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Taking Commerce from a sleepy backwater to economic efficiency

In 1921 the Commerce Department was a small, sleepy agency without political influence that did little more than oversee the country’s fisheries and lighthouses.  Herbert Hoover hesitated when President-Elect Warren G. Harding offered to make him Secretary of Commerce.  Friends advised Hoover to turn the new position down and the outgoing secretary later informed Hoover that he could do the job in as little as two hours per day. 

Hoover nevertheless accepted the position when Harding gave him clearance to reorganize the department and expand its role in promoting American commerce.  Under Hoover’s leadership, the Commerce Department grew and flourished, as did its secretary’s reputation.  Soon known as the “Secretary of Commerce, and Undersecretary of Everything Else,” Hoover’s diligence and determination transformed the Commerce Department into one of the most powerful agencies in the federal government. 

Something for everyone

Hoover reorganized and strengthened the various bureaus that fell under the Commerce Department’s purview and brought new ones into the fold.  In 1925, the Patent Office was transferred to the Commerce Department, giving the agency more comprehensive administration of American economic activities. 

In 1926, Hoover organized an Aeronautics Branch that worked to triple the number of lighted runways in the country, furnishing them with reliable weather and navigational equipment. These efforts made air travel a viable option for increasing numbers of Americans and American businesses looking to ship their products.

The Bureau of Standards (now NIST) was transformed it into one of the largest and most advanced scientific laboratories in the world.  Its researchers studied everything from ceramics to optics and electricity, all while ensuring “a yard is a yard and a pound is a pound”. 

Hoover spearheaded efforts to improve radio technology and regulate the airwaves. He saw the radio not merely as a form of entertainment or communication, but as an essential public utility. It was one of the ways, Hoover believed, that the department had a direct impact on the lives of the people it served.

Learn more about Commerce and OGC

The energetic secretary championed dozens of initiatives throughout his seven-year tenure, leaving a permanent mark on the Commerce Department.  Today, the Department maintains its mission to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities, with the Office of the General Counsel continuing to provide legal services across the diverse operating units.

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Authored by Laura Swift, MLS, Commerce Research Library, Office of the General Counsel