There were many different issue that were addressed by FDR including some of the major problems like bank runs, unemployment, and even political policies. Overall he talks about the economy of the country and how it has been affected by the Great Depression. He begins his address by referring back to the problem and how it is affecting the society. He starts by talking about how the Great Depression has destroyed the value of banks, mortgages, loans, and credit. He describes the situation and how the value of money has decreased over time and has forced many businesses to close.
FDR also describes how due to that there was an increase in unemployment. When he talks about the loss of value in money, he is using that as an metaphor to describe that people were left with no money to spend for it to have a value. Also when he is talking about the “country dying by inches. ” he is referring to the great depression. When he said, “It involved not only a further loss of homes, farms, savings, and wages, but also a loss of spiritual values– the loss of that sense of security for the present and the future so necessary to the peace and contentment of the individual and of his family.
This shows that he is referring to the loss that the nation had face and is sympathizing with the citizens and assuring them that everything will be fine. He is also emphasizing on the facts that Americans had lost everything they had and now it is the responsibility of the nation to change the lives of their citizens. President FDR addresses to; money crisis, unemployment, Agriculture, Industry, Army, and International Affairs, and comes up with a strategic method to resolve those problems. Money crisis was something that everyone faced during that time, even the upper class.
FDR addresses this issue as something that the nation is going through because of the Great Depression and the government will help those citizens overcome their crisis. The way he planning to solve that issue is by creating public work jobs for the citizens, like the improvement of the Tennessee valley. In the speech, he said, “First, we are giving opportunity of employment to one-quarter of a million of the unemployed, especially the young men who have dependents, to go into the forestry and flood prevention work.
This shows that he is willing to create jobs for those men who have the most dependents, and this will also create more jobs because those men who work will need supplies like clothes, meaning clothing mills will need employment. In addition to creating jobs for the citizen, the government will put half a billion dollars towards the relief fund, an organization that distributed that half a billion dollars depending on the household income and need requirement of that family. This addresses the second issue he addressed which was unemployment.
In addition to creating jobs as public work, he is going to increase the value of natural resources, like coal, which will create more jobs in those factories or mines. The one thing he refers to in antitrust laws, but says that those laws should not create unfair labor for the workers. This shows that he wants everyone to get the same treatment. As we know that in the 1920s, alcohol was banned, but was still sold illegally, but the legislation authorized the sale of beer in hopes that new jobs will be created, hence helping the broken economy of the country.
The next issue FDR addressing is farming, and to help the position of the farmers he enforced the Farm Relief Bill in 1933. This bill stated that the holders of the farm mortgage are able to exchange them for the Federal Land Bank Bonds. This is like a loan, but at a lower interest rate (Roosevelt, Franklin). This would help farmers restart their farming as well as save up money. Also to help overproduction he said in his speech that farmers should only grow crops as they are demanded so they do not go bad over time.
In creating employment, he addresses that World War is close meaning that they will need men in the army, as well as men working in supply factories, like food, clothing, and more. To solve the issue of the industry he said that the government would control farming, industry and transportation, and any profits that are made would go to the citizens. This is a good way for the government to ensure that laws are being followed, and at the same time even the citizens would benefit.
FDR addresses the army in relation with the economy because he said that there would be a reduction in armament, despite the wa coming close so the government can save money to be spent on the problems of the economy and the citizens, rather than waste money on ammunitions. This would also mean there would be a reduction in taxes, and would also cut down trade barriers. He also mentions how that would benefit the country’s export business with other international nations. He said, “Secondly, a cutting down of the trade barriers, in order to re-start the flow of exchange of crops and goods between nations.
This shows that even other nations are going through the same things as they are, so just like President Washington, FDR wants good relations of the US with other international nations who could help boost America’s economy. In the end, this shows that FDR had a logical method to remove the US from the Great Depression era to an era of development for the nation with his vision for the nations. Franklin D. Roosevelt was able to use his meticulous diction that described his empathetic tone to persuade the citizens that he had a logical plan to bring the nation out of the Great Depression.
His appeal to pathos, ethos, and logos with use of figurative language helped convince the audience about his agenda. His appeal to pathos could be seen throughout the speech, as he continuously referred to the nation as “our nation,” “our problems,” “our national security,” “our government,” and more. His repetition of the word “our” was used 29 times in his speech, which helped emphasize that even he was part of the problem, that the Americans citizens were not alone, FDR was one of them. This close connection with the audience in addition to his appeal to ethos would help him win their trust.
In his speech, he gives credits to many different laws, like the Farm Relief bill, Railroad Bill, and also local governments, like the government in Muscle Shoals. His ability of giving credit to those laws, governments, the congress, and the legislation makes his sound scholarly who has background information on the nation. He also addressed to President Washington and President Teddy Roosevelt, as well as the constitutional government, to demonstrate that his hopes for the future will never die out.
He quotes those people to make the citizens realize that the US has been independent and successful for hundreds of years, and a stock market crash will not change that. His use of metaphors for addressing the stock market crash is a way to not show the citizens the past, but what lies for them in the future. He also uses idioms, like “kill one bird with two stones” to refer how the government if show the money crisis issue and unemployment at the same time.
This created hopes within the citizens that something good is there for them in the future. Furthermore, FDR does not often appeal to logos because he knows that he is tells statistics, knowing that more than half of his listeners are the middle and lower class they will have no idea what they mean unless they are educated. He does use basic political knowledge like when the American Constitutional Government was established to show the change of the US over time to the audience.
His lack of appeal to logos, helps the audience empathize with him and vise versa. FDR said, ‘We are encouraged to believe that a wise and sensible beginning has been made. In the present spirit of mutual confidence and mutual encouragement we go forward. ” This shows that he wants to see a changing America and for that he needs the help of the citizens. Here he also sums up his speech, by saying that all the changes that have been established are for the better of the citizens, and is asking for them to keep hope in him.
Roosevelt, he was also to convince the audience, the citizens of the US, that his plans for the future will develop a better living environment for the citizens, where they will be employed and happy.
