Description:

Franklin D. Roosevelt TLS Re: Scientific Agriculture & "engineering experiment stations"

A 1p typed letter signed by sitting 32nd U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) as "Franklin D. Roosevelt" near lower right. March 7, 1940. [Washington, D.C.] On a leaf of watermarked stationery with "The White House / Washington" embossed at the letterhead. Roosevelt's signature is bold and large, measuring 4.125" x .75" alone. Countersigned by the letter recipient, Florida Congressman Robert Alexis "Lex" Green (1892-1973), as "Best wishes / Lex Green" at lower left. Docketed by Green's office four days after issue, on March 11, 1940. Four letters of Roosevelt's signature are just touched by a horizontal paper fold. Scattered areas of pencil erasure are found near the margins, barely discernible but mentioned just for accuracy. Expected wear including gentle corner folds, else near fine. 8" x 10.5." Accompanied by an auction invoice from Early American History Auctions, Inc. (Rancho Sante Fe, California) dated November 1, 2008.

President Roosevelt wrote this letter to Lex Green, a longtime Democratic U.S. Congressman from Florida. Green, who served in the U.S. Congress from 1925-1944, also served as Chairman of the Committee on Territories from the 73rd-78th Congresses, ca. 1933-1944. Roosevelt wrote in part:

"I was interested in your letter of February 24 accompanying Bill H.R. 8260 to 'promote industrial prosperity' through the establishment of engineering experiment stations.

I have referred your letter and the bill to the Bureau of the Budget and to the National Resources Planning Board…"

On February 1, 1940, during the 76th Congress, Lex Green had introduced H.R. Bill 8260: "A bill to promote industrial prosperity, to increase industrial employment, and to develop and conserve the natural resources by aiding and promoting research in the engineering experiment stations connected with colleges and schools of engineering in the several State and Territorial universities and colleges, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce." (Please see the U.S. Congressional Record, 1940, part 1, volume 86, p. 960.)

The bill promoted scientific research in agriculture and industry, to be conducted at experiment stations located throughout the United States and overseen by institutions of higher learning. Engineering experiment stations were just one part of a larger political discussion about the value of a modern, more scientific approach to agriculture. Research conducted at such stations yielded invaluable information about the local environment and climate; soil types; disease- and drought-resistant crops; ways to prevent erosion and soil exhaustion; and methods to increase efficiency, sustainability, and profit. Scientific research was also viewed as an economic driver: it would directly help American farmers, of course, but it would also trickle down to industrial workers and engineers tasked with building infrastructure and manufacturing newly discovered agricultural byproducts. Just one year later, on April 21, 1941, Congressman Green introduced similar legislation, H.R. 4454, which again targeted the intersection of agriculture, industry, and engineering. It was immediately endorsed by the Executive Committee of the Association of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities.

Roosevelt's daily schedule on March 7, 1940 does not explicitly refer to this letter to Congressman Green, but the president might have discussed Green's ideas when he met that day with Director of the Bureau of Budget Harold D. Smith around 11 am, since Roosevelt indicated Green's letter was to be forwarded to Smith's office. (Please see the entry for March 7, 1940, digitally accessible via "Franklin D. Roosevelt Day by Day, A Project of the Pare Lorentz Center at the Presidential Library.")

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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