President Franklin D. Roosevelt Seeking to Enact Social Security: “If we all pull together there will be no stopping us.”

FDR wasted no time proposing and signing legislation to fight the Depression. The day after his Inauguration in March 1933, he declared a bank holiday and then implemented successful measures to restore confidence in the nation’s banks. He started the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) a few weeks later, and on May 12 signed both the Federal Emergency Relief Act, which authorized immediate grants to states for relief projects, and the Agricultural Adjustment Act to provide immediate relief to farmers. In June he established the Public Works Administration (PWA) to supervise the construction of roads, public buildings and other projects, and the National Recovery Administration (NRA), to stimulate competition and benefit producers and consumers. In August FDR established, by executive orders, the National Labor Board to enforce the right of collective bargaining, and the Civil Works Administration (CWA) to provide work for some four million unemployed. Among many other projects, he oversaw the repeal of Prohibition. In January 1934, FDR asked for 10.5 billion dollars (a staggering sum at that time) to advance recovery programs over the next 18 months. In February Congress passed the Civil Works Emergency Relief Administration to run new programs, and in June enacted the Securities Exchange Act, establishing the SEC to regulate security transactions. Later that year the National Housing Act established the Federal Housing Administration, the Federal Farm Bankruptcy Act placed a moratorium on farm mortgage foreclosures, and many other, similar programs were created and implemented.

On January 4, 1935, in his State of the Union address to Congress, Roosevelt effectively began phase two of the New Deal, proposing to provide social security for the aged and disabled, as well as measures to aid the unemployed, and to provide better housing. But although the American people were mostly enthusiastic about the New Deal measures, not everyone supported them. Republicans, the largely Republican-leaning press, the nation’s wealthy elites, along with some conservative Democrats, opposed (and in some cases rather cordially hated) FDR, and he knew he would have a tough fight to push through Social Security, and his other 1935 measures, and looked for support wherever he could find it.

Commander George C. Sweet was a U.S. Navy officer significant in promoting the early use of aircraft by the Navy. In September 1908, then-Lieutenant Sweet, serving as a Naval observer, reported favorably on the Wright Brothers airplane demonstration at Fort Meyer, near Washington, D.C. In 1909 Sweet was taken up with the Wright Brothers first Army flyer, becoming the first Navy officer to travel in an airplane. Sweet was then assigned to the Navy’s school for airplane instruction, and was thereafter a Navy engineer in Washington, specializing in steam engines. In early 1919 Sweet was named assistant to the Naval Attache at the American embassy in Paris, a particularly plum posting as the peace conference to end World War I was being carried on in Versailles.

Franklin D. Roosevelt followed in his cousin’s footsteps to fame by serving as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913-1920. He was a prime advocate of naval aviation, and against strong opposition is credited with preserving the Navy’s air arm from demobilization after World War I. He surely met Sweet in his capacity of promoting naval aviation. Roosevelt was called to Paris to join President Wilson at the Versailles Conference in January 1919. According to the Sweet descendants, FDR and Commander Sweet forged a friendship onboard ship, clearly indicating that the two men were passengers on the USS George Washington together in 1919, though whether on the sailing in January or return in July (or both) is not known.

Roosevelt was a careful man, aware that his statements must be made guardedly to avoid giving aid and opportunity to his political enemies. His public correspondence was generally drafted by aides, and was measured, serious, deliberate and discreet. However, the private FDR was outgoing, humorous and frank, the life of the party, and when he corresponded with those he could trust, this side could show through. Sweet was such a man.  We recently obtained this letter directly from the Sweet descendants.

Typed letter signed, on White House letterhead, Washington, January 8, 1935, to Sweet, hoping for enough of a national consensus to get this bills enacted. “That is a particularly nice New Year’s letter you sent me. If we all pull together there will be no stopping us. Ever so many thanks and the best of wishes to you.”

His New Deal measures drew more opposition in 1935 than they had in 1933 or 1934. However, the jewel in FDR’s crown was enacted and put into effect, as on August 14, 1935, he signed the Social Security Act.

This historic letter appears to be unpublished, as we can find no mention of it. It remained in the hands of the Sweet descendants until now, and has never before been offered for sale.