Evening star., 1928-11-03

DDS we have avoided the necessity of
regulation with the bureaucracy and
interference that flow from It. II is
also clear case of building up of self
government.
Better Homes Campaign.
I could describe a great number of
such cooperative actions carried
through to success. They involve such
things as the bettet homes movement
with its 5000 committees covering every
city and village in the United States
engaged in promoting home ownership
and betterment of home construction
They involve the American Child Health
Association. which has been built I'M To
bring about cooperation between ma
tional. State and institutional health
authorities for the promotion of better
health surroundings for our children
could relate to you at great length
the vast cooperative machinery we
have erected for the promotion of for
eign trade, through which the growth
OF our trade has outstripped that of
any country in the world
In this broad field of Cooperation bv
Government lie potentialities which
have been barely touched The Gov
ernment can rive leadership and co.
search. 1t can give prestige and inf1u-
ence. All of these call for but trivial
expenditures. They require no in
creased bureaucracy. They are of first
Importance to every branch of Ameri-
can life
1t is by this means of cooperation
by the Government that we contribute
nightly toward business stability and
greater productivity in industry And
1t is stability that every business man
needs that he may thus work out for
himself his own destiny without those
i'll tides over which he has no control.
Sound Policies Needed.
1t is by means of this sort of CO.
operation from the Government that
we may contribute greatly to the very
foundations of economic progress that
is to provide continuous and full en-
ployment. General employment comes
only with sound policies of government.
but equally from vigorous cooperation
by the Government to promote eco
non1ic welfare. 1t is by these means
that we can build such organization of
our economic system as to provide a
job for ali who have the will to work.
believe we can apply to agriculture
the principles and activities in this di-
rection which we have applied to COM
merce and industry during the last
seven and half years. believe we
can solve a very large number of the
problems Of agricultural distribution
and marketing through such methods.
To that end / wish to have an effort
made to secure the co-ordinated action
of all of those interested in the dis
tribution of farm products. 1 look
fOr vi 70 1an 1nt fn,
organizations will be as .co-operatively
and as advantageously linked to govern
mental encouragement and service as
many OF our industrial organizations
are now.
1t is from this cooperation Of Gov
ernment with the great agencies of
public welfare that we may inspire and
build. up the contributions to stronger
family life. better homes more recrea-
tion and for the general we'll being.
Constructive Era Here.
Before I conclude I should like to
review to you some thoughts on the
broader issues which we have before us.
For several years we we're engaged in
war Since its close we have devoted
ourselves largely to reconstruction of
the losses from It, We have now en-
tered upon the period of constructive
action.
Government has the definite and
manifest obligation of giving construc-
tive leadership to the people. In doing
so 1t must not lessen their initiative
and enterprise upon which we must
rely. for the progress of the race and
of the Nation. Our system has been
built upon the ideal of equality of op-
portunity. For perhaps hundred years
after the foundation OF the Republic
the opportunities of a moving frontier
preserved that equality of opportunity.
Now, with the settlement of the
country and with the astonishing speed
and intricate complexity of industrial
life, the preservation of equality of
opportunity becomes yearly and yearly
more difficult, and for that very rea-
son is of higher and higher importance.
If we would maintain America as the
land of opportunity, where every boy
and girl may have tn, chance to climb
to that position to which his ability
and character entitle him. we shall
need to be on increasing guard.
If could drive the full meaning and
Importance of maintained equality of
opportunity into the very conscious
ness of the American people. 1 would
feel I had made some contribution to
American life. 1t is the most precious
OF our possessions that the windows of
every home shall look out upon unlim-
tied hope.
Right of Every One.
Equality of opportunity is the right
OF every American, rich or poor, foreign
or native born without respect to race
or religion. BY its maintenance alone
can we hold open the door of full
achievement to every new generation
and to every boy and girl. Only from
confidence that this right will be up
held can flow that unbounded courage
and hope which stimulates each indi-
vidual man and woman to endeavor
and to accomplishment.
BY this principle we should test every
act of Government, every proposal,
whether it be economic or political
insist upon the most strict regulation
OF public utilities, because otherwise
they would destroy equality of oppor-
tunity. I object to the Government
its citizens, because that would de-
stroy equality of opportunity. And.
equality of opportunity is the f1ux with
which alone can we melt out full and
able leadership to the Nation.
The first step to maintain equality
Of opportunity among our people is,
as have said before, that there should
be no child in America who has not
been born and who does not live under
sound conditions of health, who does
not have full opportunity for education
from the kindergarten to the univer-
sity who Is not free from injurious
labor. who does not have stimulation to
ambition to the fullest of his or her
capacities.
Safeguards Of Health.
1t Is a matter of concern to our Gov
ernment that we should strengthen the
safeguards to health. These activities |
of helpfulness and of cooperation
stretch before us in every direction. A |
single generation of Americans of such