Coughlin, Charles E. (1891–1979)

FATHER COUGHLIN was a Canadian-born Catholic priest noted as founder of the million-member National Union for Social Justice (Union Party), but more known for his weekly radio sermons from Birmingham, Michigan, that drew an audience of around 30 to 40 million. Those 40 million listeners were approximately one-third of Americans. Coughlin was one of the first to realize the potential of radio, and his message of sympathy for the distressed person, dislike for exploitive big business, and indifferent big government resonated with millions of listeners.

Coughlin was a natural public speaker, almost mesmerizing. With strong encouragement from his mother, he entered the priesthood in Toronto, Canada, in 1916. His first work was as professor at Assumption College, Windsor, Ontario. His ability to manipulate through words was such that he convinced his students to build him a house. He left Assumption in 1923 because the Basilican order required a vow of poverty. He became assistant pastor at St. Leo's Cathedral, Detroit, Michigan, and quickly became popular for his powerful fundamentalist sermons. He attracted the attention of Michael Gallagher, bishop of Detroit, who in 1926 made Coughlin head pastor of a small church in Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit. The church, The Shrine of the Little Flower, had problems with the anti-Catholicism of the local Ku Klux Klan (KKK), whose fiery cross partially burned the church. It was also a poor parish in need of more money. Coughlin began broadcasting over the radio to bring the church money and to neutralize the KKK. Beginning on October 17, 1926, he preached on the Columbia Broadcasting System through the 1930s until the church silenced him in 1942. His voice was warm, emotional, almost ingratiating, and a natural attraction for millions.

Coughlin originally broadcast sermons and talks with children. He soon began expressing his political beliefs. After the stock market collapsed in 1929, he began calling for religion and leadership to get America through the crisis. His popularity continued growing, and in 1930, CBS began broadcasting his sermons nationwide. Coughlin established the Radio League of the Little Flower. A year later, he averaged 80,000 letters received each week. Many included money. Coughlin had the means to finance the improvement of his parish. More important, he had the funds to spread his political views.

Initially, Coughlin blamed the economic hard times on Herbert Hoover, president during the collapse. [Page 605]Coughlin supported the presidential candidacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. He campaigned for the Democrat on his broadcasts with slogans such as “Roosevelt or Ruin.” Coughlin wanted a position in the Roosevelt administration, but he received nothing. He continued to speak against the evils of capitalism. His radio league continued to grow. One New York radio station poll in 1933 found 55 percent of those polled agreed that he was the most useful American other than the president.

Coughlin initially thought that Roosevelt was as radical a reformer as he was. Roosevelt's rhetoric about chasing the money changers from the temple resonated well with Coughlin's populist monetary reforms. When Roosevelt lost interest in reform, Coughlin felt betrayed and double-crossed by Roosevelt.

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