"the main cause for the Great Depression was the combination of the greatly unequal distribution of wealth throughout the 1920's, and the extensive stock market speculation that took place during the latter part that same decade."

From this clause, we can say the Federal Government might have been able to prevent the Great Depression through more stringent regulation on the stock market and taxes aimed at redistributing the wealth across the board. One must also remember that the Great Depression was a world wide event and as one domino fell, it brought down another. Countries who were more isolationists perhaps might have faired better. Still, the joker in the deck is the drought or dust bowl. Legislation aimed at conservation came far to late to be of any help.