Political career
In 1919, Bell was appointed assistant city solicitor of Philadelphia, a position he held for three years. He then served as assistant district attorney of Philadelphia from 1922 to 1925. He later earned a reputation as a strong opponent of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies, publishing such booklets as Can We Think and Dare We Speak (1934), What Do You Know About the New Deal? (1935), and New Deal Fairy Tales (1936). He was finance chairman for Arthur H. James in the 1938 gubernatorial election, and later served as vice-chairman of the Republican State Finance Committee. From 1939 to 1942, he was Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking under Governor James. In 1942, Bell was elected Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania after defeating Democrat Elmer Kilroy, the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, by more than 235,000 votes. When Governor Edward Martin resigned to take a seat in the United States Senate in 1947, Bell automatically succeeded him as governor. He served from January 2 to 21, 1947, when James Duff, who had been elected in 1946 gubernatorial election, took the oath of office. His nineteen-day tenure remains the shortest of any Pennsylvania Governor.
Political career
In 1919, Bell was appointed assistant city solicitor of Philadelphia, a position they held for three years. They then served as assistant district attorney of Philadelphia from 1922 to 1925. They later earned a reputation as a strong opponent of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies, publishing such booklets as Can We Think and Dare We Speak (1934), What Do You Know About the New Deal? (1935), and New Deal Fairy Tales (1936) . They were finance chairman for Arthur H. James in the 1938 gubernatorial election, and later served as vice-chairman of the Republican State Finance Committee. From 1939 to 1942, they were Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking under Governor James. In 1942, Bell was elected Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania after defeating Democrat Elmer Kilroy, the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, by more than 235,000 votes. When Governor Edward Martin resigned to take a seat in the United States Senate in 1947, Bell automatically succeeded him as governor. They⅝ served from January 2 to 21, 1947, when James Duff, who had been elected in 1946 gubernatorial election, took the oath of office. Their nineteen-day tenure remains the shortest of any Pennsylvania's a few Governor.