Show presidents life was characterized 1 i by y vigorous action unlike the log cabin presidents 1 franklin delano roosevelt was not born into poverty when franklin arrived at hyde park N y on I 1 january SO 30 1882 he came into a family that had possessed wealth for many generations the roose veits had been thrifty landowners land owners in the hudson valley since the first of the family came over from holland on his mothers side also there was a substantial fortune among his ancestors were many men who had served the state in various capacities young franklin attended the very fashionable groton school where he prepared for harvard universo university R y after completing the liberal arts a r ts course he entered columbia U law lav school from which he was graduated in 1907 two years earlier however he married his hi s distant cousin anna eleanor roosevelt eleanor was a niece of theodore roosevelt at that time in the white house after two tivo years of legal practice franklin entered politics running on en the democratic ticket for the new york state senate ile he unexpectedly defeated a strong republican candidate from the beginning of his career he identified himself hirr iseff with reform movements r nove ments opposing the powerful tammany organization or ani in the statehouse he was r elected reelected re e in 1912 by which time he had become a leader of the anti tammany fact faction woodrow wilson appointed roosevelt assistant secretary of the navy when world war I 1 broke out roosevelt proved himself an efficient administrator handling billions of dollars worth of contracts for ships and supplies he served in this post throughout the war ran for vice president in 1920 the democratic national convention chose him as running mate for james cox while c camj pai gning for the vice presidency roosevelt made many acquaint 1 ances valuable in later political life cox being defeated i returned to legal practice the following year the great tragedy of his life struck him infantile paralysis the big strong young man became a bedridden invalid for months he lay without ambition almost without hope slowly his powerful will took command however and by persistence he partially regained the use of his muscles it was during his bis convalescence at warm springs ga that he determined to do what he could to eradicate the he I 1 scourge that had almost ruined j him the march llarch A of dimes i campaign was the result at the democratic conventions of 1924 1121 and 1928 he aligned himself wa with ith the group supporting alfred E smith new yorks governor when smith was nominated in 1928 roosevelt ran for governor gover nor of his I 1 state and was elected kt at j t the e end er n d of his two year term he was again I 1 elected this time lime by the greatest I 1 majority ever given to a new york governor As governor he be continued the reform and improvement policies of his predecessor smith his achievements attracted nationwide attention As the depression that began late in 1929 deepened his efforts to control the mounting business failures unemployment and distress in his state revealed his abilities as a vigorous leader in grave times swept in as president when the national convention met in chicago in 1332 1932 roosevelt was quickly chosen he was swept into office by a plurality of seven I 1 million votes carrying 42 states both houses went democratic y a i I 1 al 1 92 0 M M M HARRY S TRUMAN PRESIDENT OF U S in may b be e dainta maintained ined in help helping ng c win thay the peace he faces th the e long rame ranie job of guiding the nation to postwar economic prosperity once nazi germany and japan are finally defeated known as a plain modest man who has not dramatized himself personally president truman nevertheless has demonstrated on many occasions that he can be a leader of force and determination determinate on his work as chairman of ta the e truman committee in the U S senate in the conduct of the war is cited as an example of this and his conduct of A the vice presidency has shown shon n that he can work successfully with political leaders of both parties in getting needed measures passed and in reconciling opposing points of view the president was born in lamar mo blo may 8 1831 although the home of the family for fou houi generations had been on a farm near I 1 independence mo blo served in world war 1 when world war I 1 broke out truman became captain of battery D in the field artillery of the division and saw action at st and in the meuse argonne offensive before he could take office a wave of bauk bank failures threatened the whole economic structure the famous bank moratorium order one of roose belts first official acts closed all banks until they could be reorganized on a sounder basis thus preventing disastrous runs in the spring of 1932 came the repeal of the ISM or prohibition amendment then came the national industrial recovery act or under which extensive emergency powers were granted to the president A series of public works were authorized to combat unemployment together with huge appropriations for direct relief the numerous executive and legislative isla tive acts of this first term were approved in general as necessary in the face of widespread suffering er A phrase from one of the presidents speeches a new deal developed into a title for the whole roosevelt program |