October 26

"A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk."

Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President, 1933-1945- Radio Address to the New York Herald Tribune Forum, October 26, 1939. The social media of 1939 was radio and The New York Herald Forum was a program that drew statesmen from around the world to discuss current problems. Roosevelt, a master of "social media" in his time, of course, took the opportunity to participate. 1939 had been a very eventful and historic year in the United States and around the world. Germany had invaded Poland in March of that year, Great Britain had declared war on Germany, in India Gandhi had begun a fast as India continued its quest to gain independence from Great Britain, and Japan was at war with China. In the United States, two now classic movies would be released: "The Wizard of Oz" in August and "Gone with the Wind" in December. Baseball great, Lou Gerhig was forced to end his baseball career with the New York Yankees due to the disease that now bears his name and Ted Williams began his career with the Boston Red Sox. Frank Sinatra began his recording career and Kate Smith belted out her rendition of "God Bless America". As Roosevelt gave his address on October 26, Germany had recently plundered Nazi occupied areas on October 19. Two weeks prior to his address, he had met with Albert Einstein and had been briefed on the possibility of developing the atom bomb. In the radio forum, on October 26, Roosevelt speaks of the speed and pace of progress and democracy. He states that some governments and individuals seek to move too quickly and arbitrarily, causing conflict and war. Others wish to move too slowly or not at all, with the same results. He gives his definitions of Radicals, Conservatives, Reactionaries, and Liberals: "A Radical is a man with both feet firmly planted— in the air"; "A Conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward"; "A Reactionary is a somnambulist walking backwards" and "A Liberal is a man who uses his legs and his hands at the behest-at the command—of his head". Roosevelt states that those of the extreme right or left sharpen to the "argument" or discussion, but they should merely serve to make us realize the value of "the democratic middle course", where he states he plots a course "just a little bit left of center." He ends his address stating that the United States, in regards to the growing European and Asian conflicts, "is neutral and does not intend to get involved in war". As we know know, however, his stated policy of neutrality changed over the subsequent two years, as we increased our amount support to Great Britain, and the United States was eventually drawn to declare war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.