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The House of Truth: A Washington Political Salon and the Foundations of American Liberalism
In 1912, a group of ambitious young men, including future Supreme Court justice Felix Frankfurter and future journalistic giant Walter Lippmann, became disillusioned by the sluggish progress of change in the Taft Administration. The individuals started to band together informally, joined initially by their enthusiasm for Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose campaign. They self-mockingly called the 19th Street row house in which they congregated the "House of Truth," playing off the lively dinner discussions with frequent guest (and neighbor) Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. about life's verities. Lippmann and Frankfurter were house-mates, and their frequent guests included not merely Holmes but Louis Brandeis, Herbert Hoover, Louis Croly-founder of the New Republic-and the sculptor (and sometime Klansman) Gutzon Borglum, later the creator of the Mount Rushmore monument.
Weaving together the stories and trajectories of these varied, fascinating, combative, and sometimes contradictory figures, Brad Snyder shows how their thinking about government and policy shifted from a firm belief in progressivism-the belief that the government should protect its workers and regulate monopolies-into what we call liberalism-the belief that government can improve citizens' lives without abridging their civil liberties and, eventually, civil rights. Holmes replaced Roosevelt in their affections and aspirations. His famous dissents from 1919 onward showed how the Due Process clause could protect not just business but equality under the law, revealing how a generally conservative and reactionary Supreme Court might embrace, even initiate, political and social reform.
Across the years, from 1912 until the start of the New Deal in 1933, the remarkable group of individuals associated with the House of Truth debated the future of America. They fought over Sacco and Vanzetti's innocence; the dangers of Communism; the role the United States should play the world after World War One; and thought dynamically about things like about minimum wage, child-welfare laws, banking insurance, and Social Security, notions they not only envisioned but worked to enact. American liberalism has no single source, but one was without question a row house in Dupont Circle and the lives that intertwined there at a crucial moment in the country's history.
Weaving together the stories and trajectories of these varied, fascinating, combative, and sometimes contradictory figures, Brad Snyder shows how their thinking about government and policy shifted from a firm belief in progressivism-the belief that the government should protect its workers and regulate monopolies-into what we call liberalism-the belief that government can improve citizens' lives without abridging their civil liberties and, eventually, civil rights. Holmes replaced Roosevelt in their affections and aspirations. His famous dissents from 1919 onward showed how the Due Process clause could protect not just business but equality under the law, revealing how a generally conservative and reactionary Supreme Court might embrace, even initiate, political and social reform.
Across the years, from 1912 until the start of the New Deal in 1933, the remarkable group of individuals associated with the House of Truth debated the future of America. They fought over Sacco and Vanzetti's innocence; the dangers of Communism; the role the United States should play the world after World War One; and thought dynamically about things like about minimum wage, child-welfare laws, banking insurance, and Social Security, notions they not only envisioned but worked to enact. American liberalism has no single source, but one was without question a row house in Dupont Circle and the lives that intertwined there at a crucial moment in the country's history.
824 pages, Hardcover
Published February 2, 2017
18 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Brad Snyder
5 books12 followersBrad Snyder is the author of the forthcoming book, You Can't Kill a Man Because of the Books He Reads: Angelo Herndon's Fight for Free Speech (W.W. Norton, Feb. 4, 2025). A Georgetown Law professor, Snyder teaches constitutional law, constitutional history, and sports law. He was a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow in constitutional studies and is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Supreme Court History. He has written four previous books, including Democratic Justice: Felix Frankfurter, the Supreme Court, and the Making of the Liberal Establishment (W.W. Norton, 2022), The House of Truth: A Washington Political Salon and the Foundations of American Liberalism (Oxford University Press, 2017) and A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood’s Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports (Viking/Penguin, 2006).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 25, 2017
Launching of the New Republic, Lippmann, Holmes, Frankfurter, Valentine, Brandeis, how can the Supreme Court over-turn one state's minimum wage law but uphold another's maximum work hours law? Ex- President Taft's indignation of Brandeis's appointment to the Supreme Court is priceless! (But Taft, how do you really feel?) And Lippmann's criticism of Taft's opinion, the establishment of industrial labor statistics to advocate for labor laws, how Henry Morgenthau Sr., a New York real estate magnate's failure in diplomacy unintentionally gave rise to the beginnings of Israel and nearly got us into a war because of his stupidity - enjoyable!
President Wilson was a racists and demonstrated this by his actions, refused to meet with Black leaders, established Jim Crown laws throughout government, and restricted African-Americans employment to menial roles. And yet so was Holmes a racist and he demonstrated this by his early rulings as a Justice, but, unlike Wilson, Holmes, according to the author, had a changed of heart after the Red Scare. (See p. 453 on hardcover). I was really surprised to learn about sculptor Borglum's undertaking of examining the aerospace industries' exploitation of government contracts and the corruption and self-dealing he revealed during World War I - worth reading the book just to learn what was the very first such examination.
Using original documents the author provides exact statements that conveys the deep conviction of government officials who despise Jews. As I recall, these are presented concerning Frankfurter and Brandeis. Eleanor Roosevelt described Frankfurter "An interesting man but very Jew." It stings me that people had this repulsive outlook and apparently many still cling to such disgusting beliefs. Regardless of his heritage, Roosevelt was determined to elevate Frankfurter to the Supreme Court as wholeheartedly as Frankfurter worked even more so toward the success of FDR's administration supplying the best minds to solve the challenges the government confronted. I was surprised to learn of the founding of Israel and the marginalization of the Palestinian people. I thought that was conceived after WWII, but it was during wwi. The author discusses the role of Aaronsohn and Brandeis' and Frankfurter's ambition for the state of Isreal's creation. I am amazed by Frankfurter's argument that the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment has made the Supreme Court the revisory legislative body reducing the need of legislators to legislate so we have government by judiciary. I'm shocked how anti-child-labor legislation kept getting overturned by the Supreme Court! The author does a good job educating the reader about Holmes earlier decisions regarding race and how Holmes point of view changed after the Red Scare.
At the risk of repeating myself I could go on with more examples as the author is very thorough with so many details that I enjoyed reading about, the book is a memorable read! Check out the bibliography as well - the author read a ton of materials and is a great source to read other books.
President Wilson was a racists and demonstrated this by his actions, refused to meet with Black leaders, established Jim Crown laws throughout government, and restricted African-Americans employment to menial roles. And yet so was Holmes a racist and he demonstrated this by his early rulings as a Justice, but, unlike Wilson, Holmes, according to the author, had a changed of heart after the Red Scare. (See p. 453 on hardcover). I was really surprised to learn about sculptor Borglum's undertaking of examining the aerospace industries' exploitation of government contracts and the corruption and self-dealing he revealed during World War I - worth reading the book just to learn what was the very first such examination.
Using original documents the author provides exact statements that conveys the deep conviction of government officials who despise Jews. As I recall, these are presented concerning Frankfurter and Brandeis. Eleanor Roosevelt described Frankfurter "An interesting man but very Jew." It stings me that people had this repulsive outlook and apparently many still cling to such disgusting beliefs. Regardless of his heritage, Roosevelt was determined to elevate Frankfurter to the Supreme Court as wholeheartedly as Frankfurter worked even more so toward the success of FDR's administration supplying the best minds to solve the challenges the government confronted. I was surprised to learn of the founding of Israel and the marginalization of the Palestinian people. I thought that was conceived after WWII, but it was during wwi. The author discusses the role of Aaronsohn and Brandeis' and Frankfurter's ambition for the state of Isreal's creation. I am amazed by Frankfurter's argument that the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment has made the Supreme Court the revisory legislative body reducing the need of legislators to legislate so we have government by judiciary. I'm shocked how anti-child-labor legislation kept getting overturned by the Supreme Court! The author does a good job educating the reader about Holmes earlier decisions regarding race and how Holmes point of view changed after the Red Scare.
At the risk of repeating myself I could go on with more examples as the author is very thorough with so many details that I enjoyed reading about, the book is a memorable read! Check out the bibliography as well - the author read a ton of materials and is a great source to read other books.
November 30, 2019
As one prominent historian has pointed out, when books focus on the major players in historical dramas they tend to act as if the presidents, kings and generals are the only ones who matter. This book is about the men who played roles in promoting the liberal agenda in the early parts of the twentieth century.
The House of Truth was a residence at 1727 Nineteenth Street in the DuPont Circle section of Washington roughly between 1910 and 1919 in which young liberals seeking to serve the government lived and congregated. The men (this was a century ago, remember) were generally involved in government either as advisors, administrators, judges or, in one case, artists. Opened by Robert Valentine, Taft Administration Commissioner of Indian Affairs, The House drew in future Supreme Court Justices Louis Brandeis and Felix Frankfurter, longtime columnist Walter Lippmann and artist Gutzon Borglum. The Pater Familia, who, although never living there, was Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. The penumbra of the House included judges Learned Hand and Benjamin Cardozo.
What I find most illuminating is the breadth of issues in which the characters were involved. The Sacco-Vanzetti case, in which liberals fought unsuccessfully to prevent two anarchists from being executed for robbery and murder, due process of law, both substantive and procedural, and the Zionist movement are just a few. As I learned from these pages, Gutzon Borglum was the initial artist working on the Stone Mountain carving until a falling out with local officials and patrons redirected his efforts to Mount Rushmore. The others formed a network of liberals who worked to promote the efforts of each other as well as the liberal agenda. In contrast to contemporary expectations of purity among historical figures, this work depicts an evolving process as the players struggle, against conservatives and amongst themselves, over whether whether to support Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Robert LaFollette, Calvin Coolidge, Al Smith, Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt. Their conclusions were not unanimous and Holmes, although he became a liberal icon, was not straight line in his thinking or decisions.
Author Brad Snyder has crafted a tome that captures the attention of the reader with an interest in this period of history and holds it as he weaves his tale through the events and people of the times. I consider myself to be a conservative but I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It takes the reader to behind the scenes activities that are often overlooked in other histories. One test I frequently apply is whether a book whets my appetite for more? This one does. I have books in my basement about Oliver Wendell Holmes and Learned Hand that I have not gotten to, but now want to. A book that does that deserves five stars.
I did receive a free copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program.
The House of Truth was a residence at 1727 Nineteenth Street in the DuPont Circle section of Washington roughly between 1910 and 1919 in which young liberals seeking to serve the government lived and congregated. The men (this was a century ago, remember) were generally involved in government either as advisors, administrators, judges or, in one case, artists. Opened by Robert Valentine, Taft Administration Commissioner of Indian Affairs, The House drew in future Supreme Court Justices Louis Brandeis and Felix Frankfurter, longtime columnist Walter Lippmann and artist Gutzon Borglum. The Pater Familia, who, although never living there, was Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. The penumbra of the House included judges Learned Hand and Benjamin Cardozo.
What I find most illuminating is the breadth of issues in which the characters were involved. The Sacco-Vanzetti case, in which liberals fought unsuccessfully to prevent two anarchists from being executed for robbery and murder, due process of law, both substantive and procedural, and the Zionist movement are just a few. As I learned from these pages, Gutzon Borglum was the initial artist working on the Stone Mountain carving until a falling out with local officials and patrons redirected his efforts to Mount Rushmore. The others formed a network of liberals who worked to promote the efforts of each other as well as the liberal agenda. In contrast to contemporary expectations of purity among historical figures, this work depicts an evolving process as the players struggle, against conservatives and amongst themselves, over whether whether to support Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Robert LaFollette, Calvin Coolidge, Al Smith, Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt. Their conclusions were not unanimous and Holmes, although he became a liberal icon, was not straight line in his thinking or decisions.
Author Brad Snyder has crafted a tome that captures the attention of the reader with an interest in this period of history and holds it as he weaves his tale through the events and people of the times. I consider myself to be a conservative but I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It takes the reader to behind the scenes activities that are often overlooked in other histories. One test I frequently apply is whether a book whets my appetite for more? This one does. I have books in my basement about Oliver Wendell Holmes and Learned Hand that I have not gotten to, but now want to. A book that does that deserves five stars.
I did receive a free copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program.
May 31, 2018
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. I am paying it forward by passing this book along to a family member who I think will enjoy it too.
February 22, 2018
Fascinating as a look back to a time when today’s political categories were much more tangled and confused, and very well written.
April 5, 2017
THE HOUSE OF TRUTH is a fabulous informative book about the people who developed liberalism in the first half of the 20th century. For me it was a long slow read and well worth the time and energy because I learned so much that helps me understand the world we live in today. Brad Snyder is a constitutional law professor at the University of Wisconsin, but you do not have to be a legal scholar to under stand democracy or the courts. Much of his focus is on the people who were on the court and many who became justices. Its a fascinating story and for many readers it will be the first time they learn about the red scare and the Palmer raids led my Attorney General Mitchell Palmer. Snyder writes about the under side and the glorious part of American democracy. Tom Rose
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews