TLS as president, one page, 8 x 10.5, White House letterhead, November 16, 1936. Letter to Harold L. Ickes, Federal Emergency Administrator of Public Works, concerning the reduction of employees in his department. In part: "I have your letter of November 7, 1936, and the attached memorandum relative to the personnel situation in the Public Works Administration. From the facts presented it is apparent that the Administration is overmanned and I agree with you that steps should be taken to reduce the staff by 25 per cent, as you suggest, and certainly to a point where all of those remaining have sufficient work to occupy their full time. I believe that separations should be made without publicity and over a period of at least sixty days. In every case employees should be granted all accumulated leave. Every one should have at least two weeks' notice of separation…May I take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of your action in taking the initiative in this matter. While I regret the necessity of letting faithful employees go, under the circumstances the force must of right be reduced." In very good to fine condition, with light overall creasing, minor loss to the upper left corner, and rust stains to the edges. Part of FDR's New Deal, the Public Works Administration was a large-scale construction agency that built large-scale public works such as dams, bridges, hospitals, schools, and airports.Format: TLS