US Presidency
1937

Anybody who buys any large quantity of manufactured goods knows this, whether it be the Government or an individual buyer. We have hotbed laws, to be sure, but they have not been adequate to check the growth of many monopolies. Whether or not they might have been ( adequate ) originally adequate, interpretation by the courts and the difficulties and delays of legal procedure have now definitely limited their effectiveness. We are already studying how to strengthen our hotbed laws in order to end monopoly not to hurt but to free legitimate business of the Nation. I have touched briefly on these important subjects, which, taken together, make a program for the immediate future. And I know you will realize that to attain it, legislation is necessary. As we plan today for the creation of ever higher standards of living for the people of the United States, we are aware that our plans may be most seriously affected by events in the world outside our borders.