F. D. R.'s Balance Sheet

Published this week by FORTUNE are the full results of its extraordinary survey on the popularity of Franklin Roosevelt (TIME, Oct. 4, 1937, et ante). Using the same scientific sampling of the electorate which predicted the results of the 1936 election with an error of less than i%, FORTUNE presents a page of charts and statistics giving a balance sheet of Franklin Roosevelt's popularity--probably a more complete, objective picture of the basic political situation in the U. S. than has ever been drawn up. Its prime facts:

12 Points:

Popular are: 1) Franklin Roosevelt's personality, liked by 80.3%, disliked by 11.7%* of the people (liked in fact by a majority in every section of the U. S., of every class and occupation); 2) his rearmament policy liked by 63.6%, disliked by 13.2%; 3) F. D. R. as President, approved of "in general" by 54.8%, disapproved of by 33.9%; 4) his international policy, liked by 50%, disliked by 15%; 5) his wages-&-hours legislation, liked by 48.8%, disliked by 21.8%; 6) his eco-nomic objectives, liked by 48.1%, disliked by 29.1%; 7) his attitude toward unions, liked by 38.3%, disliked by 30.4%; 8) his attitude toward business, liked by 37.3%; disliked by 34%; 9) his attitude toward TVA, liked by 26.8%, disliked by 23-9%.

Unpopular are: 1) his methods, disliked by 40%, liked by 35.5%; 2) his reorganization bill, disliked by 38.3%, liked by 22.3%; 3) his advisers and associates, disliked by 32.3%, liked by 28.3%.

Geographical Divisions:

In Favor of F. D. R. in general are: 1) the Southwest (91.6%) and the Southeast (80.5%) which like him on every point; 2) the Mountain States (58.6%) which like him on his nine popular points;

3) the Pacific Coast (59.7%) and the Middle West (54.1%) which like him only on his six most popular points.

Against F. D. R. in general are the Northeast (51.9%) and the North West Plains (51.6%) which dislike him on seven of twelve points.

Economic Classes:

In Favor of F. D. R. in general are: 1) Negroes (84.7%) who like him on every point; 2) the Poor (75.1%) who like everything except his reorganization bill; 3) the Lower Middle Class (61.6%) who like him on his nine popular points; 4) the Upper Middle Class (52.5%) who like him on his six most popular points.

Against F. D. R. in general are the Prosperous (61.3%) who dislike him on every point except his personality, rearmament policy, international policy.

Occupational Groups:

In Favor of F. D. R. in general are: 1) Factory Labor (78.7%), Farm Labor (77.6%), "Other Labor" (75.4%) who like him on every point; 2) the Unemployed (69.8%) who dislike only his re-organization bill; 3) Farmers (61.1%) who like everything except his reorganization bill and his methods; 4) Housekeepers (63.7%) who like his nine popular points; 5) White Collar Workers (59.4%) and Proprietors (56.2%) who like seven.

Against F. D. R. in general are: 1) Retired people (56.8%) who like only his personality, his rearmament and international policies; 2) Executives (65.3%) and Students (60.6%) who like only the same points plus wages and hours; 3) Professional people (53.6%) who like only these plus his economic objectives.

* On this and the following eleven questions the percentage of those in favor and those against do not add up to a full 100% because some who answered declared themselves still undecided or uninformed.

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