Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Good afternoon members of the press and guests.

My fellow Americans, it has become clear to all of us that we are living through a great depression. People have lost their jobs, people have lost their money, and people have lost their houses. People do not even have enough to eat. This is going to change. I want jobs for people. I want jobs for everyone including artists and actors.

This depression is not being caused because people do not want to work. This is why I see no reason why we can not put people to work to pay them a good wage so they can build the things that we need for the future. My administration has created the WPA, the works progress administration. The Federal Art Project and the Federal Theatre Project are part of this initiative. The Federal Art Project is employing artists and the Federal Theatre Project is employing theatrical artists. Some of them are good and some of them are not so good but the Federal Theatre Project is coming to people who have never seen a stage production.

This will create jobs for artists and actors out of work.

I have created the public works agency and the civilian conservation corps to create millions of jobs which will lead to prosperity. I have also created the Social Security Administration to help the elderly and the disabled so they do not fall into poverty. With these acts of will and determination, we the people can and will decide our own fate.