we knew what we had to do. the president was coming back and he would talk to the american people from the oval office. i knew that from the beginning. there was no doubt in my mind. host: you have had a front row seat to history. mr. walters: through my whole career at the white house. i had an opportunity to greet, or meet every head of state from until i left in 2007 and i would not change it for the world. probably wishes i was at home a little more and i probably should have been but the activity of the presidency of this not sees and they change from day to day. >> thank you for your time and your stories. >> thank you very much. >> you're watching american history tv.

weekend, on every c-span3. facebook at c-span history. >> franklin roosevelt was sworn 32nd president's on march 4, 1933. next, we will see him take the administered by charles evans hughes and hear his inaugural address. minutesgram is about 23 and has been compiled from several sources including newsreels, audio and video, photographs from the library of congress and portions of newsreels from the national archives and internet archives. ♪ >> here it is, the creation of a

new chief executive. according to time-honored -- down they rise with to the capital where roosevelt will take the oath of office. a jubilanthere such anointing. it's a new era in national affairs. we can supposed to pull the country out of its chaos. it's the greatest party victory of all, i'm -- of all time. everyone is ready for the big moment. chief justice of the united states supreme court appears to administer the old office to franklin d roosevelt, making him the --

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>> to you, franklin delano roosevelt, do solemnly swear that you will faithfully execute the office of president of the united states and will to the best of your ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the united states, so help you god? franklin roosevelt: i, franklin delano roosevelt, do solemnly swear that i will faithfully execute the office of president of the united states and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the united states, so help me god. [applause] this is a day of national consecration. and i am certain that on this day, my fellow americans expect that on my induction into the

presidency, i will -- i will -- i am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures of a sickened nation and a second world may require these measures or such other measures as the congress may build out of exit experience in wisdom i shall seek within my constitutional authority to bring to speedy adoption. but in the event that the congress shall fail to take one of these courses in the event that the national emergency is still critical, i shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. i shall ask the congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis, broad executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.

a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves, which is essential to victory. i am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days. -- we face are common difficulties. things, atal ,antastic levels, our ability governments of all kinds and faith, will it lead our industrial enterprise on every and the savings of many

years and thousands of families are gone. more important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence and equally great number toil with .ittle return only a foolish optimist can deny the stark realities of the moment and yet our distress comes from no failure of substance. stricken by no plague of locusts. compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered because they believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for. bountystill offers her and he even efforts have lighted . cleaning is on our doorstep but her generous use of it languishes in the very side of the supply. primarily, the rulers of the exchange of mankind worth have

own incompetence , and have admitted their failure and have abdicated. practices of the unscrupulous stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men. there efforts, have been cast in face by failure of credit they have opposed only the lending of more money, the profits by which to induce their people to endure their false leadership. they haven't ordered to ,xultation leading carefully they only know the rules of a generation of self seekers, they have no vision and there is no

vision, the people perish. the moneychangers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. we may now restore that temple for the ancient truth. the measure of that restoration lies in the expense to which we apply social values, more noble than mere momentary province. it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort, the joy of the moral stimulus nation of worth. these dark days, if they teach us that are true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to

minister to ourselves, to our aloe man. recognition of that falsity of material wealth as a standard of success, goes hand-in-hand with the abandonment of the false believe that public office nonpolitical position are to be valued only by the standard of pride of place in personal endit, and there must be an to a conduct in banking and its business which has given to a sacred trust the likeness of selfish wrongdoing. small wonder that confidence only ones or thrives honor, on the sacredness of obligation, unfaithful protection, and on unselfish

performance. without them, it cannot live. restoration calls, however, not for changes and ethics along. this nation is asking for action , and action now. [applause] >> our greatest primary task is to put people to work. this is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. it can be accomplished in part by direct recruiting by the government itself. treating the task as we would treat the emergency of a war, but at the same time, accomplishing greatly needed projects to stimulate and reorganize the use of our great natural resources. we musthand with that,

frankly recognize the over balance of population in our industrial centers, and find gaging on a national scale in a redistribution and to provide a , the task of the land can be helped by definite efforts to raise the value of agricultural products and with this the power to purchase the output of our cities, it can be helped by preventing realistically the tragedy of the lost through foreclosure of our small homes and farms. it can be helped by insistence that the federal stakes and the local government act fort with on the gust -- that their cause the drastically reduced.

it can be helped by the unifying of relief activities which today are often scattered but economical, unequal. it can be helped by national and supervision of all forms of trends rotation and communication and other filters -- utilities that have a definitely public character. can never be helped by merely talking about it. we must act quickly. and in our progress toward a resumption of work, we require two safeguards against a return of the evils of the old order. there must be a strict supervision of all banking and credit and investments.

there must be an end to speculation with other people's money. and there must be provision for an adequate but calm currency. these, my friends, are the lines of attack. i shall presently urge upon a new congress and special section , detailed measures for their film. immediatel seek the assistance of the 48 states. through this program of action, we address ourselves to putting our own house in order and making income balance outgo.

our international trade relations, though vastly important, are in point of necessity, the establishment of a strong national economy. policy as a practical the putting of first things first. i shall spare no effort to economicorld trade by readjustment, but the emergency at home cannot wait on that accomplishment. thought that guides these specific means of national nationalistic. but with the insistence with consideration upon the variance elements in the united states of

america, a recognition of the old and important manifestation of the american spirit of the pioneer. it is the way to recovery. it is the immediate way. it is the strongest assurance that recovery will endure. politics,ld of world i would dedicate this nation to ,he policy of the good neighbor the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and because he does so, respects the rights of others. the neighbor who respects his obligations and respects the --e to the of his agreement the sanctity of his agreement with the will of neighbors. we now realize as we have never

realized before our dependence on each other. forward, we must move as a trained and loyal army , willing to sacrifice for the good of discipline, because without such discipline, no progress can be made, no leadership effected. we are ready and willing to submit our lives and our property to such disciplines because it makes possible a leadership which eanes at the larger good. offer,propose to pledging that the larger purposes will find upon us all as a sacred obligation with the unity of beauty only in times of

armed strike, with this pledge hesitatinglyme and the leadership of this great army of our people, dedicated to a disciplined attack upon our common problems. action in this image, action to this end, is feasible. of government which we have inherited from our ancestors, our constitution is so simple, so practical, that it is possible ways to meet extraordinary needs, by changes in emphasis and arrangement without loss of a central cause. that is why our constitutional system has proved itself the most superbly injuring political mechanism the modern world has ever seen. it is made every stress of vast expansion of territory, of

better -- bitter internal strike, of world relations. is to be hoped that their numeral balance of executive and legislative authority may be wholly equal, wholly adequate, performance, but it may be that an unprecedented demand ,as made for undulate action may call for unprecedented to from publicrture procedure. that it may require these measuresor such other as the congress may build out of its experience and wisdom, i

shall seek within my constitutional authority to bring to speedy adoption. but in the event that the to take onell fail of these two courses, in the event that the nationally emergency is still critical, i shall not evade the clear cause , i shall asked the congress or the one remaining present,t to meet the broad, executive power, to wage war against the emergency is great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe. for the press proposed in the, i will return the courage and the diversion that befits the time.

i can do no less. we faced the arduous days that lie before us in the warm courage of national unity, with the clear consciousness of seeking old and precious moral value, with the clean satisfaction that comes from the stern performance of duty by old and young alike. we aim at the assurance of a rounded, a permanent national life. the future ofrust a central democracy. the people of the united states have not failed. in their need to have registered direct,e that they want vigorous action.

they have asked for discipline and direction under leadership. they have made me the present instrument of their wishes. in the spirit of the gift, i take it. in this dedication of a nation, blessing ofk the god. may you detect each and every one of us, may he guide me in the days to come. [applause] ♪

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>> more power to you, president roosevelt.