There are many ways in which it can be helped, but it can never be helped by merely talking about it. We must act. We must act quickly.
Roosevelt argues that recognising a problem and discussing possible remedies are insufficient when circumstances require practical intervention. The emphasis is on moving from diagnosis and debate to measures capable of producing tangible results, with urgency justified by the severity of the situation.
In his 1933 inaugural address, the immediate subject was the economic crisis of the Great Depression. Roosevelt had just outlined measures involving agriculture, home and farm foreclosures, government expenditure, relief programmes and public utilities. His call to act quickly therefore referred specifically to government efforts to restore employment and economic stability.
More broadly, the passage expresses a distinction between deliberation and implementation. Discussion can help identify problems and possible responses, but Roosevelt argues that effective government ultimately requires decisions to be translated into action. The quotation is therefore closely associated with crisis management, political leadership and the practical execution of public policy.