The Fireside Chats of Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Radio Addresses to the American People Broadcast Between 1933 and 1944Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano)
History
The Fireside Chats of Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Radio Addresses to the American People Broadcast Between 1933 and 1944
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano)
Depressions -- 1929 -- United States -- Sources; New Deal, 1933-1939 -- Sources; Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 -- Oratory -- Sources; Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 -- Political and social views -- Sources; United States -- Economic conditions -- 1918-1945
No one who considers the plain facts of our situation believes that
commodity prices, especially agricultural prices, are high enough
yet.
Some people are putting the cart before the horse. They want a
permanent revaluation of the dollar first. It is the government's
policy to restore the price level first. I would not know, and no
one else could tell, just what the permanent valuation of the
dollar will be. To guess at a permanent gold valuation now would
certainly require later changes caused by later facts.
When we have restored the price level, we shall seek to establish
and maintain a dollar which will not change its purchasing and debt
paying power during the succeeding generation. I said that in my
message to the American delegation in London last July. And I say
it now once more.
Because of conditions in this country and because of events beyond
our control in other parts of the world, it becomes increasingly
important to develop and apply the further measures which may be
necessary from time to time to control the gold value of our own
dollar at home.
Our dollar is now altogether too greatly influenced by the
accidents of international trade, by the internal policies of other
nations and by political disturbance in other continents. Therefore
the United States must take firmly in its own hands the control of
the gold value of our dollar. This is necessary in order to prevent
dollar disturbances from swinging us away from our ultimate goal,
namely, the continued recovery of our commodity prices.
As a further effective means to this end, I am going to establish a
government market for gold in the United States. Therefore, under
the clearly defined authority of existing law, I am authorizing the
Reconstruction Finance Corporation to buy gold newly mined in the
United States at prices to be determined from time to time after
consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the President.
Whenever necessary to the end in view, we shall also buy or sell
gold in the world market.
My aim in taking this step is to establish and maintain continuous
control.
This is a policy and not an expedient.
It is not to be used merely to offset a temporary fall in prices.
We are thus continuing to move towards a managed currency.
You will recall the dire predictions made last spring by those who
did not agree with our common policies of raising prices by direct
means. What actually happened stood out in sharp contrast with
those predictions. Government credit is high, prices have risen in
part. Doubtless prophets of evil still exist in our midst. But
government credit will be maintained and a sound currency will
accompany a rise in the American commodity price level.
I have told you tonight the story of our steady but sure work in
building our common recovery. In my promises to you both before and
after March 4th, I made two things plain: First, that I pledged no
miracles and, second, that I would do my best.
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