DOCUMENT A: FIRESIDE CHAT (Modified)
President Roosevelt gave this speech over the radio on May 7, 1933, two months after he became president. He called these radio addresses“fireside chats,” and this was his second one as president.
Tonight, I come for the second time to tell you about what we have been doing and what we are planning to do. . . .
First, we are giving opportunity of employment to one-quarter of a million of the unemployed, especially the young men, to go into forestry and flood prevention work…
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 easing the burden of debt now bearing so heavily upon millions of our people…
I know that the people of this country will understand this and
will also understand the spirit in which we are undertaking this
policy…
All of us, the Members of the Congress and the members of
this Administration owe you, the people of this country, a profound debt of gratitude
Link to original document: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=14636#axzz1oOgX8FjU
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