Research


Scope and Content Note

The central subject and correspondence files of Franklin D. Roosevelt document the governor's response to social and economic issues both immediately prior to and following the onset of the Great Depression. Specific topics include social security benefits for the elderly; child welfare; unemployment insurance; industrial mobilization and employment stabilization; banking failures; establishment of the Temporary Emergency Relief Administration; income and direct tax reduction; economic assistance to farmers and rural infrastructure development; agricultural research and development; development, ownership, and operation of hydroelectric power resources; examination and reform of the Public Service Law and utility rate-making policies; establishment of the New York Power Authority; investigation of state prison and parole systems following riots at Dannemora and Auburn; revision of the state's system of civil and criminal judicial administration; and shortage of resources for proper care of patients in state mental hospitals.

Records in this series also document the governor's investigative powers and his efforts to address serious issues of crime and corruption. Topics include Prohibition and repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment; baseball pools and lotteries; investigation of the state Banking Department's operations in the City Trust Company case and resulting efforts to revise the state Banking Law; Appellate Division First Department investigation of the New York City magistrates' courts, including magistrate George Ewald; Samuel Seabury investigation into charges of inefficiency and incompetence on the part of New York County District Attorney Thomas C. T. Crain; hearings held by Governor Roosevelt in response to charges, brought forth by the Joint Legislative Committee on the Affairs of the City of New York and the Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate New York City Government, of negligence and incompetence on the part of New York City Mayor James J. Walker; and investigation and removal from office of Thomas M. Farley, sheriff of New York County.

The files themselves consist predominantly of original letters and telegrams from public officials and private citizens and organizations; unsigned copies of replies or memoranda from the governor forwarding correspondence to state or local government officials for action; copies of state and local government officials' replies to the governor and/or the original correspondents; and in some cases, unsigned copies of replies from the governor or his secretary directly to the original correspondents. Cross reference cards are present throughout the files, indicating alternate locations of material relevant to specific subjects or correspondents.

Given that a significant number of Governor Roosevelt's files pertain to investigations of inefficiency, incompetence, and misconduct on the part of state and local government officials, and commissions created to address public policy issues raised by these investigations, a voluminous body of preliminary and public hearing transcripts is included therein. These files also contain copies of legal documents including subpoenas, exhibits, statements of charges filed, briefs, opinions, and orders. Additional records include press releases and intermediate and final reports of legislative commissions and investigative bodies.