Robert L. Bacon

American lawyer and politician

Robert Low Bacon (July 23, 1884 – September 12, 1938) was an American politician, a banker and military officer. He served as a congressman from New York from 1923 until his death in 1938. He is known as one of the authors of the Davis–Bacon Act of 1931, which regulates wages for employees on federal projects.

Born in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, the son of Martha Waldron Cowdin and future Secretary of State Robert Bacon, he received a common school education as a child. He went on to graduate from Harvard University in 1907 and from Harvard Law School in 1910.

After graduation, Bacon was employed at the United States Treasury Department, where he worked until 1911. He moved to Old Westbury, New York, to engage in banking in New York City. Bacon attended the business men's training camp at Plattsburgh in 1915, and served on the Texas border with the New York National Guard in 1916 at the Texas border. Bacon was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, in 1920. In 1922, after Frederick C. Hicks declines to seek another term, Bacon stepped into the race. His opponent was fellow Long Islander, S. A. Warner Baltazzi, whom he defeated in the fall. He entered Congress as a “wet”, someone who did not support prohibition while still continuing his military career in the Officers' Reserve Corps during his years in the House of Representatives. He faced no significant opposition over his career with the 1932 election possibly being his greatest challenge. That year, he faced Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney another wealthy member of Long Island society in a race that pitted Bacon against the landslide victory of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Both men belonged to many of the same private clubs and the race became bitter, with Bacon prevailing. Bacon's longest lasting political achievement may be the Davis–Bacon Act of 1931 which remain in force, with amendments. Bacon introduced similar legislation for many years and succeeded in securing passage after workings on depression era federal spending projects found that jobs were going to cheaper workers from other areas. Bacon was a supporter of the repeal of prohibition and introduced a proposal to amend the 18th amendment to allow states to regulate alcohol. This amendment failed; but prohibition was ultimately repealed in 1933.

He became engaged to Cecilia May in 1911, but they never married. He married Virginia Murray on April 14, 1913. Bacon's brother, Gaspar G. Bacon was the President of the Massachusetts Senate from 1929 to 1932 and Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1933 to 1935. His nephew was the actor Gaspar G. Bacon Jr. better known as David Bacon. Bacon died of a heart attack near the State Police barracks in Lake Success, New York, while on his way home from a speaking engagement in New York City on September 12, 1938, at the age of 54. He is interred at Arlington National Cemetery.