Letter, H.J. Moss to Franklin D. Roosevelt

ackid 4-6-42 mrk 4820 Huntington Street Lincoln, Nebraska April 1, 1942 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Hyde Park 25-88 New York Subject: National Walking Days Registration of Women Dear Mr. President: # In Nebraska, confidence in your leadership and war strategy is steadily mounting and over-shadows the fleeting trends of petty criticism and complaint. The other day we were discussing the subject of cars and trans- portation at the local C. D. office and a rather robust man in the forties remarked that he couldn't walk a mile. It set me to thinking on the matter. I have averaged four to eight miles a day for many years besides making from forty to fifty calls, all on foot, and feel that I have been well repaid, at age fifty-two. However, people generally appear to abhor walking and cling to their cars even though they are conserving and training for war. Wouldn't it be a great boon to our war effort if the millions of able people, who do little or no hard physical labor, would, when practical, set aside at least one day out of every week to walk - to work, shopping, school, or wherever they need to go within reasonable distance - a sort of carless or busless days, Page 2 - President Franklin Delano Roosevelt not of course rigidly compulsory. The average person can travel three to three and one-half miles an hour on foot. It most surely would benefit and toughen most of them physically and save thousands of tons of rubber, oil and steel. It ought to strengthen their morale too. Once the trend, properly dramatized and pub- licized (your endorsement would suffice) is started, it should gain popularity. As to the Registration of Women, the majority out here seem to favor it. I wrote you for the third time in seven years on the subject of National Registration, as follows: "In the interest of national well-being, economy, and defense, I am still convinced that a nation-wide registration of all residents of the United States, ages 15 to 75 or 80, would be of great advantage. Several things could be accomplished - the es- tablishment of citizenship or the lack of it, the thorough check of internal crimi rals and people alien or unfriendly to the United States, the economic structure both as a whole and in- dividually, occupational trend and status, economic standing, distribution of wealth, and any number of other points having to do with the welfare of the citizens as well as the nation as a whole. = At first the idea had impressed me as an economic measure in our recent depression, later as a defense device - now it is function- ing as a direct war effort. I am glad to see it come to pass, at Page 3 - President Franklin Delano Roosevelt least in part, and to know that it was in line with the govern- ment's plan. (I do not presume to claim any part in the originality of the plan.) The free people of the allied nations may give thanks that they have a leader like you in the United States of America. A Mos. Sincerely, H. J. Moss X April 6, 1942 My dear Mr. Mosst Your letter of April first has been received and will be brought to the attention of the President. I know that he will be appre- ciative of your loyal interest in writing and sending your comments and suggestions to him. He will be grateful, too, for the confidence in his leadership which your words imply. Very sincerely yours, M. H. MoINTYRE Secretary to the President H. J. Moss, Esq., 4820 Huntington Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. mrk