State of the Union AddressesRoosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano)
History
State of the Union Addresses
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano)
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
A study of our national resources, more comprehensive than any previously
made, shows the vast amount of necessary and practicable work which needs
to be done for the development and preservation of our natural wealth for
the enjoyment and advantage of our people in generations to come. The sound
use of land and water is far more comprehensive than the mere planting of
trees, building of dams, distributing of electricity or retirement of
sub-marginal land. It recognizes that stranded populations, either in the
country or the city, cannot have security under the conditions that now
surround them.
To this end we are ready to begin to meet this problem--the intelligent care
of population throughout our Nation, in accordance with an intelligent
distribution of the means of livelihood for that population. A definite
program for putting people to work, of which I shall speak in a moment, is
a component part of this greater program of security of livelihood through
the better use of our national resources.
Closely related to the broad problem of livelihood is that of security
against the major hazards of life. Here also, a comprehensive survey of
what has been attempted or accomplished in many Nations and in many States
proves to me that the time has come for action by the national Government.
I shall send to you, in a few days, definite recommendations based on these
studies. These recommendations will cover the broad subjects of
unemployment insurance and old age insurance, of benefits for children,
form others, for the handicapped, for maternity care and for other aspects
of dependency and illness where a beginning can now be made.
The third factor--better homes for our people--has also been the subject of
experimentation and study. Here, too, the first practical steps can be made
through the proposals which I shall suggest in relation to giving work to
the unemployed.
Whatever we plan and whatever we do should be in the light of these three
clear objectives of security. We cannot afford to lose valuable time in
haphazard public policies which cannot find a place in the broad outlines
of these major purposes. In that spirit I come to an immediate issue made
for us by hard and inescapable circumstance--the task of putting people to
work. In the spring of 1933 the issue of destitution seemed to stand apart;
today, in the light of our experience and our new national policy, we find
we can put people to work in ways which conform to, initiate and carry
forward the broad principles of that policy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account