I am appealing to the people of America tonight to help in carrying out a task that is important to them and to their government. Enforced idleness, embracing any considerable portion of our people, in a nation of such wealth and natural opportunity, is a paradox that challenges our ingenuity.
Unemployment is one of the bitter and galling problems that now afflicts man-kind.
It has been with us, in a measure, since the beginning of our industrial era. It has been increased by the complexity of business and industry, and it has been made more acute by the depression. In addition to the problem faced by the national government our states and local governments have been sorely pressed to meet the increased load resulting from unemployment. It has been solved in some countries by starting huge armament programs but we Americans do not want to solve it that way. Nevertheless, as a nation we adopted the policy that no unemployed man or woman can be permitted to starve for lack of aid.