Logo for Louis H. Bean Papers, 1896-1944 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Louis H. Bean Papers, 1896-1944 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Collection Overview

Title: Louis H. Bean Papers, 1896-1944Add to your cart.

Primary Creator: Bean, Louis H. (1896-1994)

Extent: 17.6 Cubic Feet

Arrangement:

Alphabetically by subject

1. Subject File, 1923-1955

2. Office of the Secretary of Agriculture, 1932-1952

3. Board of Economic Warfare, 1942-1943

4. Economic Stabilization and Critical Areas Commodity Reports, 1949-1951

5. Reading File, 1942-1953

6. Speeches and Writings, 1927-1952, 1960

7. Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1927-1957.

Abstract

Louis H.Bean was a longtime economic advisor to New Deal architect and former VP Henry A. Wallace. For the unfamiliar, he is probably better understood (along with Mordecai Ezekiel) as one of the top statistical analysts behind the Agricultural Adjustment Administration when Wallace was Secretary of Agriculture. Having worked throughout the Great Depression in the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Bean’s experience was later adapted to the war effort in the Office of Economic Warfare and he continued to serve in related capacities throughout the Truman administration. One will quickly observe that a good deal of the collection documents Bean’s post-war career, ostensibly as his public profile increased.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, speeches, papers reviews, statistics, graphs, charts and indices relating to Bean’s work in various capacities with the Department of Agriculture, Board of Economic Warfare, Bureau of the Budget and Council of Economic Advisors. The material also reflects Bean’s personal interest in political trends and election forecasting. The greater part of this collection relates to agriculture and the interrelationship between agriculture and industry.

Collection Historical Note

Louis Hyman Bean was born in Russia (Courland), April 15, 1896. His father came to the United States in 1905 eventually settling in Laconia, New Hampshire, Mrs. Bean followed with Louis and their other children in 1906. After attending elementary and high schools in Laconia, Louis Bean entered the University of Rochester in 1915. He enlisted in the Army in 1918, received a commission as a lieutenant and served in the infantry without going overseas until his discharge in 1919. He received his A.B. from Rochester the same year. Bean's work as an Assistant Labor Manager induced him to enter the Harvard Business School from which he received his M.B.A. in 1922.

In 1923 Bean joined the research staff of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics of the U.S. Department of Agriculture where he worked on estimates of farm income, price indices, commodity price analysis, served as secretary of the committee preparing the department's monthly price reports and began his career long study of interrelationships between agriculture and industry. Charts prepared by Bean were first used in Congress while the McNary Haugen Act was under discussion. In 1933 Secretary Wallace, whom Bean had met during the course of his work in the 1920's, appointed Bean Economic Adviser to the Agricultural Adjustment Administration. Bean also became head of the Office of Agricultural and Industrial Relations in the Office of the Secretary in 1934. Bean has described himself as being a member of a group to whom Wallace could turn for objective information uninfluenced by politics. Bean's work for Wallace included supplying information needed for press conferences, public discussions, speeches, cabinet meetings and congressional hearings. Bean also worked on several of Wallace's books. He continued to furnish information to Wallace until Wallace's departure from government in 1946. In addition to his work for the Department of Agriculture where, he has said, he was all owed to work on anything that interested him. Bean was also connected with the National Resources Planning Board and testified at hearings on the NRA. Bean also began his work on election trends and forecasts during the 1930's. His first book on this subject, Ballot Behavior first appeared in 1936 and was revised in 1940. Bean was Counselor, Office of Agricultural Economics from 1939 to 1941.

In 1942 Bean became an Assistant Director of the short lived Board of Economic Warfare where he was involved with postwar planning and the BEW British Empire Division. In 1943 he became Chief Fiscal Analyst, Fiscal Division, Bureau of the Budget where he worked on postwar economic problems, including full employment, the absorptive capacity of Palestine and other matters. Bean's statistical study prepared for Senator James Murray's committee drew him into the controversy over steel capacity and its effect on t he economy. Bean began supplying information to the Council of Economic Advisers in 1946. In 1947 Bean rejoined the staff of the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture as Economic Adviser. With the advent of the Eisenhower administration Bean returned briefly to the Bureau of Agricultural Economics until his retirement from government, June 30, 1953.

Bean's books include Graphic Method of Curvilinear Correlation (1929), Ballot Behavior (1936, 1940), How to Predict Elections (1948), and The Art of Forecasting (1970).

Louis Bean died July 5, 1994.

Administrative Information

Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Acquisition Source: Louis H. Bean

Acquisition Method: The papers were presented to the Library by Louis Bean. Mr . Bean reserved his literary property rights through his death; following that they were donated to the United States Government.

Related Materials: Columbia University Oral History Project and Papers of Mordecai Ezekiel

Box and Folder Listing


Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Subject Files, 1923-1953],
[Series 2: Office of Secretary of Agriculture, 1932-1954],
[Series 3: Board of Economic Warfare, 1942-1942],
[Series 4: Economic Stabilization and Critical Areas Commodity Reports, 1949-1951],
[Series 5: Reading File, 1942-1953],
[Series 6: Speeches and Writings, 1927-1952, 1960],
[Series 7: Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1927-1957],
[All]


Series 7: Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1927-1957Add to your cart.
The last container is composed of newspaper and magazine clippings. These mostly concern the dispute over steel capacity and its effects on the economy, full employment, and Bean’s statistical study for Senator James Murray’s committee. Please note these boxes are arranged alphabetically by title or subject. (Box 44)

Box 44Add to your cart.

Steel in Washington PostAdd to your cart.

ArticlesAdd to your cart.

Clippings, 1927-1957Add to your cart.

Clippings, undatedAdd to your cart.

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Subject Files, 1923-1953],
[Series 2: Office of Secretary of Agriculture, 1932-1954],
[Series 3: Board of Economic Warfare, 1942-1942],
[Series 4: Economic Stabilization and Critical Areas Commodity Reports, 1949-1951],
[Series 5: Reading File, 1942-1953],
[Series 6: Speeches and Writings, 1927-1952, 1960],
[Series 7: Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1927-1957],
[All]