MARINE CORPS GENERAL AND PEACE ACTIVIST BUTLER PORTRAIT.
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Winning Bid:
$223.26
Bids:
9
Bidding Ended:
Wednesday, April 20, 2005 2:00:00 AM (20 Minute Clock Begins At Wednesday, April 20, 2005 2:00:00 AM)
Time Left:
Ended
Auction:
Auction #183 - Part I
Item numbers 1 through 1290 in auction 183
Value Code:
D - $25 to $50 Help Icon
Item Description
1.25" real photo button with caption "Clean Sweep Butler" depicting U.S. Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler in uniform. Button has no backpaper likely as issued. Reverse has trivial .25" hairline cello split by the collet that causes no problem. Cello is clean and Exc. and the piece is c. 1930s. See previous button promoting his sensational 1935 book. In brief, he was one of the most decorated military men pre-WWII. He saw action all over the world and became a prominent political figure and leader of the liberal movement of the 1930s. He advocated military isolationism and opposed American involvement in WWII. He was not a member of the American Communist Party but he did give speeches at party meetings in the 1930s as well as many speeches for the "League Against War And Fascism." In 1934 Butler made public a tale of conspiracy against President Roosevelt, in which he had been asked to take a leading role. In essence, Wall Street interests asked him to lead an army of 500,000 veterans in a march on Washington with the secret goal of a coup d' etat to take Roosevelt captive, force reinstatement of the gold standard and keep Roosevelt as a figurehead until FDR could be "encouraged" to retire. Search Butler's name on the internet for more fascinating history. Only the second example we've seen.
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