William N. Doak

William Nuckles Doak (December 12, 1882 – October 23, 1933) was an American labor leader. He was the Vice-President of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and served as Secretary of Labor. He died of cardiovascular disease in McLean, Virginia six months after retiring.

William Doak
3rd United States Secretary of Labor
In office
December 9, 1930 – March 4, 1933
PresidentHerbert Hoover
Preceded byJames J. Davis
Succeeded byFrances Perkins
Personal details
Born(1882-12-12)December 12, 1882
Rural Retreat, Virginia, U.S.
DiedOctober 23, 1933(1933-10-23) (aged 50)
McLean, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Emma Cricher

Biography

Early life

Doak was born in Rural Retreat, Virginia, on December 12, 1882, the son of Elizabeth (née Dutton) and Canaro Draton Doak. He attended from Virginia public and business, and was a Methodist. Doak married Emma Maria Cricher, on October 15, 1908. Doak served as the Vice-President of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen from 1916 to 1928.

Department of Labor

On December 9, 1930, Doak was appointed by President Hoover to serve as Secretary of Labor, succeeding Senator James J. Davis.[1] He encouraged the passing of the Davis-Bacon Act, which determined the prevailing wage to be paid on a government contract or federally funded construction project.

Mexican Repatriation

After President Herbert Hoover appointed Doak as secretary of labor, the Bureau of Immigration launched intensive raids to identify immigrants liable for deportation. Doak believed that removal of undocumented workers would reduce relief expenditures and free jobs for native-born citizens during the Great Depression. [2] Though there is no evidence that Doak made any effort to single out any specific ethnic group, this resulted in the targeting of the Mexican community.[3]

In 1931, the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, (the Wickersham Commission) found the methods employed by Doak's underlings to be unconstitutional.[4]

Doak retired at the end of President Hoover's administration on March 4, 1933. He died of cardiovascular disease in McLean, Virginia, on October 23, 1933. He is interred in Blacklick, Virginia.

See also

References
  1. The Americans Peoples Encyclopedia. 1955.
  2. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=3699
  3. http://public.csusm.edu/frame004/history.html
  4. http://www.historynet.com/immigrants-the-last-time-america-sent-her-own-packing.htm
Party political offices
Preceded by
J. R. Pollard		 Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Virginia
(Class 2)
1924		 Vacant
Title next held by
George Rohken
Political offices
Preceded by
James J. Davis		 United States Secretary of Labor
1930–1933		 Succeeded by
Frances Perkins
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