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 declined 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 This amendment failed; but prohibition was ultimately repealed in 1933. ==Personal life ==