This is the 91st birthday of when Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act – August 14, 1935. He and John Nance Garner were elected in 1932, and, since John Nance Garner had been Speaker of the House, Claude Albert Fuller took charge of the campaign for Henry T. Rainey to be Speaker. After Rainey’s election, Claude Fuller was elected to the Ways and Means Committee, one of the more powerful committees. From that committee, Fuller helped draft the Social Security Bill.
Early in 1934, the Social Security Bill was introduced in the House. It brought on some bitter debates, and as usual, when the arguments were hottest, Fuller was in the thick of the fray. He made a long speech in favor of the measure, during which he was interrupted many times. Some extracts from the wind-up of his oration are interesting.
“This measure carries the greatest welfare features in relief for suffering and distressed humanity that has ever been presented to a legislative body,” Fuller said. “It carries out the teaching of the lowly Nazarene, and has only been made possible by a fearless, big-hearted inspired leader whose heart goes out to the forgotten man. Every thought, every heartbeat and every action of our great President has been in the intent of the weak and oppressed.
“This cloak of charity spreads out over every Social Welfare activity, and in the future years we will hear the praises and the God Bless yous from those who have been the recipients of this relief.
“It is easy to foresee the great good and happiness this welfare measure will bring to the aged, the helpless mother, the dependent, neglected and crippled children! I see the old, gray-haired father and mother bowed by the weight of many years of honest toil, dance with joy and appreciation upon their first pension check.”
A lot of this was gleaned from Backwoods Baron, the Life Story of Claude Albert Fuller by Frank L. Beals.
John Fuller Cross, Sr.