Roosevelt’s ‘Clean Slate’ Plan: A Glimpse into the Shadows of Washington

May 9, 1939, marked a pivotal day in the nation’s capital as President Franklin D. Roosevelt unveiled his second government reorganization plan to Congress. Behind the façade of administrative reform, whispers of corruption and cronyism swirled through the halls of power. The President’s proposal, aimed at streamlining 14 interdepartmental bureaus and eliminating waste, was touted as a means to save an estimated $250,000 annually. However, critics questioned the true motives behind this ‘reorganization’.