4th of March 1933
Holding his hand on an 1686 edition of his
family bible, the American president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, delivered one of the greatest speeches in
history as he sought to encourage the American people to face the depression
head on and the fear that went with it; here are some of it’s finest passages:
“So, first of all let me assert my firm belief
that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning,
unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into
advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and
of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves
which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that
support to leadership in these critical days.”
On addressing the root causes of the
depression, Roosevelt said this:
“...rulers of the exchange of mankind's goods
have failed through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have
admitted their failure, and have abdicated. Practices of the unscrupulous money
changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts
and minds of men.
The money changers have fled from their high
seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the
ancient truths. The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we
apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit.
Recognition of the falsity of material wealth
as the standard of success goes hand in hand with the abandonment of the false
belief that public office and high political position are to be valued only by
the standards of pride of place and personal profit; and there must be an end
to a conduct in banking and in business which too often has given to a sacred
trust the likeness of callous and selfish wrongdoing.
Restoration calls, however, not for changes in
ethics alone. This Nation asks for action, and action now.”
On what lay in ruins among the ashes of what
was greed and the task that lay ahead:
“..the withered leaves of industrial enterprise
lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of
many years in thousands of families are gone.
More important, a host of unemployed citizens
face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with
little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the
moment.
Our greatest primary task is to put people to
work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously.
There are many ways in which it can be helped,
but it can never be helped merely by talking about it. We must act and act
quickly.”
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