Evening star., 1935-04-29
NHE text Of President Roose-
velt's speech last night fol-

4 last, / have not addressed the
general public over the air. In
the many weeks since that time
the Congress has devoted itself to
the arduous task of formulating
legislation necessary to the coun-
try's welfare. 1t has made and Is
making distinct progress.
Before I come to the specific
measures, however, I want to leave
in your minds one clear fact.
The administration and the Con-
gress are not proceeding in any
haphazard fashion in this task Of
government. Each of our steps
has a definite relationship to every
other step. The job of creating
a program for the Nations well
fare is, in some respects, like the
building of ship. At different
points on the coast where I often
visit they build great seagoing ships.
When one of these ships is under
construction and the steel frames
have been set in the keel, it Is
difficult for person who does not
know ships to tell how it will
finally look when it is sailing the
high seas.
1t may seem confused to some,
but out of TIE multitude of de-
tailed parts that go into the max
ing of the structure the creation
of useful instrument for man
ultimately comes. 1t is that way
with the making of a national
policy The objective of the Ma
tion has greatly changed in three
years. Before that time indi-
vidual self-interest and group self
ishness were paramount in public
thinking. The general good was at
a discount.
Better Understanding
Promotes Democracy's Principles.
Three years of hard thinking
have changed the picture. More
and more people. because of clearer
thinking and a better understand
ing, are considering the whole
rather than mere part relating to
one section or one crop. or one
industry, or an individual private
occupation. That Is a tremendous
gain for principles OF democracy.
The overwhelming majority of peo-
pie in this country know how to
sift the wheat from the chah IN
what they hear and what they
read. They know that the process
of the constructive rebuilding OF
America cannot be done in day
or a year, but that it Is being done
in spite of the few who seek to con-
fuse them and to profit by their
confusion. Americans as a whole
are feeling q lot better-a lot more
cheerful than for many. many
years.
The most difficult place in the
world to get clear and open per-
spective Of the country as a whole
is Washington. I am reminded
sometimes Of what President Wilson
once said: so many people come to
Washington who know things that
are not so and so few people who
know anything about what the
people of the United States are
thinking about" That Is why I
occasionally leave this scene Of
action for a few days to 60 fishing
or back home to Hyde Park so that
I can have a chance to think quietly
about the country as whole. To
get away from the trees. as they
say, and to look at the whole
woods. This duty of seeing the
country in long range perspec-
tive Is one which. in a very special
manner, attaches to this office to
which you have chosen me.
March to Recovery
Already Is Unmistakable.
Did you ever stop to think that
there are. after all, only two posi-
tions in the Nation that are filled
by the vote of all of the voters
the President and the Vice Presi-
dent? That makes it particularly
necessary for the Vice President
and for me to conceive of our du-
ties toward the entire country.
I speak. therefore, tonight to and
Of the American people as a whole.
My most immediate concern is in
carrying out the purposes of the
great work program just enacted
by the Congress. Its first objective
is to put men and women now on
the relief rolls to work and. Incl
dentally, to assist materially in our
already unmistakable march toward
recovery. I shall not confuse my
discussion by multitude OF fig
ures. So many figures are quoted
to prove so many things. some-
times it depends upon what paper
you read and what broadcast you
hear. Therefore, let us keep our
minds on two or three simple es-
sential facts in connection with
this problem of unemployment.
1t is true that while business and
industry are definitely better. our
relief rolls are still too large. How
ever, for the first time in five years
the relief rolls have declined in
stead of increased during the Win
ter months They are still declin-
ing. The simple fact is that many
million more people have private
work today than two years ago to-
day or one year ago today and
every day that passes offers more
chances to work for those who
want TO work.
Two Programs Provided
For Present and the Future.
In spite of the fact that unem-