Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
This executive order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1939-09-08, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Authorizing Increases in the Personnel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice." It is a direct, concise executive instruction delivering focused administrative or military commands to department leadership.
Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪The Attorney General shall increase the personnel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, in such number, not exceeding 150, as he shall find necessary for the proper performance of the additional duties imposed upon the Department of Justice in connection with the national emergency.
▪To the extent made necessary by this order the Department of Justice is hereby authorized to waive or modify the monthly or other apportionments of its appropriations for contingent expenses or other general purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1940.
Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted
🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments
🏛️ Merchants, Importers & Commercial Enterprises
🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants
Total Words
214
1,367 characters
Estimated Read Time
1 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
19.6
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
-0.19
Framers' Alignment index
📜
Scholarly & Legal Citations
Exec. Order No. 8247, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Sep 8, 1939). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-8247-authorizing-increases-the-personnel-the-federal-bureau-investigation.
Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
Whereas a proclamation issued by me on September 8, 1939, proclaimed that a national emergency exists in connection with and to the extent necessary for the proper observance, safeguarding, and enforcing of the neutrality of the United States and the strengthening of our national defense within the limits of peace-time authorizations; and Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, will be charged with additional and important duties in connection with such national emergency, requiring an increase in its personnel: Now, Therefore , by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by Revised Statutes, section 3667, as amended (U.S.C., title 31, sec. 665), it is hereby ordered as follows: 1. The Attorney General shall increase the personnel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, in such number, not exceeding 150, as he shall find necessary for the proper performance of the additional duties imposed upon the Department of Justice in connection with the national emergency. 2. To the extent made necessary by this order the Department of Justice is hereby authorized to waive or modify the monthly or other apportionments of its appropriations for contingent expenses or other general purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1940. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT The White House, September 8, 1939.
