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Harry Lloyd Hopkins was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on 17th August, 1890. After graduating from Grinnell College in 1912 he became a social worker in New York City. He was also active in the Democratic Party and a strong supporter of Alfred Smith.
In 1931 Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Hopkins as the executive director of the New York State Temporary Emergency Relief Administration. When Roosevelt became president he recruited Hopkins to implement his various social welfare programs.
Hopkins worked for the Federal Emergency Relief Administration(1933-35) and the Works Projects Administration (1935-38). As head of the WPA Hopkins employed more than 3 million people and was responsible for the building of highways, bridges, public buildings and parks. Hopkins also worked as Secretary of Commerce (1938-40).
During the early stages of the Second World War he was Roosevelt's personal envoy to Britain. A member of the War Production Board, Hopkins served as Roosevelt's special assistant (1942-45).
Hopkins helped arrange the Potsdam Conference for Harry S. Truman but retired from public life soon afterwards. Harry Lloyd Hopkins died in New York City on 29th January, 1946.
Cliff Berryman, Washington Star (December, 1938)
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(1) Frances Perkins was secretary for labour in Franklin D. Roosevelt's first cabinet. She wrote about Harry Hopkins in her book, The Roosevelt I Knew (1946)
Hopkins became not only Roosevelt's relief administrator but his general assistant as no one had been able to be. There was a temperamental sympathy between the men which made their relationship extremely easy as well as faithful and productive. Roosevelt was greatly enriched by Hopkins knowledge, ability, and humane attitude toward all facets of life.
(2) Harold L. Hopkins, Spending to Save (1936)
I believe the days of letting people live in misery, of being rock-bottom destitute, of children being hungry, of moralizing about rugged individualism in the light of modern facts - I believe those days are over in America. They have gone, and we are going forward in full belief that our economic system does not have to force people to live in miserable squalor in dirty houses, half fed, half clothed, and lacking decent medical care.
(3) Lieutenant Colonel John C. Lee was asked by the United States Army to make a study of the Civil Works Administration (1934)
The accomplishments of the CWA were possible through the arduous efforts of Mr. Hopkins and the group of able young assistants which he has assembled and inspired. They have worked daily long into the night with a morale easily comparable to that of a war emergency. These assistants address Mr. Hopkins fondly as "Harry". There is no rigidity or formality in their staff conferences with him, yet he holds their respect, confidence, and seemingly whole-souled co-operation. Practically all have had active experience in social welfare or other work of a relief nature.
On the whole, it is apparent that the mission of the Civil Works Administrator had been accomplished by 15th February 1934. His program had put over four million persons to work, thereby directly benefiting probably twelve million people otherwise dependent upon direct relief. The program put some seven hundred million dollars into general circulation. Such losses as occurred were negligible, on a percentage basis, and even those losses were probably added to the purchasing power of the country.
Thus, Mr. Hopkins' loose fluidity of organization was justified by the results achieved. It enabled him to engage for employment in two months nearly as many persons as were enlisted and called to the colors during our year and a half of World War mobilization, and to disburse to them, weekly, a higher average rate of wages than Army or Navy pay.
(4) William Leahy, chief of staff to the commander in chief of the United States, wrote about Harry H. Hopkins in his autobiography, I Was There (1950)
As was so often the case, "Harry the Hop," as we called him around the White House, would remain silent for long intervals during any discussion, but he would usually be the first man to put a finger on the essential element of a problem.
Churchill's jesting title, "Lord Root of the Matter," was an accurate description. Hopkins had an excellent mind. His manner of approach was direct and nobody could fool him, not even Churchill. He was never influenced by a person's rank. Roosevelt trusted him implicitly and Hopkins never betrayed that trust. The range of his activities covered all manner of civilian affairs - politics, war production, diplomatic matters - and, on many occasions, military affairs. We saw a great deal of each other. The only previous impressions I had of Hopkins concerned his various relief activities in the first years of the Roosevelt administration, and I, perhaps, held some prejudices against him. I frequently joked with him about those days and sometimes called him "Pinko" or "Do-Gooder." He took it all in good spirit and we never had any major differences of opinion. By his brilliant mind, his loyalty, and his selfless devotion to Franklin Roosevelt in helping carry on the war, Harry Hopkins soon erased completely any previous misgivings I might have held.
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