The Fireside Chats of Franklin Delano Roosevelt | Page 4

social results that might
bring incalculable harm. Even before I was inaugurated I came to the
conclusion that such a policy was too much to ask the American people
to bear. It involved not only a further loss of homes, farms, savings and
wages but also a loss of spiritual values--the loss of that sense of
security for the present and the future so necessary to the peace and
contentment of the individual and of his family. When you destroy
these things you will find it difficult to establish confidence of any sort
in the future. It was clear that mere appeals from Washington for
confidence and the mere lending of more money to shaky institutions
could not stop this downward course. A prompt program applied as

quickly as possible seemed to me not only justified but imperative to
our national security. The Congress, and when I say Congress I mean
the members of both political parties, fully understood this and gave me
generous and intelligent support. The members of Congress realized
that the methods of normal times had to be replaced in the emergency
by measures which were suited to the serious and pressing
requirements of the moment. There was no actual surrender of power,
Congress still retained its constitutional authority, and no one has the
slightest desire to change the balance of these powers. The function of
Congress is to decide what has to be done and to select the appropriate
agency to carry out its will. To this policy it has strictly adhered. The
only thing that has been happening has been to designate the President
as the agency to carry out certain of the purposes of the Congress. This
was constitutional and in keeping with the past American tradition.
The legislation which has been passed or is in the process of enactment
can properly be considered as part of a well-grounded plan.
First, we are giving opportunity of employment to one-quarter of a
million of the unemployed, especially the young men who have
dependents, to go into the forestry and flood prevention work. This is a
big task because it means feeding, clothing and caring for nearly twice
as many men as we have in the regular army itself. In creating this
civilian conservation corps we are killing two birds with one stone. We
are clearly enhancing the value of our natural resources and we are
relieving an appreciable amount of actual distress. This great group of
men has entered upon its work on a purely voluntary basis; no military
training is involved and we are conserving not only our natural
resources, but our human resources. One of the great values to this
work is the fact that it is direct and requires the intervention of very
little machinery.
Second, I have requested the Congress and have secured action upon a
proposal to put the great properties owned by our government at
Muscle Shoals to work after long years of wasteful inaction, and with
this a broad plan for the improvement of a vast area in the Tennessee
Valley. It will add to the comfort and happiness of hundreds of
thousands of people and the incident benefits will reach the entire
nation.
Next, the Congress is about to pass legislation that will greatly ease the

mortgage distress among the farmers and the home owners of the
nation, by providing for the easing of the burden of debt now bearing
so heavily upon millions of our people.
Our next step in seeking immediate relief is a grant of half a billion
dollars to help the states, counties and municipalities in their duty to
care for those who need direct and immediate relief.
The Congress also passed legislation authorizing the sale of beer in
such states as desired it. This has already resulted in considerable
reemployment and incidentally has provided much needed tax revenue.
We are planning to ask the Congress for legislation to enable the
government to undertake public works, thus stimulating directly and
indirectly the employment of many others in well-considered projects.
Further legislation has been taken up which goes much more
fundamentally into our economic problems. The Farm Relief Bill seeks
by the use of several methods, alone or together, to bring about an
increased return to farmers for their major farm products, seeking at the
same time to prevent in the days to come disastrous overproduction
which so often in the past has kept farm commodity prices far below a
reasonable return. This measure provides wide powers for emergencies.
The extent of its use will depend entirely upon what the future has in
store.
Well-considered and conservative measures will likewise be proposed
which will attempt to give to the industrial workers of the country a
more fair wage return, prevent cut-throat competition and unduly long
hours