estate.

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They were self-sufficient.

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They had their own dairy, they 
had their own chicken farm,

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their own gardens and 
everything that they supplied

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the main house with.

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- [Presenter] As the estate 
attracted immigrants to work

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and local children to play,

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Harbor Hill reflected 
America's growing diversity

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and disparity.

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Ester Bowman, while 
visiting in her aunt

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Catherine's colonial farmhouse,

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marveled at the 
Hechler's lifestyle.

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- We always sat in 
the dining room,

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and there was a 
buzzer on the table

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that my aunt would 
press when she wanted

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the cook to come in.

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- [Presenter] Amid the 
luxurious trappings

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and perks of Charles' job,

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he and Catherine 
committed themselves

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to serving the less fortunate.

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- They looked at life

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and interpreted it honestly.

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And they wanted to 
make life better.

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- [Presenter] Besides 
overseeing Harbor Hill,

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Charles Hechler helped organize

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the Nassau County Farm Bureau.

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He started the first 
Boy Scout troop

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and the local Kiwanis Club.

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00:12:26,900 --> 00:12:29,000
Charles also served 
on City Council

258
00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,000
and chaired the 
local national bank

259
00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,833
and the Roslyn 
Board of Education.

260
00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,133
Catherine Hechler, a 
former school teacher,

261
00:12:37,133 --> 00:12:39,000
painted landscapes 
and cultivated

262
00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,400
award winning chrysanthemums.

263
00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,100
She also served as vice 
president of the Nassau County

264
00:12:44,100 --> 00:12:46,166
Women's Republican Federation

265
00:12:46,166 --> 00:12:48,400
and worked on behalf of 
the County Home Bureau,

266
00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:52,866
the Red Cross, and District 
Nurses Association.

267
00:12:52,866 --> 00:12:54,733
- Both of them were on 
the Board of Directors

268
00:12:54,733 --> 00:12:57,433
of the Roslyn 
Neighborhood Association

269
00:12:57,433 --> 00:13:00,333
which was founded about 1915.

270
00:13:00,333 --> 00:13:04,066
And that was the major 
benevolent group here in Roslyn,

271
00:13:04,066 --> 00:13:06,533
and they were involved 
in helping to assimilate

272
00:13:06,533 --> 00:13:09,433
new immigrants 
through typing classes

273
00:13:09,433 --> 00:13:11,000
or English classes.

274
00:13:12,233 --> 00:13:14,200
- [Presenter] Members of 
Trinity Episcopal Church

275
00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,600
in Roslyn, the 
Hechlers were driven by

276
00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:19,333
the Judeo-Christian call 
to love one's neighbor

277
00:13:19,333 --> 00:13:20,500
as one's self.

278
00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,400
- Every night my mother 
used to read to me

279
00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,733
the principles of 
morality in the Bible.

280
00:13:30,466 --> 00:13:33,233
They seem to have 
a moral compass,

281
00:13:33,233 --> 00:13:36,233
they seem to have 
a sense of ethics.

282
00:13:39,166 --> 00:13:41,133
- [Presenter] The merits 
of duty and sacrifice

283
00:13:41,133 --> 00:13:44,566
became evident to young 
Kenneth in the dead of winter

284
00:13:44,566 --> 00:13:46,833
when Ken chose the 
warmth of his home

285
00:13:46,833 --> 00:13:49,266
over the chill of 
his magazine route.

286
00:13:49,266 --> 00:13:51,700
Charles Hechler admonished 
his youngest son

287
00:13:51,700 --> 00:13:54,466
to fulfill his obligation.

288
00:13:54,466 --> 00:13:58,300
- He said, "Your customers 
will be wanting to

289
00:13:58,300 --> 00:14:00,366
"read these over Sunday.

290
00:14:02,866 --> 00:14:05,233
"Why are you neglecting them?"

291
00:14:05,233 --> 00:14:08,233
And I said, "Well, look 
at the snow out there.

292
00:14:08,233 --> 00:14:10,866
"I can't go out in that snow."

293
00:14:10,866 --> 00:14:14,600
And he said, "But think 
of your customers."

294
00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,266
I was really angry at my father.

295
00:14:18,666 --> 00:14:23,033
But the first customer 
was so overjoyed he said,

296
00:14:23,033 --> 00:14:24,033
"Come on in.

297
00:14:25,266 --> 00:14:27,166
"Isn't this wonderful?"

298
00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,966
"Here's a cup of hot chocolate."

299
00:14:30,966 --> 00:14:33,533
This happened at 
virtually every house

300
00:14:33,533 --> 00:14:36,233
where I stopped that evening.

301
00:14:36,233 --> 00:14:39,400
And I began to think 
as I trudged back,

302
00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,600
my father's a lot smarter 
than I thought he was.

303
00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,033
(calm music)

304
00:14:56,733 --> 00:14:58,633
- [Presenter] Despite 
such significant gains

305
00:14:58,633 --> 00:15:01,833
as the right of women to 
vote in national elections,

306
00:15:01,833 --> 00:15:04,700
progressivism lost 
momentum among Republicans

307
00:15:04,700 --> 00:15:06,500
in the 1920s.

308
00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:09,266
The ebb followed the death 
of progressive champion,

309
00:15:09,266 --> 00:15:11,966
Theodore Roosevelt, in 1919

310
00:15:11,966 --> 00:15:14,466
in the end of the 
First World War.

311
00:15:14,466 --> 00:15:17,633
- Increased wages and 
improved working conditions,

312
00:15:17,633 --> 00:15:20,100
the eight-hour day, all 
those things that workers

313
00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:22,366
have won during the war.

314
00:15:22,366 --> 00:15:26,700
In the post-war era, business 
is gonna react against that.

315
00:15:26,700 --> 00:15:30,133
And the Republican Party is 
gonna provide the leadership

316
00:15:30,133 --> 00:15:32,433
that progressive 
wing which had been

317
00:15:32,433 --> 00:15:35,833
interested in reform at 
the end of World War I

318
00:15:35,833 --> 00:15:37,833
is much more 
interested in promoting

319
00:15:37,833 --> 00:15:39,933
the interest of business.

320
00:15:41,133 --> 00:15:42,866
- [Presenter] The gulf 
between rich and poor

321
00:15:42,866 --> 00:15:44,933
increased to the 
point that production

322
00:15:44,933 --> 00:15:47,033
began to exceed demand.

323
00:15:47,033 --> 00:15:49,133
Relaxed lending 
practices meanwhile

324
00:15:49,133 --> 00:15:53,066
drove overly optimistic 
speculation in the stock market.

325
00:15:53,066 --> 00:15:56,266
The market's subsequent 
crash in 1929

326
00:15:56,266 --> 00:15:59,466
helped cripple the 
nation's banking system.

327
00:15:59,466 --> 00:16:00,933
The Great Depression,

328
00:16:00,933 --> 00:16:03,933
a decade of unprecedented 
economic hardship

329
00:16:03,933 --> 00:16:08,100
enveloped the nation and much 
of the industrialized world.

330
00:16:09,533 --> 00:16:13,366
- And the slums particularly 
and among laboring people,

331
00:16:13,366 --> 00:16:16,166
they were selling apples 
for a nickel a piece

332
00:16:16,166 --> 00:16:20,100
in the streets of New 
York in order to eke out

333
00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:23,400
enough to get food 
for their families.

334
00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:24,700
- [Presenter] As a 
third of the nation's

335
00:16:24,700 --> 00:16:27,600
available labor force 
became unemployed,

336
00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:29,766
Americans were 
forced to reconsider

337
00:16:29,766 --> 00:16:33,033
progressivism and the 
meaning of justice.

338
00:16:33,033 --> 00:16:35,633
- At the dawn of 
the Progressive Era

339
00:16:35,633 --> 00:16:38,333
the notion of justice 
is simply to provide

340
00:16:38,333 --> 00:16:40,833
everybody an opportunity.

341
00:16:40,833 --> 00:16:44,166
The depression really 
changes that notion somewhat.

342
00:16:44,166 --> 00:16:47,266
People are interested 
in opportunity still,

343
00:16:47,266 --> 00:16:49,333
but they're also thinking about

344
00:16:49,333 --> 00:16:52,533
the role the government 
can play in security,

345
00:16:52,533 --> 00:16:54,466
and providing a 
sense of fairness

346
00:16:54,466 --> 00:16:58,633
and being able to respond 
to the needs of the poorest.

347
00:17:00,866 --> 00:17:02,433
- [Presenter] President 
Herbert Hoover initially

348
00:17:02,433 --> 00:17:05,133
opposed large-scale 
government relief,

349
00:17:05,133 --> 00:17:07,333
expecting the nation's 
industrial giants

350
00:17:07,333 --> 00:17:09,533
to make economic concessions.

351
00:17:09,533 --> 00:17:12,233
The federal government, 
fearing inflation,

352
00:17:12,233 --> 00:17:14,700
restricted cash flow 
while increasing

353
00:17:14,700 --> 00:17:16,966
tariffs and taxes.

354
00:17:16,966 --> 00:17:19,300
President Hoover's 
response to America's

355
00:17:19,300 --> 00:17:22,033
deepening depression 
helped shape

356
00:17:22,033 --> 00:17:26,066
15 year-old Ken Heckler's view 
of the role of government.

357
00:17:26,066 --> 00:17:28,733
- Herbert Hoover kept 
saying prosperity

358
00:17:28,733 --> 00:17:30,466
is just around the corner.

359
00:17:30,466 --> 00:17:34,433
And if we only wait 
prosperity will come.

360
00:17:34,433 --> 00:17:38,433
And I began to develop 
an antipathy to inaction.

361
00:17:40,733 --> 00:17:42,366
I said, "The President 
of the United States

362
00:17:42,366 --> 00:17:44,533
"is the leader of our country,

363
00:17:44,533 --> 00:17:46,866
"why doesn't he do 
something about all this

364
00:17:46,866 --> 00:17:51,400
"unemployment and suffering 
that's taking place?"

365
00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,700
- [Presenter] In 1932 
the American people

366
00:17:53,700 --> 00:17:58,133
elected a Democrat to serve as 
the nation's chief executive.

367
00:17:58,133 --> 00:18:00,800
- I, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

368
00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:02,433
- [Presenter] Franklin 
Roosevelt wielded his

369
00:18:02,433 --> 00:18:05,266
presidential powers as 
freely as his cousin

370
00:18:05,266 --> 00:18:07,100
Theodore before him.

371
00:18:07,100 --> 00:18:09,833
- He set up the Civilian 
Conservation Corp

372
00:18:09,833 --> 00:18:13,333
not only to save our 
forests but to employ

373
00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:16,833
people that were out of work.

374
00:18:16,833 --> 00:18:19,900
He saved the farmers 
who were getting

375
00:18:20,833 --> 00:18:23,366
foreclosed on their mortgages.

376
00:18:23,366 --> 00:18:27,466
And he gave inspiration and 
leadership to the country

377
00:18:27,466 --> 00:18:30,566
which was so dramatically 
different from

378
00:18:30,566 --> 00:18:33,766
the inaction of Herbert Hoover.

379
00:18:33,766 --> 00:18:35,366
- Fear is vanishing

380
00:18:36,633 --> 00:18:39,966
and confidence is 
growing on every side.

381
00:18:41,133 --> 00:18:43,566
(calm music)

382
00:18:54,133 --> 00:18:56,500
- [Presenter] In 1931 
Ken Hechler enrolled

383
00:18:56,500 --> 00:18:59,833
at Swarthmore College 
near Philadelphia.

384
00:18:59,833 --> 00:19:03,433
Valued for its 
rigorous academics and 
progressive ideals,

385
00:19:03,433 --> 00:19:05,766
Swarthmore College 
challenged students

386
00:19:05,766 --> 00:19:08,933
academically, socially, 
and politically.

387
00:19:08,933 --> 00:19:12,533
- This was the constant 
goal of the faculty

388
00:19:14,333 --> 00:19:17,166
not only to challenge 
the students

389
00:19:18,900 --> 00:19:22,866
to think for themselves 
but also to think

390
00:19:22,866 --> 00:19:26,300
socially and to think 
about other people.

391
00:19:28,433 --> 00:19:30,866
- [Presenter] Faculty 
challenged students to act,

392
00:19:30,866 --> 00:19:33,466
to lend a hand in 
neglected communities,

393
00:19:33,466 --> 00:19:36,300
to inspire neighbors 
to help one another.

394
00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:38,433
Helen Hornbeck 
received a helping hand

395
00:19:38,433 --> 00:19:41,266
from college press board 
Chairman Ken Hechler

396
00:19:41,266 --> 00:19:44,866
when he appointed her 
Swarthmore's first 
female reporter.

397
00:19:44,866 --> 00:19:48,033
- I thought that 
it was such a kind

398
00:19:48,033 --> 00:19:49,533
and benevolent act.

399
00:19:49,533 --> 00:19:53,633
He was a recognized 
eccentric in the student body

400
00:19:54,766 --> 00:19:57,600
and I think one 
eccentric sometimes

401
00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:00,166
recognizes another.

402
00:20:01,700 --> 00:20:03,233
- [Presenter] Ken 
Hechler's considerate,

403
00:20:03,233 --> 00:20:05,900
unflappable, and 
optimistic nature made him

404
00:20:05,900 --> 00:20:08,666
well suited for public service.

405
00:20:08,666 --> 00:20:12,533
- He was always so 
cheerful and upbeat

406
00:20:12,533 --> 00:20:16,700
and would see the positive 
side of practically anything,

407
00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:22,766
and he had this pixie-ish 
sense of humor which

408
00:20:22,766 --> 00:20:26,933
has been evident in his 
subsequent political behavior.

409
00:20:28,666 --> 00:20:30,800
- [Presenter] Hechler graduated 
from Swarthmore College

410
00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:31,633
in 1935.

411
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,333
At Columbia University he 
earned a master's degree in 1936

412
00:20:37,333 --> 00:20:41,500
and his PhD in public law 
and American history in 1940.

413
00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:44,766
For his doctoral dissertation,

414
00:20:44,766 --> 00:20:46,333
Hechler examined 
a movement during

415
00:20:46,333 --> 00:20:48,533
William Howard Taft's presidency

416
00:20:48,533 --> 00:20:52,066
to return control of Congress 
to progressive reformers

417
00:20:52,066 --> 00:20:55,133
devoted to the policies 
of Taft's predecessor

418
00:20:55,133 --> 00:20:56,700
Theodore Roosevelt.

419
00:20:58,166 --> 00:21:00,633
While members of the press 
dubbed it an insurgency

420
00:21:00,633 --> 00:21:03,033
the movement relied upon 
words and parliamentary

421
00:21:03,033 --> 00:21:07,166
procedures rather than 
guns and explosives.

422
00:21:07,166 --> 00:21:10,266
- These insurgents 
were a group of

423
00:21:10,266 --> 00:21:13,800
liberal Republicans 
who decided to

424
00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:17,300
revolt against the 
right wing conservative

425
00:21:18,466 --> 00:21:21,133
Republicans who are 
ruling the Senate

426
00:21:21,133 --> 00:21:22,400
and the House of Representatives

427
00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,166
which at that time 
was under the thumb of

428
00:21:26,166 --> 00:21:30,333
very determined, self-centered 
friends of corporations

429
00:21:31,900 --> 00:21:34,333
who were not carrying out the

430
00:21:35,466 --> 00:21:38,166
principles of Abraham 
Lincoln who would

431
00:21:38,166 --> 00:21:40,533
help found the Republican party.

432
00:21:40,533 --> 00:21:43,200
- [Presenter] As Hechler 
hitchhiked across the mid West,

433
00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,633
surviving insurgents 
granted interviews

434
00:21:45,633 --> 00:21:48,300
and access to their 
long, forgotten journals

435
00:21:48,300 --> 00:21:50,266
and correspondents.

436
00:21:50,266 --> 00:21:52,666
The young historian 
gradually pieced together

437
00:21:52,666 --> 00:21:56,066
the motives and actions 
shaping the insurgent movement

438
00:21:56,066 --> 00:21:59,533
to reform government 
during the Taft era.

439
00:21:59,533 --> 00:22:03,033
- It drove home to me 
the necessity of the

440
00:22:05,266 --> 00:22:08,100
personal side of politics,

441
00:22:08,100 --> 00:22:11,233
the fact that politics 
is made up of a

442
00:22:11,233 --> 00:22:14,700
bunch of individual 
human beings,

443
00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:18,133
you have to work with 
those human beings.

444
00:22:19,533 --> 00:22:22,933
The people were the 
ones that really

445
00:22:22,933 --> 00:22:25,166
were the root of democracy.

446
00:22:25,166 --> 00:22:27,600
(calm music)

447
00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:43,866
- [Presenter] While 
earning his PhD,

448
00:22:43,866 --> 00:22:46,966
Ken Hechler taught at 
Columbia and Barner College,

449
00:22:46,966 --> 00:22:48,966
popular on both campuses,

450
00:22:48,966 --> 00:22:50,466
the young professor's classes

451
00:22:50,466 --> 00:22:52,666
were refreshing and innovative.

452
00:22:52,666 --> 00:22:54,866
Hechler brought home 
the role of individuals

453
00:22:54,866 --> 00:22:58,100
and government by bantering 
with costumed actors

454
00:22:58,100 --> 00:23:01,700
over historic events 
and American politics.

455
00:23:03,100 --> 00:23:06,766
- [Ken] I think that it's 
very important for students to

456
00:23:06,766 --> 00:23:10,200
understand the realistic 
side of politics

457
00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:15,233
to really prepare them 
for all of the challenges

458
00:23:15,233 --> 00:23:17,033
which he'll face.

459
00:23:17,033 --> 00:23:19,066
- It's what they call 
a West Virginia Moose.

460
00:23:19,066 --> 00:23:20,333
(laughter)

461
00:23:20,333 --> 00:23:22,100
- And also to get 
the inspiration,

462
00:23:22,100 --> 00:23:24,733
of the excitement 
of public service

463
00:23:24,733 --> 00:23:27,266
which they can get 
from people that can

464
00:23:27,266 --> 00:23:31,433
transmit their own enthusiasm 
for what they're doing.

465
00:23:33,033 --> 00:23:34,900
- [Presenter] Hechler 
often brought James Stewart

466
00:23:34,900 --> 00:23:36,766
and her Barnard 
College classmates

467
00:23:36,766 --> 00:23:39,866
face to face with news 
makers and government

468
00:23:39,866 --> 00:23:41,666
and politics.

469
00:23:41,666 --> 00:23:45,300
- He believed that meeting 
people was very important

470
00:23:45,300 --> 00:23:47,800
not just reading 
about them in books.

471
00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:51,966
So we had opportunities to 
go on field trips with him.

472
00:23:53,433 --> 00:23:56,233
- [Presenter] Ken 
Hechler, brushing aside 
his personal views

473
00:23:56,233 --> 00:23:58,000
of Herbert Hoover's presidency,

474
00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,400
once arranged for his 
class to interview

475
00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:02,433
the former chief executive.

476
00:24:02,433 --> 00:24:05,700
Students also questioned 
New Deal critic and 1940

477
00:24:05,700 --> 00:24:08,966
presidential candidate 
Wendell Willkie.

478
00:24:10,133 --> 00:24:11,633
- I will never forget 
the meeting because

479
00:24:11,633 --> 00:24:14,233
he called me "sweetheart" 
when I asked a question.

480
00:24:14,233 --> 00:24:17,766
I said, "You've recently 
become a Republican.

481
00:24:17,766 --> 00:24:20,166
"How is it that you're 
for free trade,"

482
00:24:20,166 --> 00:24:22,766
because Republicans 
have not traditionally

483
00:24:22,766 --> 00:24:24,566
been in that camp.

484
00:24:24,566 --> 00:24:26,566
And he said, well, 
if we're gonna have

485
00:24:26,566 --> 00:24:30,533
one world we can't have 
these artificial barriers.

486
00:24:30,533 --> 00:24:32,800
- [Presenter] Ken Hechler 
impressed Columbia University

487
00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,933
student Bob Zucker by 
inviting to his classroom

488
00:24:35,933 --> 00:24:38,500
Earl Browder, the 
controversial leader

489
00:24:38,500 --> 00:24:41,266
of the Communist 
Party in America.

490
00:24:41,266 --> 00:24:45,100
- Russia, which was the 
god of the Communist Party,

491
00:24:45,100 --> 00:24:47,100
was aligned with Hitler.

492
00:24:48,666 --> 00:24:50,733
They had made a pact.

493
00:24:50,733 --> 00:24:52,966
I mean the pact included 
splitting up Poland

494
00:24:52,966 --> 00:24:55,433
and non-aggression and so on.

495
00:24:55,433 --> 00:24:58,666
So it was not a very 
popular move but yet he felt

496
00:24:58,666 --> 00:25:01,566
his students should 
be exposed to

497
00:25:01,566 --> 00:25:03,400
all types of thinking.

498
00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:06,933
- [Presenter] Hechler also 
invited Democratic Party Chair

499
00:25:06,933 --> 00:25:08,366
James Farley.

500
00:25:08,366 --> 00:25:11,033
As Franklin Roosevelt's 
presidential campaign manager

501
00:25:11,033 --> 00:25:14,166
in 1932 Farley 
combined a telephone

502
00:25:14,166 --> 00:25:16,366
and amplifier to link Roosevelt

503
00:25:16,366 --> 00:25:18,666
and Democratic 
convention delegates.

504
00:25:18,666 --> 00:25:21,533
At Columbia and later 
Princeton University,

505
00:25:21,533 --> 00:25:23,500
the system offered 
Hechler and his students

506
00:25:23,500 --> 00:25:27,833
a practical alternative to 
face to face interviews.

507
00:25:27,833 --> 00:25:31,200
- He would set up a 
telephone connection

508
00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,166
in the room with a loud speaker

509
00:25:33,166 --> 00:25:35,266
and actually microphones.

510
00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:38,033
And he'd say, well, 
we're gonna talk

511
00:25:38,033 --> 00:25:40,400
to Chief Justice Stone.

512
00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,566
Sure enough Harlan 
Stone was on the phone,

513
00:25:43,566 --> 00:25:45,600
Chief Justice of 
the Supreme Court,

514
00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:47,166
and he always had surprises,

515
00:25:47,166 --> 00:25:49,466
always something new 
and I didn't know

516
00:25:49,466 --> 00:25:53,366
anybody who didn't think 
Ken was a great teacher.

517
00:25:53,366 --> 00:25:54,966
- I have seen war--

518
00:25:56,366 --> 00:25:58,200
- [Presenter] While teaching 
at Columbia and Barnard,

519
00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:00,633
Hechler also worked with 
Presidential Advisor

520
00:26:00,633 --> 00:26:03,100
and speech writer 
Samuel Rosenman

521
00:26:03,100 --> 00:26:06,666
editing FDR's public 
papers and addresses.

522
00:26:06,666 --> 00:26:08,766
- I give to you assurance

523
00:26:10,233 --> 00:26:14,133
that the people of the United 
States will not stand idly by.

524
00:26:15,900 --> 00:26:17,866
- [Presenter] Ken Hechler 
left his Columbia classroom

525
00:26:17,866 --> 00:26:20,533
and moved to Washington in 1941.

526
00:26:21,966 --> 00:26:24,200
In addition to his 
work with Rosenman

527
00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,033
Hechler secured 
employment at various

528
00:26:26,033 --> 00:26:28,566
federal agencies 
serving in the office

529
00:26:28,566 --> 00:26:30,966
for emergency management 
and the bureaus

530
00:26:30,966 --> 00:26:32,866
of the senses and the budget,

531
00:26:32,866 --> 00:26:37,133
Hechler observed first hand 
a government going to war.

532
00:26:37,133 --> 00:26:40,200
(ominous drum music)

533
00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:58,400
- Since the unprovoked 
and dastardly attack

534
00:27:00,700 --> 00:27:02,266
by Japan on Sunday,

535
00:27:04,300 --> 00:27:05,800
December 7th, 1941

536
00:27:08,733 --> 00:27:10,900
a state of war has existed

537
00:27:14,066 --> 00:27:18,233
between the United States 
and the Japanese Empire.

538
00:27:21,633 --> 00:27:25,366
- [Presenter] In 1942 Ken 
Hechler entered the US Army

539
00:27:25,366 --> 00:27:27,833
and attended Officer 
Candidate School.

540
00:27:27,833 --> 00:27:30,500
There he and fellow tank 
commanders in training

541
00:27:30,500 --> 00:27:32,966
were assigned the 
straightforward task

542
00:27:32,966 --> 00:27:35,933
of putting to paper 
their life stories.

543
00:27:35,933 --> 00:27:39,466
- I started out with 
a sentence about

544
00:27:39,466 --> 00:27:42,466
the fact that I've 
been born in 1914

545
00:27:44,033 --> 00:27:46,900
shortly after the 
assassination of

546
00:27:46,900 --> 00:27:50,166
Archduke Franz 
Ferdinand at Sarajevo

547
00:27:50,166 --> 00:27:54,333
which was a spark that 
set off World War I.

548
00:27:54,333 --> 00:27:57,000
It started the smoke of Sarajevo

549
00:27:58,166 --> 00:28:01,533
had scarcely drifted 
away when a squalling,

550
00:28:01,533 --> 00:28:05,400
brawling, infant burst 
upon an unsuspecting world.

551
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:07,633
(laughter)

552
00:28:08,766 --> 00:28:12,133
I got a call from the 
commanding general

553
00:28:12,133 --> 00:28:14,333
of the Armored Force.

554
00:28:14,333 --> 00:28:17,100
He said, "When I read 
the first sentence

555
00:28:17,100 --> 00:28:21,466
"of your autobiography, I 
just couldn't put it down."

556
00:28:21,466 --> 00:28:23,466
"I could not put it down

557
00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,266
"and I just read 
all about the things

558
00:28:27,266 --> 00:28:29,833
"that you had been 
through and your teaching

559
00:28:29,833 --> 00:28:33,466
"and working for 
Franklin Roosevelt."

560
00:28:33,466 --> 00:28:36,200
And he said, "You should 
be doing something

561
00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:40,266
"far more important than just 
driving a tank in this war."

562
00:28:40,266 --> 00:28:42,233
I said, "No, sir, 
I've been trained

563
00:28:42,233 --> 00:28:43,833
"to be a tank commander, sir."

564
00:28:43,833 --> 00:28:46,166
And he said, "No, it's too late.

565
00:28:46,166 --> 00:28:49,300
"We're going to send you to the

566
00:28:49,300 --> 00:28:52,100
"European Theater of Operations

567
00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:54,966
"and you're gonna be 
a combat historian

568
00:28:54,966 --> 00:28:59,133
"to get together material 
that can be useful

569
00:28:59,133 --> 00:29:02,866
"and lessons learned for 
the service academies,"

570
00:29:02,866 --> 00:29:06,333
like West Point and 
command and general

571
00:29:06,333 --> 00:29:08,900
staff college at Fort Levinwort.

572
00:29:08,900 --> 00:29:12,433
Our major occupation 
was with with notebooks

573
00:29:12,433 --> 00:29:15,966
to go around and 
interview all of the

574
00:29:15,966 --> 00:29:18,566
soldiers involved in operations

575
00:29:19,466 --> 00:29:21,900
in the most critical actions.

576
00:29:23,066 --> 00:29:24,166
- [Presenter] Hechler 
found in the taking

577
00:29:24,166 --> 00:29:26,266
of the bridge at 
Remagen, Germany

578
00:29:26,266 --> 00:29:30,233
the rewards of courage, 
initiative and training.

579
00:29:30,233 --> 00:29:33,000
- Remagen was a 
beautiful example

580
00:29:34,333 --> 00:29:37,666
of how training 
provided a unified group

581
00:29:40,766 --> 00:29:44,033
of soldiers who were 
able to work very closely

582
00:29:44,033 --> 00:29:48,200
together in a 
dramatic, unpredicted, 
unplanned operation.

583
00:29:52,500 --> 00:29:53,866
- [Presenter] World 
War II helped prepare

584
00:29:53,866 --> 00:29:56,700
young Americans for 
post-war public service

585
00:29:56,700 --> 00:29:58,466
and political office.

586
00:29:59,833 --> 00:30:02,833
- Had it not been for my 
service in World War II,

587
00:30:02,833 --> 00:30:05,033
I never would have 
entered politics.

588
00:30:05,033 --> 00:30:08,866
Service itself reshaped 
the minds and the character

589
00:30:08,866 --> 00:30:11,200
of many young people in America.

590
00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:13,300
Public tervice can 
be in some cases

591
00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:15,033
almost an extension 
of what you were doing

592
00:30:15,033 --> 00:30:17,100
in the service whether 
you were in the Air Force,

593
00:30:17,100 --> 00:30:20,266
Marines, whatever 
branch it might be.

594
00:30:20,266 --> 00:30:22,733
- We were engaged 
in public service.

595
00:30:22,733 --> 00:30:25,700
We thought it was 
the highest endeavor.

596
00:30:25,700 --> 00:30:28,466
Why, because we were up against

597
00:30:28,466 --> 00:30:31,766
a miserable totalitarian force

598
00:30:31,766 --> 00:30:34,500
in the form of the Axis Powers.

599
00:30:34,500 --> 00:30:37,866
They were out to take 
over much of the world.

600
00:30:37,866 --> 00:30:40,000
And being in that 
kind of experience

601
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,333
left one with the feeling that

602
00:30:42,333 --> 00:30:45,066
this was a very 
rewarding endeavor,

603
00:30:45,066 --> 00:30:47,266
the feeling that somehow we were

604
00:30:47,266 --> 00:30:51,100
giving ourselves, 
maybe giving our lives

605
00:30:51,100 --> 00:30:55,266
to a cause that was larger 
than any one of us alone.

606
00:30:56,466 --> 00:30:59,533
- [Presenter] Germany 
surrendered in May 1945.

607
00:30:59,533 --> 00:31:02,566
To better understand 
German military strategy

608
00:31:02,566 --> 00:31:04,500
Major Ken Hechler interviewed

609
00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:07,600
the surviving members of 
the German high command

610
00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,133
including Air Marshal 
Hermann Göring,

611
00:31:10,133 --> 00:31:13,400
Adolf Hitler's long 
time confidant.

612
00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,800
- Göring was a very 
interesting character because

613
00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:20,966
he demonstrated his power 
of persuasion frequently

614
00:31:22,833 --> 00:31:25,533
to show where he'd 
gotten where he was.

615
00:31:25,533 --> 00:31:29,366
And sometimes you had 
to pinch yourself to

616
00:31:29,366 --> 00:31:33,200
avoid getting taken in 
by some of his bravado.

617
00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,700
- [Presenter] Sentenced to death 
for crimes against humanity

618
00:31:37,700 --> 00:31:39,733
Göring committed 
suicide rather than

619
00:31:39,733 --> 00:31:41,833
submit to public hanging.

620
00:31:42,966 --> 00:31:45,366
(calm music)

621
00:31:56,666 --> 00:31:58,900
After the war Ken 
Hechler returned to the

622
00:31:58,900 --> 00:32:00,766
US Bureau of the Budget.

623
00:32:00,766 --> 00:32:02,733
He taught at 
Princeton University

624
00:32:02,733 --> 00:32:06,233
and helped publish Judge 
Samuel Rosenman's final volume

625
00:32:06,233 --> 00:32:10,100
of Franklin Roosevelt's 
presidential addresses.

626
00:32:10,100 --> 00:32:12,700
- I consider it of the 
highest importance.

627
00:32:12,700 --> 00:32:15,466
- [Presenter] In 1949 
Ken Hechler impressed

628
00:32:15,466 --> 00:32:18,266
President Harry Truman 
with a detailed study

629
00:32:18,266 --> 00:32:20,633
of the historical 
role of government

630
00:32:20,633 --> 00:32:22,866
in assisting private business.

631
00:32:22,866 --> 00:32:25,733
Shortly thereafter Hechler 
joined the White House staff

632
00:32:25,733 --> 00:32:28,333
as research director 
and special assistant

633
00:32:28,333 --> 00:32:29,766
to the President.

634
00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:32,766
In 1950 Hechler reviewed

635
00:32:32,766 --> 00:32:35,033
President Abraham 
Lincoln's decision

636
00:32:35,033 --> 00:32:37,766
to dismiss Civil War 
General George McClellan

637
00:32:37,766 --> 00:32:39,300
for insubordination.

638
00:32:39,300 --> 00:32:41,633
The study supported 
Truman's decision

639
00:32:41,633 --> 00:32:43,866
to relieve popular 
World War II general

640
00:32:43,866 --> 00:32:46,066
Douglas MacArthur of his command

641
00:32:46,066 --> 00:32:48,600
during the Korean War.

642
00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:50,533
Public frustration over the war

643
00:32:50,533 --> 00:32:52,433
coupled with outrage 
over Truman's

644
00:32:52,433 --> 00:32:54,600
handling of the 
steel worker strike

645
00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:58,500
produced the lowest presidential 
approval ratings to date.

646
00:32:58,500 --> 00:33:02,000
Truman's steadfast convictions 
amid public pressure

647
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:05,266
impressed Special 
Assistant Hechler.

648
00:33:05,266 --> 00:33:08,000
- President Truman had 
two signs on his desk,

649
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,066
everybody knows about 
the Buckstops here

650
00:33:10,066 --> 00:33:13,200
but he also had a second 
side which was a quotation

651
00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:15,000
from Mark Twain.

652
00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,633
"Always do right, this will 
gratify some of the people

653
00:33:18,633 --> 00:33:20,433
"and astonish the rest."

654
00:33:20,433 --> 00:33:24,866
And he demonstrated to 
me and instilled in me

655
00:33:24,866 --> 00:33:27,200
this burning sense of justice

656
00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:30,466
that you do what's 
right and then

657
00:33:30,466 --> 00:33:33,400
let the chips fall 
where they may.

658
00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:35,800
- I can take care of myself.

659
00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:37,833
I believe that the 
American people know me

660
00:33:37,833 --> 00:33:40,800
well enough for my service 
as Captain of Battery D

661
00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:42,500
in World War I

662
00:33:42,500 --> 00:33:46,033
to my service as President 
of the United States

663
00:33:46,033 --> 00:33:48,666
to know that I have always acted

664
00:33:48,666 --> 00:33:52,100
with the best interest 
of my country at heart.

665
00:33:52,100 --> 00:33:55,233
- [Presenter] Truman's place 
in history improved with time.

666
00:33:55,233 --> 00:33:57,333
As President he 
brought about expansion

667
00:33:57,333 --> 00:33:59,900
of social security 
coverage and an increase

668
00:33:59,900 --> 00:34:02,166
on the minimum wage.

669
00:34:02,166 --> 00:34:05,000
Truman D segregated 
US Armed Forces

670
00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,566
while working to rebuild Europe 
and promoting World Peace.

671
00:34:08,566 --> 00:34:10,933
He also worked to 
improve education,

672
00:34:10,933 --> 00:34:12,833
established national health care

673
00:34:12,833 --> 00:34:15,266
and protect civil rights.

674
00:34:15,266 --> 00:34:16,933
Crossing the nation by train

675
00:34:16,933 --> 00:34:19,833
President Truman engaged 
Americans and made friends

676
00:34:19,833 --> 00:34:22,000
one whistle stop at a time.

677
00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,000
Ken Hechler read 
local newspapers

678
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,066
and contacted librarians 
and public officials

679
00:34:27,066 --> 00:34:29,833
to provide the president 
with insightful details

680
00:34:29,833 --> 00:34:32,366
for off the cuff remarks.

681
00:34:32,366 --> 00:34:35,066
- He said call taxicab drivers,

682
00:34:35,066 --> 00:34:37,333
beauty shop 
operators, people that

683
00:34:37,333 --> 00:34:41,000
can give you an idea what 
people are talking about.

684
00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:42,666
- I think both Ken 
and President Truman

685
00:34:42,666 --> 00:34:44,666
believed that the 
backbone of the republic

686
00:34:44,666 --> 00:34:46,900
is its middle class.

687
00:34:46,900 --> 00:34:49,800
And the more you do to 
expand the middle class

688
00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:54,133
the stronger and better 
a society you will have.

689
00:34:54,133 --> 00:34:56,700
- [Presenter] A 1948 
whistle stop in Oregon

690
00:34:56,700 --> 00:34:59,066
exemplified President 
Truman's ability

691
00:34:59,066 --> 00:35:02,900
to portray himself as a 
willing servant of the people.

692
00:35:02,900 --> 00:35:05,133
- He looked out over 
the crowd and said,

693
00:35:05,133 --> 00:35:06,633
"I know why you're here.

694
00:35:06,633 --> 00:35:08,700
"You're not here to 
see Harry Truman.

695
00:35:08,700 --> 00:35:11,333
"You're here to see the 
President of the United States

696
00:35:11,333 --> 00:35:13,600
"and see how he's 
doing his job."

697
00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:16,100
And he quoted Woodrow 
Wilson who once said

698
00:35:16,100 --> 00:35:19,600
many men come to Washington 
and they grow in their jobs.

699
00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,800
But too many men 
come to Washington

700
00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:24,766
and they just swell up.

701
00:35:24,766 --> 00:35:28,433
And so he takes his hat, 
takes a loot at it and says,

702
00:35:28,433 --> 00:35:31,133
"My hat size hasn't increased 
an eighth of an inch

703
00:35:31,133 --> 00:35:33,400
"since I became president."

704
00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:37,633
- It was liberating for 
Truman to get out of the

705
00:35:37,633 --> 00:35:40,133
White House which 
he used to call

706
00:35:40,133 --> 00:35:43,700
the Great White Jail 
that enabled him to

707
00:35:43,700 --> 00:35:45,433
be much more relaxed.

708
00:35:46,766 --> 00:35:48,666
One of my jobs on whistle 
stops incidentally

709
00:35:48,666 --> 00:35:50,933
was to get out 
among the crowd and

710
00:35:50,933 --> 00:35:52,566
listen to what they were saying

711
00:35:52,566 --> 00:35:55,433
and if they were unusually quiet

712
00:35:55,433 --> 00:35:57,700
and didn't respond 
why every now and then

713
00:35:57,700 --> 00:35:59,800
I would say, "Give 
'em hell, Harry!"

714
00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:02,033
(laughter)

715
00:36:03,100 --> 00:36:05,500
(calm music)

716
00:36:17,933 --> 00:36:19,400
- [Presenter] As 
Republican president

717
00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,100
Dwight Eisenhower settled 
into the White House,

718
00:36:22,100 --> 00:36:23,333
Ken Hechler joined the

719
00:36:23,333 --> 00:36:25,566
American Political 
Science Association

720
00:36:25,566 --> 00:36:27,866
as associate director.

721
00:36:27,866 --> 00:36:31,233
He took leave in 1956 
to serve as Democratic

722
00:36:31,233 --> 00:36:33,566
Presidential Candidate 
Adlai Stevenson's

723
00:36:33,566 --> 00:36:35,266
research director.

724
00:36:35,266 --> 00:36:37,100
Stevenson lost to Eisenhower

725
00:36:37,100 --> 00:36:40,200
and Hechler returned to 
his post at the APSA.

726
00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,600
Hechler quickly realized 
his Washington desk job

727
00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:45,700
could never deliver 
the kind of excitement

728
00:36:45,700 --> 00:36:48,066
experienced on the 
campaign trail.

729
00:36:48,066 --> 00:36:51,600
- Most of the employees 
would come to work

730
00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:54,766
in the morning and 
try to figure out

731
00:36:54,766 --> 00:36:56,900
what they would do 
on their coffee break

732
00:36:56,900 --> 00:36:59,800
and then who they 
would invite to lunch.

733
00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:01,633
- [Presenter] When Hechler 
learned that Marshall College

734
00:37:01,633 --> 00:37:03,400
in Huntington, West 
Virginia needed

735
00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,000
a political science 
teacher to fill a vacancy

736
00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,033
during the spring 
semester of 1957

737
00:37:09,033 --> 00:37:12,133
he seized upon the opportunity.

738
00:37:12,133 --> 00:37:15,733
Word of the new professor's 
methodology quickly spread

739
00:37:15,733 --> 00:37:17,733
employing many of the 
innovative techniques

740
00:37:17,733 --> 00:37:20,800
he crafted at Columbia and 
Princeton universities,

741
00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:23,733
Hechler sometimes dressed 
in period costume.

742
00:37:23,733 --> 00:37:26,766
He found well known public 
officials from his classroom

743
00:37:26,766 --> 00:37:30,533
and bus students to 
Washington, DC on his own dime.

744
00:37:30,533 --> 00:37:32,633
Ken Hechler's challenge 
during a meeting

745
00:37:32,633 --> 00:37:35,400
of young Democrats 
inspired journalism student

746
00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:38,266
Bobby Nelson to enter politics.

747
00:37:38,266 --> 00:37:42,300
- He pointed out we are 
an unusual democracy

748
00:37:42,300 --> 00:37:44,300
or a representative 
government where

749
00:37:44,300 --> 00:37:47,266
the people really are at 
the center of everything

750
00:37:47,266 --> 00:37:49,766
and to the extent 
that they are involved

751
00:37:49,766 --> 00:37:51,166
the better the government is

752
00:37:51,166 --> 00:37:54,700
and the better the 
solutions to problems are.

753
00:37:54,700 --> 00:37:56,833
He was a tremendous supporter of

754
00:37:56,833 --> 00:37:58,466
what democracy means,

755
00:37:58,466 --> 00:38:01,366
and especially as it 
relate to young people.

756
00:38:01,366 --> 00:38:05,533
- I would ask my students, 
"What's your objection?

757
00:38:05,533 --> 00:38:07,633
"Why are you holding back

758
00:38:09,066 --> 00:38:11,333
"and not wanting to 
take part on this

759
00:38:11,333 --> 00:38:13,366
"exciting process?"

760
00:38:13,366 --> 00:38:15,666
And particularly the women 
in the class would say,

761
00:38:15,666 --> 00:38:18,066
"There's so much mud 
slinging in politics,

762
00:38:18,066 --> 00:38:20,100
"so we just don't 
wanna get involved

763
00:38:20,100 --> 00:38:22,400
in all that mud slinging."

764
00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:26,033
My answer to that was, "I 
wonder what would happen

765
00:38:26,033 --> 00:38:28,900
"if a candidate 
would go out and not

766
00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:32,666
"attack his or her 
opponent but rather simply

767
00:38:33,666 --> 00:38:36,433
"say what he or she stood for.

768
00:38:36,433 --> 00:38:38,366
"I wonder what would happen."

769
00:38:38,366 --> 00:38:41,100
- This one student said, 
"If you're talking about

770
00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:44,200
"all this even holding office,

771
00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:46,466
"why don't you run for office?"

772
00:38:46,466 --> 00:38:51,300
And Professor Hechler then said, 
"Well, I just may do that."

773
00:38:51,300 --> 00:38:53,833
- [Presenter] In 1958 Ken 
Hechler made his first

774
00:38:53,833 --> 00:38:55,800
bid for public office

775
00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:57,433
as a candidate for 
West Virginia's

776
00:38:57,433 --> 00:38:59,400
fourth congressional 
district seat,

777
00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:01,600
Hechler demonstrated 
three qualities

778
00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:05,166
essential to politics 
and public service.

779
00:39:05,166 --> 00:39:06,566
- Energy, you gotta have energy.

780
00:39:06,566 --> 00:39:08,966
You can be a lot of 
things in politics

781
00:39:08,966 --> 00:39:11,533
and be a success but 
you can't be lazy.

782
00:39:11,533 --> 00:39:14,333
You have to have that 
concentrated energy

783
00:39:14,333 --> 00:39:15,966
going for the mission.

784
00:39:15,966 --> 00:39:17,600
Ethics, ethics not in the sense

785
00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:20,500
of the Sunday school ethics 
but you have this ethos

786
00:39:20,500 --> 00:39:22,400
that you want to do good.

787
00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:23,833
And finally you have 
to have that ego.

788
00:39:23,833 --> 00:39:25,800
You have to say 
of all the people,

789
00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:27,900
the thousands, ten of 
thousands who are qualified

790
00:39:27,900 --> 00:39:30,166
in the position I 
uniquely can do it better

791
00:39:30,166 --> 00:39:31,466
than anyone else.

792
00:39:31,466 --> 00:39:32,866
- [Presenter] Many of 
Hechler's volunteers

793
00:39:32,866 --> 00:39:35,833
were students under 
the age of 21.

794
00:39:35,833 --> 00:39:37,066
Though too young to vote

795
00:39:37,066 --> 00:39:39,900
they enthusiastically 
embraced the professor's

796
00:39:39,900 --> 00:39:42,933
unorthodox approach 
to campaigning.

797
00:39:42,933 --> 00:39:45,666
- Back then when you 
got into politics,

798
00:39:45,666 --> 00:39:48,100
you didn't go out 
like they do today

799
00:39:48,100 --> 00:39:51,166
and campaign and go door 
to door and see people,

800
00:39:51,166 --> 00:39:52,900
you went to the 
political bosses.

801
00:39:52,900 --> 00:39:54,500
You either went down with 
the county court house

802
00:39:54,500 --> 00:39:56,366
or the state house machine.

803
00:39:56,366 --> 00:39:58,733
And they anointed 
you in the party

804
00:39:58,733 --> 00:40:01,400
accepted you and you 
generally were elected.

805
00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:04,166
Well, Hechler was just the 
total opposite of that.

806
00:40:04,166 --> 00:40:07,666
- Campaign is one of 
the most exciting things

807
00:40:07,666 --> 00:40:11,233
in life because it gives 
you an opportunity to

808
00:40:11,233 --> 00:40:14,500
meet new people and 
to be able to interact

809
00:40:14,500 --> 00:40:17,966
in such a way that 
you can really

810
00:40:17,966 --> 00:40:20,800
get a feel as to 
what they stand for

811
00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:25,066
and what they're hoping 
to receive in the way of

812
00:40:25,066 --> 00:40:26,300
public service.

813
00:40:27,666 --> 00:40:29,433
- [Presenter] As many 
campaigns concentrated

814
00:40:29,433 --> 00:40:31,966
on the district's more 
urban communities,

815
00:40:31,966 --> 00:40:34,800
Hechler's volunteers 
climbed into his convertible

816
00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:38,566
and headed for small towns 
along the Ohio River.

817
00:40:38,566 --> 00:40:40,333
Hechler armed his 
troops with copies

818
00:40:40,333 --> 00:40:42,200
of his recently published book,

819
00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:43,600
The Bridge at Ramagen.

820
00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:45,633
The book chronicled 
the allied capture

821
00:40:45,633 --> 00:40:49,566
of the strategic bridge 
during World War II.

822
00:40:49,566 --> 00:40:51,800
Hechler's volunteers 
handed out free copies

823
00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:53,333
wherever they went.

824
00:40:53,333 --> 00:40:56,666
West Virginians known for 
their devout patriotism

825
00:40:56,666 --> 00:40:59,866
embraced the book and the 
war veteran who wrote it.

826
00:40:59,866 --> 00:41:02,633
- The fact that he was a veteran

827
00:41:02,633 --> 00:41:04,200
and wrote a book 
that was popular

828
00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:08,333
helped a great deal in 
people getting to know him.

829
00:41:08,333 --> 00:41:10,100
- [Presenter] Considered 
a master of parody,

830
00:41:10,100 --> 00:41:11,966
Ken Hechler 
effectively used music

831
00:41:11,966 --> 00:41:15,933
to set the tone when 
addressing various groups.

832
00:41:15,933 --> 00:41:18,400
- His entire career 
he loved to write,

833
00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:21,433
he loved music, he loved to 
put together little parodies.

834
00:41:21,433 --> 00:41:24,266
He thought music would 
capture the attention more

835
00:41:24,266 --> 00:41:26,866
than some windbag just talking.

836
00:41:26,866 --> 00:41:29,333
- There was a group of 
four coeds at Marshall

837
00:41:29,333 --> 00:41:31,833
that had won a singing contest

838
00:41:32,900 --> 00:41:35,700
by singing the 
McGuire Sisters song.

839
00:41:36,566 --> 00:41:37,866
♪ Sugar in the morning

840
00:41:37,866 --> 00:41:39,266
♪ Sugar in the evening

841
00:41:39,266 --> 00:41:42,300
♪ Sugar at supper time

842
00:41:42,300 --> 00:41:45,733
And so we wrote 
a parody on that.

843
00:41:45,733 --> 00:41:46,900
♪ Hechler in the morning

844
00:41:46,900 --> 00:41:48,233
♪ Hechler in the evening

845
00:41:48,233 --> 00:41:50,766
♪ Hechler at election time

846
00:41:50,766 --> 00:41:52,266
- That would get 
us started and then

847
00:41:52,266 --> 00:41:53,966
the books will be passed out.

848
00:41:53,966 --> 00:41:55,833
And he was very down to earth.

849
00:41:55,833 --> 00:41:59,533
He talked about his work 
with Truman and Roosevelt,

850
00:41:59,533 --> 00:42:01,900
about the great need for 
government to respond

851
00:42:01,900 --> 00:42:03,066
to the people.

852
00:42:03,066 --> 00:42:06,400
And he was a tireless, 
tireless worker.

853
00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:08,733
I mean nobody could outwork him.

854
00:42:08,733 --> 00:42:10,400
When he first 
announced to Congress,

855
00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:13,400
maybe 50, 60 people outside 
this campus knew him.

856
00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:15,666
But by the time the 
primary came around

857
00:42:15,666 --> 00:42:17,766
he probably knew the Fourth 
Congressional District's

858
00:42:17,766 --> 00:42:20,866
13 counties more than 
probably 95% of the people

859
00:42:20,866 --> 00:42:23,366
who lived in it 'cause 
he made it a point to

860
00:42:23,366 --> 00:42:25,933
really learn about the 
district and know people

861
00:42:25,933 --> 00:42:27,300
and know the issues.

862
00:42:27,300 --> 00:42:29,600
He went everywhere.

863
00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:32,966
- Probably hundreds, 
maybe thousands of people

864
00:42:32,966 --> 00:42:34,433
for the first time 
in their lives

865
00:42:34,433 --> 00:42:36,933
saw somebody who said I 
wanna be your representative

866
00:42:36,933 --> 00:42:37,933
in Congress.

867
00:42:39,133 --> 00:42:40,833
- He didn't mind going 
into the grocery store

868
00:42:40,833 --> 00:42:42,600
or a filling station.

869
00:42:43,766 --> 00:42:46,266
They'd climb up on coal 
cars and talk to guys

870
00:42:46,266 --> 00:42:48,666
that were riding in cabooses.

871
00:42:48,666 --> 00:42:52,833
It was so unusual for a man 
to go directly to the people.

872
00:42:54,033 --> 00:42:57,433
- People are born and 
raised and live and die

873
00:43:00,133 --> 00:43:02,900
in this area of West Virginia.

874
00:43:02,900 --> 00:43:05,633
We have nowhere 
near the mobility

875
00:43:07,033 --> 00:43:10,900
of population that most places 
in the United States have.

876
00:43:11,933 --> 00:43:14,700
That takes some learning.

877
00:43:14,700 --> 00:43:17,100
You don't just 
automatically know,

878
00:43:17,100 --> 00:43:20,466
but he understood even 
though he wasn't from here

879
00:43:20,466 --> 00:43:23,133
that he was dealing 
with natives.

880
00:43:23,133 --> 00:43:27,000
And he understood 
how to talk to them.

881
00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:28,200
- He could identify with them

882
00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:30,033
and they could 
identify with him.

883
00:43:30,033 --> 00:43:34,066
And that's real talent 
for politicians.

884
00:43:34,066 --> 00:43:36,866
- I was told by somebody 
in Putnam County,

885
00:43:36,866 --> 00:43:41,133
you know there's a farmer 
out there named Benet Bailey

886
00:43:41,133 --> 00:43:43,233
who really is well known,

887
00:43:43,233 --> 00:43:45,733
lots of Baileys 
in Putnam County.

888
00:43:45,733 --> 00:43:47,433
You ought to go out to see him.

889
00:43:47,433 --> 00:43:49,200
I knocked on the 
door of his house

890
00:43:49,200 --> 00:43:54,000
and his wife said, "He's 
about two miles over the hill

891
00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:55,333
"raking up hay."

892
00:43:56,400 --> 00:43:58,200
And I said, "What direction?"

893
00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:01,500
I walked out there 
and Benet Bailey said,

894
00:44:01,500 --> 00:44:04,100
"You must be a great 
man if you'd walk out

895
00:44:04,100 --> 00:44:05,933
"and be here all the 
way just to see me."

896
00:44:05,933 --> 00:44:09,033
I can tell you this, I 
better work like hell

897
00:44:09,033 --> 00:44:11,266
for you all over the county.

898
00:44:11,266 --> 00:44:13,666
- [Presenter] In 
August 1958 Hechler won

899
00:44:13,666 --> 00:44:15,833
the Democratic nomination 
for West Virginia's

900
00:44:15,833 --> 00:44:17,800
fourth congressional seat.

901
00:44:17,800 --> 00:44:19,633
In the general election 
Hechler would face

902
00:44:19,633 --> 00:44:22,233
Republican incumbent Will Neal,

903
00:44:22,233 --> 00:44:25,300
a respected family 
physician in Huntington.

904
00:44:25,300 --> 00:44:28,466
While the two candidates 
enjoyed an amiable relationship,

905
00:44:28,466 --> 00:44:30,800
Hechler opponents labeled 
the New York native

906
00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:33,100
a carpet bagger out 
to take advantage

907
00:44:33,100 --> 00:44:36,100
of rural West Virginia voters.

908
00:44:36,100 --> 00:44:39,066
- He never allowed to charge 
bothering particularly,

909
00:44:39,066 --> 00:44:42,600
and in his manner he 
simply, I would say,

910
00:44:42,600 --> 00:44:45,466
put his head down 
and head to line

911
00:44:45,466 --> 00:44:49,300
as we used to say in 
football in my day.

912
00:44:49,300 --> 00:44:52,600
- [Presenter] Ken Hechler 
won by 3,500 votes.

913
00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:56,633
- It was a stunning 
victory to a lot of us

914
00:44:56,633 --> 00:44:58,633
and the Republican Party.

915
00:44:58,633 --> 00:45:02,466
I bet Ken $5 that he 
wouldn't get 1,500 votes.

916
00:45:04,700 --> 00:45:07,133
(calm music)

917
00:45:19,166 --> 00:45:22,266
- [Presenter] In December 1958 
as Marshall College students

918
00:45:22,266 --> 00:45:25,000
headed home for Christmas 
Congressman-elect

919
00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:28,400
Ken Hechler prepared to 
embark upon his own journey,

920
00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:30,566
one that would prove 
quite educational.

921
00:45:30,566 --> 00:45:33,366
- I don't think it's 
possible for an individual

922
00:45:33,366 --> 00:45:35,800
to go in to a legislative body

923
00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:39,366
and expect to get 100% 
of what he believes in

924
00:45:39,366 --> 00:45:42,333
or even what his 
district believes in.

925
00:45:42,333 --> 00:45:45,000
I had been taught 
in graduate school

926
00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:48,000
how all legislation in Congress

927
00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:50,433
is compromised and that's

928
00:45:50,433 --> 00:45:52,700
what I used to say 
when I was teaching

929
00:45:52,700 --> 00:45:54,666
but when I to 
Congress I discovered

930
00:45:54,666 --> 00:45:57,933
that the word "compromise" 
is frequently used

931
00:45:57,933 --> 00:46:00,366
as an umbrella to try to weaken

932
00:46:00,366 --> 00:46:04,166
and drive loopholes into 
otherwise good legislation.

933
00:46:04,166 --> 00:46:07,966
And good legislation 
has been asphyxiated,

934
00:46:07,966 --> 00:46:11,533
legislation that the majority 
of the Congress wants

935
00:46:11,533 --> 00:46:15,700
in the fields of housing, 
education, and labor reform.

936
00:46:17,133 --> 00:46:18,600
- [Presenter] Hechler 
joined George McGovern

937
00:46:18,600 --> 00:46:20,866
and other members of the 
House of Representatives

938
00:46:20,866 --> 00:46:24,900
to address common concerns 
and achieve mutual goals.

939
00:46:24,900 --> 00:46:28,933
- When you talk to Ken 
Hechler he looks at you

940
00:46:28,933 --> 00:46:31,300
and kind of looks 
and then he nods

941
00:46:31,300 --> 00:46:32,700
and listens to you.

942
00:46:32,700 --> 00:46:35,233
You have the feeling 
every word you say

943
00:46:35,233 --> 00:46:39,866
he's digesting and that 
he's gonna think about that.

944
00:46:39,866 --> 00:46:42,566
I always thought that 
was an advantageous

945
00:46:42,566 --> 00:46:44,233
eccentricity of Ken.

946
00:46:46,300 --> 00:46:47,966
- [Presenter] 
McGovern, a Democrat,

947
00:46:47,966 --> 00:46:50,666
hoped to bring to Washington 
the kind of fresh thinking

948
00:46:50,666 --> 00:46:52,600
he helped introduce 
in the predominantly

949
00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:55,500
Republican state 
of South Dakota.

950
00:46:55,500 --> 00:46:57,800
- I thought there was a need for

951
00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:01,700
a more liberal party, not 
necessarily that we had

952
00:47:01,700 --> 00:47:05,333
all the answers but 
that out of the creative

953
00:47:05,333 --> 00:47:09,066
tension and competition 
between two different

954
00:47:09,066 --> 00:47:11,433
political philosophies, 
we'd probably end up

955
00:47:11,433 --> 00:47:13,833
with a better government.

956
00:47:13,833 --> 00:47:16,166
- [Presenter] Hechler also 
worked with Republican members

957
00:47:16,166 --> 00:47:19,100
like Kansas 
Congressman Bob Dole.

958
00:47:19,100 --> 00:47:22,133
- Democrats had the upper 
hand, we understood that.

959
00:47:22,133 --> 00:47:23,266
We were in the minority.

960
00:47:23,266 --> 00:47:24,700
We understood that.

961
00:47:24,700 --> 00:47:26,933
But there's still certain 
things we could do

962
00:47:26,933 --> 00:47:28,766
to slow up the process.

963
00:47:28,766 --> 00:47:30,166
But even more important 
there were certain things

964
00:47:30,166 --> 00:47:33,066
we could do to 
accelerate the process

965
00:47:33,066 --> 00:47:34,566
and get good legislation passed

966
00:47:34,566 --> 00:47:37,600
by working together with 
our fellow Democrats.

967
00:47:37,600 --> 00:47:39,500
- One of the greatest 
challenges that a member

968
00:47:39,500 --> 00:47:43,100
of Congress faces is 
to try to ascertain

969
00:47:43,100 --> 00:47:45,633
the public interest 
and not the interest

970
00:47:45,633 --> 00:47:49,800
of a single group and then 
to fight for that interest.

971
00:47:51,566 --> 00:47:52,933
- [Presenter] Rarely 
missing a vote

972
00:47:52,933 --> 00:47:55,300
Congressman Ken Hechler 
enthusiastically

973
00:47:55,300 --> 00:47:58,466
represented the people 
of West Virginia.

974
00:47:58,466 --> 00:47:59,666
- He was everywhere.

975
00:47:59,666 --> 00:48:02,133
I mean he was in the 
front row, the back row,

976
00:48:02,133 --> 00:48:03,933
always button holing 
somebody and always

977
00:48:03,933 --> 00:48:05,833
talking about something 
for West Virginia

978
00:48:05,833 --> 00:48:07,600
or his constituents.

979
00:48:07,600 --> 00:48:09,100
I've been in 
politics all my life

980
00:48:09,100 --> 00:48:11,466
and I had never seen 
anything like it.

981
00:48:11,466 --> 00:48:14,100
- He was constantly 
surprising and refreshing.

982
00:48:14,100 --> 00:48:17,866
If you can't stand me in 
the pit with the people

983
00:48:17,866 --> 00:48:20,900
then you're not a politician.

984
00:48:20,900 --> 00:48:23,400
Ken enjoyed the give and take.

985
00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:28,800
- And he had a great 
way of eliciting a laugh

986
00:48:28,800 --> 00:48:30,200
because he'd be probing 
and asking questions,

987
00:48:30,200 --> 00:48:32,600
and all of a sudden you realize

988
00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:34,200
he was getting into a point 
that he wanted to make

989
00:48:34,200 --> 00:48:35,700
that was kind of funny.

990
00:48:35,700 --> 00:48:39,300
- How can you possibly 
expect us in Congress

991
00:48:39,300 --> 00:48:41,333
to authorize over 
four million dollars

992
00:48:41,333 --> 00:48:43,566
when you haven't even 
yet selected the state

993
00:48:43,566 --> 00:48:48,033
in which you're going 
to establish this site.

994
00:48:48,033 --> 00:48:49,600
- Nothing seem to 
shake his confidence

995
00:48:49,600 --> 00:48:51,833
or his cheerfulness.

996
00:48:51,833 --> 00:48:53,966
Most of us have sort 
of ups and downs.

997
00:48:53,966 --> 00:48:56,900
I've never seen any 
downs on Ken, all ups.

998
00:48:56,900 --> 00:49:00,533
But it's infectious 
and it's genuine

999
00:49:00,533 --> 00:49:03,133
and that's what people can spot.

1000
00:49:03,133 --> 00:49:05,833
- He has three I's, imagination,

1001
00:49:07,900 --> 00:49:10,533
intelligence, integrity.

1002
00:49:10,533 --> 00:49:13,366
He's a man of great imagination,

1003
00:49:13,366 --> 00:49:15,966
he's a man of high intelligence,

1004
00:49:15,966 --> 00:49:19,866
and thirdly he has absolute 
bed rock integrity.

1005
00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:25,400
- Congressmen Ken Hechler, a 
delegate to this convention

1006
00:49:25,400 --> 00:49:26,933
is perhaps one of 
the most outspoken

1007
00:49:26,933 --> 00:49:29,533
of the West Virginians on 
the Vietnam War situation.

1008
00:49:29,533 --> 00:49:32,066
You are unalterably 
opposed really,

1009
00:49:32,066 --> 00:49:33,333
aren't you, Congressman?

1010
00:49:33,333 --> 00:49:35,333
- I certainly am, Bos, 
and I certainly hope--

1011
00:49:35,333 --> 00:49:39,933
- Initially I supported 
American efforts in Vietnam

1012
00:49:39,933 --> 00:49:43,833
but I was asked here at 
Marshall to talk with

1013
00:49:43,833 --> 00:49:46,166
a group of foreign students.

1014
00:49:47,233 --> 00:49:49,800
They kept interrupting 
me by saying,

1015
00:49:49,800 --> 00:49:51,533
"Let's talk about Vietnam.

1016
00:49:51,533 --> 00:49:54,566
"What right do you 
have to be supporting

1017
00:49:54,566 --> 00:49:57,300
"our military 
effort over there?"

1018
00:49:58,733 --> 00:50:02,833
I found it increasingly 
difficult to answer 
that question

1019
00:50:02,833 --> 00:50:06,066
because it was 
essentially a civil war.

1020
00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:10,466
- I think he represented 
the conscience

1021
00:50:10,466 --> 00:50:13,800
of the people 
acting on Congress,

1022
00:50:13,800 --> 00:50:16,400
and he had any number 
of ways that he

1023
00:50:16,400 --> 00:50:20,066
thought of in which he 
would try to dramatize

1024
00:50:20,066 --> 00:50:22,533
what those issues 
were and try to prod

1025
00:50:22,533 --> 00:50:25,866
his colleagues into 
doing the right thing.

1026
00:50:25,866 --> 00:50:27,300
- Congressman, from 
all these odd jobs

1027
00:50:27,300 --> 00:50:29,000
that you've been doing, 
what have you learned?

1028
00:50:29,000 --> 00:50:31,166
What have your constituents 
been telling you?

1029
00:50:31,166 --> 00:50:32,666
- Well, you know, 
when you're sitting up

1030
00:50:32,666 --> 00:50:35,500
in Washington you get an 
exaggerated sense of your

1031
00:50:35,500 --> 00:50:37,133
own importance and 
I think it's great

1032
00:50:37,133 --> 00:50:40,833
to be able to get out 
and work alongside

1033
00:50:40,833 --> 00:50:43,000
of the working 
people who after all

1034
00:50:43,000 --> 00:50:45,133
are the backbone of the nation.

1035
00:50:45,133 --> 00:50:48,166
They're very concerned 
about the fact that

1036
00:50:48,166 --> 00:50:49,900
government seems to 
be a little unfair

1037
00:50:49,900 --> 00:50:52,166
to the working people 
and the consumers.

1038
00:50:52,166 --> 00:50:55,266
So far as taxes are concerned--

1039
00:50:55,266 --> 00:50:58,600
- He established clearly 
that there was someone

1040
00:50:58,600 --> 00:51:01,333
in Washington 
representing West Virginia

1041
00:51:01,333 --> 00:51:04,800
particularly this area 
that you could always

1042
00:51:04,800 --> 00:51:06,900
write or contact and 
you could be certain

1043
00:51:06,900 --> 00:51:08,400
of getting an answer.

1044
00:51:08,400 --> 00:51:09,866
He had a rule in his office,

1045
00:51:09,866 --> 00:51:11,866
a letter from a 
constituent had to be

1046
00:51:11,866 --> 00:51:15,200
acknowledged or answered 
the same day it came in.

1047
00:51:15,200 --> 00:51:17,933
- The only thing bad I 
can say about the office,

1048
00:51:17,933 --> 00:51:20,100
his desk was always a mess.

1049
00:51:20,100 --> 00:51:21,700
But if you would ask 
him where something was

1050
00:51:21,700 --> 00:51:22,800
he would pull it from the stack,

1051
00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:24,800
he knew exactly where it was.

1052
00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:29,100
- Here's a stack, I'd say 
at least six feet high,

1053
00:51:29,100 --> 00:51:31,200
walks over to it,

1054
00:51:31,200 --> 00:51:34,500
reaches in and pulls 
out a sheet of paper.

1055
00:51:34,500 --> 00:51:37,400
I thought that was phenomenal

1056
00:51:37,400 --> 00:51:41,100
that somehow amidst 
all the clutter

1057
00:51:41,100 --> 00:51:43,533
he's able to get the essence.

1058
00:51:44,733 --> 00:51:47,333
- Coal miners used to 
joke about how messy

1059
00:51:47,333 --> 00:51:48,900
Ken's office was 
but it was because

1060
00:51:48,900 --> 00:51:50,933
it was the people's office.

1061
00:51:50,933 --> 00:51:53,733
And they used Ken's 
office to operate out of

1062
00:51:53,733 --> 00:51:56,766
when they were lobbying 
for the Black Lung benefits

1063
00:51:56,766 --> 00:51:58,000
and mine health and safety,

1064
00:51:58,000 --> 00:52:00,466
not only was he 
speaking out for him,

1065
00:52:00,466 --> 00:52:02,333
he was like letting 
them use his office

1066
00:52:02,333 --> 00:52:05,766
and try to feed them 
when they come in there

1067
00:52:05,766 --> 00:52:07,866
or take them to 
lunch or whatever.

1068
00:52:07,866 --> 00:52:09,333
- He just loves people.

1069
00:52:09,333 --> 00:52:11,433
He absolutely loves people.

1070
00:52:11,433 --> 00:52:15,400
I've never heard Ken 
Hechler say anything

1071
00:52:15,400 --> 00:52:18,400
derogatory about 
another individual.

1072
00:52:19,466 --> 00:52:21,866
(calm music)

1073
00:52:27,666 --> 00:52:29,233
- I could see when 
somebody called and said,

1074
00:52:29,233 --> 00:52:32,466
"I can't feed my family, 
I'm having a hard time.

1075
00:52:32,466 --> 00:52:34,300
"I need to get my 
Black Lung benefits,"

1076
00:52:34,300 --> 00:52:36,266
or "I need to get 
my social security."

1077
00:52:36,266 --> 00:52:38,033
He would jump on it.

1078
00:52:38,033 --> 00:52:40,966
Frequently he was on the 
either end of the telephone

1079
00:52:40,966 --> 00:52:43,066
personally working 
on the problem.

1080
00:52:43,066 --> 00:52:44,466
He liked it.

1081
00:52:44,466 --> 00:52:46,333
That's what he's all about.

1082
00:52:46,333 --> 00:52:47,566
- He was deeply committed.

1083
00:52:47,566 --> 00:52:50,566
I mean there's no 
question at all that

1084
00:52:51,700 --> 00:52:53,466
he was deeply touched

1085
00:52:55,833 --> 00:52:59,333
by the conditions that 
he saw people living in

1086
00:52:59,333 --> 00:53:02,033
and the fact that 
they were trapped

1087
00:53:02,033 --> 00:53:03,933
more often than 
not that they had

1088
00:53:03,933 --> 00:53:04,866
no way out.

1089
00:53:06,466 --> 00:53:08,666
- We heard stories 
that the newspaper

1090
00:53:08,666 --> 00:53:11,333
all during his time 
in Congress about

1091
00:53:11,333 --> 00:53:13,266
how he would be the 
one who would show up

1092
00:53:13,266 --> 00:53:15,566
and the farthest 
corner of Wayne County

1093
00:53:15,566 --> 00:53:17,533
where some family have 
been trying for months

1094
00:53:17,533 --> 00:53:20,733
unsuccessfully to get a 
social security check approved

1095
00:53:20,733 --> 00:53:22,600
and start getting 
their social security.

1096
00:53:22,600 --> 00:53:24,733
And he would not only 
take care of it for 'em,

1097
00:53:24,733 --> 00:53:26,600
he would be the one 
to hand deliver that

1098
00:53:26,600 --> 00:53:28,000
first check to them.

1099
00:53:28,000 --> 00:53:30,366
And he had them and everybody 
in their neighborhood

1100
00:53:30,366 --> 00:53:33,666
to vote for him for 
the rest of his life.

1101
00:53:33,666 --> 00:53:36,400
- There are stories 
perhaps apocryphal about

1102
00:53:36,400 --> 00:53:37,633
how good he was.

1103
00:53:37,633 --> 00:53:39,733
There's one where this 
lady wrote him a letter

1104
00:53:39,733 --> 00:53:42,133
asking for a book 
of recipe from the

1105
00:53:42,133 --> 00:53:43,766
Department of Agriculture.

1106
00:53:43,766 --> 00:53:46,633
- A woman working in 
downtown Huntington

1107
00:53:46,633 --> 00:53:48,833
finished her work in the 
afternoon five o'clock

1108
00:53:48,833 --> 00:53:51,300
whenever it was and 
went over and dropped

1109
00:53:51,300 --> 00:53:54,500
into the mailbox of 
the old post office

1110
00:53:54,500 --> 00:53:59,000
which is on Fifth Avenue 
a request for a cookbook.

1111
00:53:59,000 --> 00:54:02,400
Now it just so happened 
that within minutes of that

1112
00:54:02,400 --> 00:54:05,600
postal people cleaned 
out that inbox.

1113
00:54:05,600 --> 00:54:08,700
And the congressman's 
mailbox was right close by

1114
00:54:08,700 --> 00:54:11,700
and they just shuttled 
over to his mailbox

1115
00:54:11,700 --> 00:54:12,866
the request.

1116
00:54:12,866 --> 00:54:14,366
- Well he's in the 
district so he goes in,

1117
00:54:14,366 --> 00:54:15,833
he gets the letter out.

1118
00:54:15,833 --> 00:54:18,200
He looks at it and this 
lady wants his cookbook.

1119
00:54:18,200 --> 00:54:20,033
Well he happens to have 
one out in the Jeep.

1120
00:54:20,033 --> 00:54:23,400
- He had a stack of them 
in back of the red Jeep.

1121
00:54:23,400 --> 00:54:26,100
So he drove to the 
west end of Huntington

1122
00:54:26,100 --> 00:54:27,766
to the woman's address.

1123
00:54:27,766 --> 00:54:30,500
- So he takes off, goes out 
to her address in Wayne County

1124
00:54:30,500 --> 00:54:31,733
and is standing on her porch

1125
00:54:31,733 --> 00:54:33,333
when she gets back 
for mailing the letter

1126
00:54:33,333 --> 00:54:34,566
asking for the cookbook.

1127
00:54:34,566 --> 00:54:37,233
- She meanwhile gets 
on a bus and goes home

1128
00:54:37,233 --> 00:54:38,600
for the evening.

1129
00:54:38,600 --> 00:54:41,233
She gets inside, 
closes the door,

1130
00:54:41,233 --> 00:54:43,033
Hechler walks up, 
knocks on the door,

1131
00:54:43,033 --> 00:54:45,933
she opens it and he 
says, "I'm your servant

1132
00:54:45,933 --> 00:54:49,633
"in Congress, Ken Hechler, 
here's your cookbook."

1133
00:54:49,633 --> 00:54:51,533
- He practiced what he preached.

1134
00:54:51,533 --> 00:54:54,666
He truly represented all 
the people in his district

1135
00:54:54,666 --> 00:54:58,000
and tried to meet every 
one of them, I think.

1136
00:54:58,000 --> 00:55:02,600
- Personally I wish the 
man would get a decent car.

1137
00:55:02,600 --> 00:55:03,433
That Jeep.

1138
00:55:05,766 --> 00:55:09,433
That I've always thought 
attracted everybody.

1139
00:55:09,433 --> 00:55:12,833
When you become so 
identified with a car

1140
00:55:12,833 --> 00:55:14,600
that anywhere in the state

1141
00:55:14,600 --> 00:55:17,466
everyone knows that's your car.

1142
00:55:17,466 --> 00:55:19,566
That's a positive.

1143
00:55:19,566 --> 00:55:23,500
- He was a master public 
relations person, really.

1144
00:55:23,500 --> 00:55:25,733
As much as he was a congressman.

1145
00:55:25,733 --> 00:55:27,900
Every time he was 
in from Washington

1146
00:55:27,900 --> 00:55:30,366
he would make the rounds 
of the television stations

1147
00:55:30,366 --> 00:55:33,566
and the newspapers 
and offer them

1148
00:55:33,566 --> 00:55:36,000
stories they couldn't refuse.

1149
00:55:37,133 --> 00:55:38,900
- If you wanna get 
something in the paper

1150
00:55:38,900 --> 00:55:41,133
you'd go and try to 
get it in on Sunday

1151
00:55:41,133 --> 00:55:42,866
because they don't have 
anything for Monday,

1152
00:55:42,866 --> 00:55:44,266
nothing's happening on Sunday.

1153
00:55:44,266 --> 00:55:45,200
Everything's going to church,

1154
00:55:45,200 --> 00:55:46,400
they've gone out to dinner,

1155
00:55:46,400 --> 00:55:47,700
now they're sitting 
around reading the paper

1156
00:55:47,700 --> 00:55:49,100
and taking it easy.

1157
00:55:49,100 --> 00:55:52,600
So he would come in and 
beat out a little story

1158
00:55:52,600 --> 00:55:55,266
on a typewriter 
and hand it to us.

1159
00:55:55,266 --> 00:55:56,966
- Here we are 
again by the map of

1160
00:55:56,966 --> 00:55:58,600
the state of West Virginia--

1161
00:55:58,600 --> 00:56:00,166
- [Presenter] Ken 
Hechler made frequent

1162
00:56:00,166 --> 00:56:02,300
and effective use of the US 
House of Representatives'

1163
00:56:02,300 --> 00:56:03,800
recording studios.

1164
00:56:04,966 --> 00:56:07,300
- Ken understood mass media.

1165
00:56:08,400 --> 00:56:11,566
He understood mass 
media's need to satisfy

1166
00:56:11,566 --> 00:56:12,800
an audience.

1167
00:56:12,800 --> 00:56:15,866
- Now this bill 
will help protect.

1168
00:56:15,866 --> 00:56:19,066
- He looked at every 
issue in terms of

1169
00:56:19,066 --> 00:56:22,066
how do my constituents 
react to this

1170
00:56:23,600 --> 00:56:25,433
and what will interest them.

1171
00:56:25,433 --> 00:56:27,933
- Is there any experience 
in other sections

1172
00:56:27,933 --> 00:56:29,500
of what kinds of 
work will it do,

1173
00:56:29,500 --> 00:56:30,566
how big will it be?

1174
00:56:30,566 --> 00:56:31,500
How important?

1175
00:56:31,500 --> 00:56:32,566
Where do we go from here?

1176
00:56:32,566 --> 00:56:33,966
How do you determine?

1177
00:56:33,966 --> 00:56:35,666
Is there anything particular 
that you could say,

1178
00:56:35,666 --> 00:56:37,433
encouraging and respected--

1179
00:56:37,433 --> 00:56:38,800
When you come right down to it,

1180
00:56:38,800 --> 00:56:42,266
a good deal of work and 
focus of a congressman

1181
00:56:42,266 --> 00:56:45,033
is educating the 
voters to decide

1182
00:56:46,700 --> 00:56:50,466
what is the best 
and just thing to do

1183
00:56:50,466 --> 00:56:54,966
and then to continue to 
educate your constituents

1184
00:56:54,966 --> 00:56:57,700
to support those 
aims of justice.

1185
00:56:59,266 --> 00:57:02,033
(majestic music)

1186
00:58:02,733 --> 00:58:04,666
- [Presenter] This project 
is a cooperative production

1187
00:58:04,666 --> 00:58:07,900
of the Ken Hechler 
Documentary Project LLC

1188
00:58:07,900 --> 00:58:09,566
and Marshall University.

1189
00:58:09,566 --> 00:58:11,433
Being presented with 
financial assistance

1190
00:58:11,433 --> 00:58:13,933
from the West Virginia 
Humanities Council,

1191
00:58:13,933 --> 00:58:15,166
a state affiliate of the

1192
00:58:15,166 --> 00:58:17,333
National Endowment 
For the Humanities.

1193
00:58:17,333 --> 00:58:20,300
Any views, findings, 
conclusions or recommendations

1194
00:58:20,300 --> 00:58:21,900
expressed in this program do not

1195
00:58:21,900 --> 00:58:23,533
necessarily represent those

1196
00:58:23,533 --> 00:58:27,266
of the National Endowment 
for the Humanities.