Charles Aubrey Eaton - Political Career

Political Career

Charles Eaton acquired added prominence as a result of his work as a motivational speaker for the War Production Board during World War I, helping to quell labor unrest and promote the values of patriotism and self-sacrifice among shipyard workers in a time of national emergency. He had tinkered with journalism for many years as a part-time columnist while he was preaching, and his next career challenge took him into the occupation full-time. As a sample of his political opinions in 1920, Charles Eaton wrote in Leslie's Magazine, of which he was then editor, that “The fundamental idea of our American civilization is this: any man who has the stuff in him can, by his own energy, thrift, industry and courage, rise to any height he may choose. His only limit is his own weakness. He, himself, is in a class by himself. There is no other class here… This is the greatest experiment ever made by man. It is a new idea fit to be developed only in a new world. It is the American idea.”

Eaton was then associated with the General Electric Company as counselor in industrial relations, and the fundamental principles which he worked out were adopted by GE in developing their progressive policies.

In 1924, Eaton was elected as a Republican to the 69th U.S. Congress and to the thirteen succeeding Congresses, serving until 1952. He rose to become chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (Eightieth Congress), and served on the Select Committee on Foreign Aid (Eightieth Congress). Eaton signed the original United Nations Charter in San Francisco as part of a delegation representing the United States Government. He helped gain support for the Marshall Plan—also known as the Economic Cooperation Act of 1948—which was passed by Congress in 1948 by a vote of 329 to 74. For several years, he served in Congress alongside his nephew William R. Eaton, a Representative from Colorado.

Eaton was a steadfast opponent of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. However, he was frequently invited to the White House for meetings with both presidents Roosevelt and Truman because of his sharp understanding of international politics.

Twenty days after his retirement from Congress, Eaton died in Washington, D.C. and was interred in Hillside Cemetery located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

An attempt was made to get a U.S. postage stamp named after him which was sponsored by N. J. Gov. James Florio, Congressman Dean Gallo and Sen. Bill Bradley, to no avail.

In 1993, Community Church Press published a 171 page study of Eaton's life and political career written by Rev. Ronald J. Miller, a New Jersey clergyman, entitled Prophet in the House.