Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-10-01
DcliUers One of the
Most Important Addresses of
Campaign to Big Delegation

sometimes. indeed, engaging in bick-
erings between themselves. The pic
ture is n Of inefficiency and of vast
ed funda
Let us o only have social justice
and social welfare developed to the
fullest extent which q wise citizenship
will approve, but let us have also the
mean with which to make social JUS
tice and social welfare real and func-
tioning, rather than visionary aad in
efficient.
I have no doubt that there will be
some who will find in this proposal
u for calling me an extremist, but
when we have a task to do, which has
been dictated by our conscience and
approved by our wisdom, let US
straightway find the way to do 1t. 1 do
not say this without q word of eau
ton. 1 recognize certain dangers which
are always presented when govern
ment undertakes large. and detailed
tasks. l have said already, today. that
We must avoid paternalism, and that
we must avoid it because a paternal-
istfc social welfare program would
some of the liberties, some Of
the dignity, and some Of the freedom
for self-expression of our individuals.
Avoid Results OF Bureaucracy.
In creating federal departments Tor
the administration of social justice and
social welfare, we must avoid the
fearful results Of bureaucracy. I am
inclined to think that as between "a
bureaucracy of a military power which
paid little attention to the regulating
OF domestic affairs, and a bureaucracy
OF social rules and regulations, the lat
ter would Cypress the soul Of a coun-
try more. We do not want, and we will
not have. either in America. Undoubt-
eddy the great blessings Of our consti-
tuition, appearing. indeed, as if our
constitution had been written by the
hand of Providence, r the checks
which it places upon the development
in a national center of a great bureau
cratic paternalism. We are momentar-
lily irritated at times when we desire
to enact measures, which appear to be
dedicated wholly to the welfare of
mankind, when we find that constitu-
ttonal limitations prevent their legali-
ty. But we have been saved through
these many years; and will be saved
throughout Americas continued prog
ress from the growth Of too much
centralism, too much paternalism, too
much bureaucracy, and too much in
fringement Of the individuals right to
construct his own life within our
American standards Of a and
justice.
I would like to point out to ali
America that there is grave danger
at hand when centralized expression
begins to take from local communi.
ties all the burdens Of social con.
science. The best that humanity knows
comes up from the individual mar
and woman through the sacred insti.
tutions of the family and the home
and, perhaps. finds its most effective
application where life Is personal, and
where there is not IN attempt to cut
men and women to pattern and treat
mankind as a wholesale commodity.
I like to think of an America, whose
spirit flows up from the bottom and I:
not handed down from the top. I like
to think that the virtue Of the family
is the combined virtue, OF its members
and that the virtue Of a community 1:
the combined standards Of virtue OF
it's citizens. I like to think of a nation
whose virtue is the combined virtue Of
it's communities For such is America
such may she always be!
Up From the People.
So long as her expression flows VI
from the people, and not down from
a centralized autocracy, however tina
autocracy may label itself, America
! will live in all her virile strength
When we create in Washington ;
strong federal government and under
take. even for the most humanitarian
purposes, new federal burdens, let u
with all reverence ray that we shall
never by this means put to sleep tn,
spirit. the sense of duty, and the &C
tivities of the communities and neigh
borhoods of the United States.
raise these cautions. not because I an
doubtful of the wisdom of the fed
eral government doing all that it car
TO conserve the human resources o.
the United States, but, on the con
trary. because l believe we mus
owe forward upon a sur footing
without undertaking impractical o.
unwise programs which lead to dis
illusionment, and in the end retard
rather than accelerate, the expires
sion OF American conscience and it!
F., application to the welfare of tn
American people.
With these cautions, however
federal machinery for social justice
we will feel more confidence IL
creating a federal department of pub
lie welfare. When making the pro
posal for Il department of public wei
fare. to America. l am aware that
have made a step in advance of an!
platform. l have chosen to speak tt
you on the practical question-th.
question Of. OF how to do the tasks We
must do. the things American con
science is calling to have done.
We all know that we face task:
of social justice, which we must un.
dertake with dispatch and efficiency
Who can suggest one of these. tasks
which can supersede in our hearts
or in the rank which foresight AND
7! wisdom will give. that of the protec.
ton Of our maternity?
Protection of Motherhood.
The protection of the motherhood
of America can not be accomplished
until the state and the nation have
iGenacted and, by their exampl,, have
enforced customs, which protec
womanhood itself. know full vel
that there are women who insist thai
women shall be treated Ntlon the
same basis that men are treated
They would have a right to take thi.
position in their own behalf, but
insist, thai all true Americans mus,
insist, that no woman speaks for her.
self alone. She is the p~ossessor o.
our future, and though she become.
engaged in the tasks and services Of
i civilization. we must preserve Il
her the. right of wholesome mater.
nifty.
We no longer are speaking Of 9
small group. Twelve million wOmer