Harry Hines Woodring
Encyclopedia
Harry Hines Woodring was a U.S. political figure. He was born in 1890 in Elk City, Kansas
. He was educated in city and county schools and at sixteen began work as a janitor
in the First National Bank of Neodesha, Kansas
. He briefly attended business college, which gained him employment as a bookkeeper and assistant cashier of the First National Bank in Elk City. He soon became assistant cashier at the First National Bank of Neodesha. Woodring moved up quickly to become vice president and owner of the bank until he enlisted as a private in the US Army; later commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Tank Corps in World War I. He was elected department commander of the American Legion
in Kansas then in 1928 he sold his banking business to enter politics.
Woodring won the Kansas gubernatorial election of 1930 in a controversial three-way race with Republican Frank Haucke and write-in candidate and goat-gland transplantation specialist, Dr. John Brinkley
. He served as governor of Kansas
from 1931 to 1933. He then married Helen Coolidge and served as Assistant Secretary of War
from 1933 to 1936, with supervision over procurement matters. He was promoted and served as Secretary of War
under President
Franklin Roosevelt from 1936 to 1940. He projected the recommendations of his predecessor for increasing the strength of the Regular Army
, National Guard
, and the Reserve Corps. During his tenure he directed a revision of mobilization plans to bring personnel and procurement into balance and stressed the need to perfect the initial (peacetime) protective force. An isolationist, he was asked to resign in 1940 after disagreeing publicly with the administration's policy of shipping war materials to Britain. Woodring ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Kansas in 1946, and for the Democratic Party
nomination for that post in 1956. He died following a stroke in Topeka, Kansas
on September 9, 1967. He is buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Topeka, Kansas.
Woodring was the son in law of Massachusetts Senator Marcus A. Coolidge
.
Elk City, Kansas
Elk City is a city in Montgomery County, Kansas, United States, along the Elk River. The population was 305 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Elk City is located at ....
. He was educated in city and county schools and at sixteen began work as a janitor
Janitor
A janitor or custodian is a professional who takes care of buildings, such as hospitals and schools. Janitors are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often some maintenance and security...
in the First National Bank of Neodesha, Kansas
Neodesha, Kansas
Neodesha is a city in Wilson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,486. The name is derived from the Osage Indian word, Ni-o-sho-de, and is translated as The-Water-Is-Smoky-With-Mud.-19th century:...
. He briefly attended business college, which gained him employment as a bookkeeper and assistant cashier of the First National Bank in Elk City. He soon became assistant cashier at the First National Bank of Neodesha. Woodring moved up quickly to become vice president and owner of the bank until he enlisted as a private in the US Army; later commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Tank Corps in World War I. He was elected department commander of the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
in Kansas then in 1928 he sold his banking business to enter politics.
Woodring won the Kansas gubernatorial election of 1930 in a controversial three-way race with Republican Frank Haucke and write-in candidate and goat-gland transplantation specialist, Dr. John Brinkley
John R. Brinkley
John Romulus Brinkley was a controversial American medical doctor who experimented with xenotransplantation of goat glands into humans as a means of curing male impotence in clinics across several states, and an advertising and radio pioneer who began the era of Mexican border blaster radio...
. He served as governor of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
from 1931 to 1933. He then married Helen Coolidge and served as Assistant Secretary of War
United States Assistant Secretary of War
The United States Assistant Secretary of War was the second-ranking official within the American Department of War from 1861 to 1867, from 1882 to 1883, and from 1890 to 1940...
from 1933 to 1936, with supervision over procurement matters. He was promoted and served as Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
under President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin Roosevelt from 1936 to 1940. He projected the recommendations of his predecessor for increasing the strength of the Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
, National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
, and the Reserve Corps. During his tenure he directed a revision of mobilization plans to bring personnel and procurement into balance and stressed the need to perfect the initial (peacetime) protective force. An isolationist, he was asked to resign in 1940 after disagreeing publicly with the administration's policy of shipping war materials to Britain. Woodring ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Kansas in 1946, and for the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nomination for that post in 1956. He died following a stroke in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
on September 9, 1967. He is buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Topeka, Kansas.
Woodring was the son in law of Massachusetts Senator Marcus A. Coolidge
Marcus A. Coolidge
Marcus Allen Coolidge was a Democratic United States Senator representing Massachusetts from March 4, 1931 to January 3, 1937.Coolidge was born in Westminster, Massachusetts, son of Frederick Spaulding Coolidge...
.