Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-30
Text of Presidents Speech
Executive Urges Nation to Remember Fortitude OF
Patriots at Valley Forge in Facing Stress and
Trials of Present Period.

The text of President Hoover's adj
dress at Valley Forge follows:
We are upon the eve of the celebra-
ton of the 2O0th anniversary of the
birth of George Washington. 1t is,
therefore. appropriate that our obserV-
ance Of Memorial day should this year
be at this place, so intimately associated
with the moral grandeur of the Father
of Our Country.
This national shrine needs no de-
scription; the events enacted here re-
quire no recounting to the American
people The very name, Valley Forge,
swells within us pride of nationality
These peaceful fields hold glory pc
culiarly their own. The sufferings OF
Washington's Army in that dreadful
Winter of privation have made this
place famous among all men.
1t was not the glory of battle for
which these fields are remembered. No
great battle was fought here. 1t was
not the pomp of victory, for no martial
triumph was won here. 1t was not the
scene where peace was signed by which
independence of great nation was
won. It was not the tombs of courage
Gus men who. facing the enemy, gave
the supreme sacrifice for their country
to which we bow in reverence. A thou
sand other fields mark the courage, the
glory, the valor the skill, the martial
triumph Of our race. Yet the instinct
and the Judgment of our people after
the abrasion of the years has appraised
this place as a foremost shrine in the
War of Independence and in our Ma
ton. 1t is a shrine to the things OF the
spirit and of the soul.
Fortitude Saved Nation.
It was the transcendent fortitude and
steadfaStnesS of these men who m ad-
versity and in suffering through the
darkest hour OF our history held faith
full to an ideal Here men endured that
a nation might live.
George Washington and his men al
any moment could have accepted the
counsels of an easy path to an easy
end of their privations. They could
have surrendered their ideals to the
widespread spirit of despair and dis
couragement. They could have aban-
ooned their claims to freedom. They
could have deserted their hopes ano
forsaken their faith. Instead, they
chose the harder way OF steadfast fortl-
tude and for many of death.
Here Washington and his little bano
of hungry and almost naked patrlot'
kept alive the spark OF liberty IN the
lowest hours CT the Revolution. They
| thew conserved their strength: they hus-
banded their resources; they seized the
opportunitv, which, with the turn ano
| the tide of war, I'D on to victory. Ii
was a triumph Of character and idealisn7
and high intelligence over the counSet'
! of despair. of prudence, and materla
comfort. This was one of those mora
victories that are the glory of the race
| Without such victories the life OF mar
would descend to a sheer materiallsn
| for where there is no vision the people
perish" Lacking th-se high inSpira
| lions mankind could claim no diStinc'
ton higher than the beasts of the field
| that sing no songs. dream no dreams
| inspire no rope, and grasp no faith.
Tribute to Steadfast Heroes.
1t is this high spirit that we com
memorate Will we pay our yearly trlb
ute of reverence to those who in all war
have stood Steadfast and those who have
| died in the service of our country. Oul
citizens in every war have t1ocked t.
arms at the Call of country. They hav'
responded willingly. because in ever.
| emergency they have had up befor
| tn m an ideal of liberty and the free
| dom of their country. Some wars II
! history have been instigated by old ant
cynical men for cruel or selfish rea
sors Some wars have been fought TO
| power and possessions. The ends c
| some wars coulG have been more nobl
won and more wisely won bv patlenc
and negotiation. But war for libert
has endowed the race not alone with tn
| most precious possessions of freedom
but he's inspired every succeeding gen
Grafton with that idealism which is tn
| outpouring of mans spiritual naEre.
An ideal is an unselfish aspiration
It's purpose is the general welfare no
only of this but of future Operations
1t is a thing of the spirit. 1t is gen
erous and humane desire that all me-
may share equally in a common gooc
Our ideals are the cement which bind
human society. They provide the main
spring of progress. Idealism was forg:t
into the souls of the American people b
the fires of the Revolution. 1t is thi
quality of spirit which has made pos
sible the success of our great d-mocrati
experiment. 1t has tempered our &C
quisitiveness, has strengthened our sens
of civic responsibility, and has mad
service to fellow man a part OF our ma
tional character.
Cites Present Stress.
This peculiar significance of Vale
Forge in our American annals Shout
| SCTlke us all WIFI especial 1OrCe IN Uni
particular moment of our national life
The American people are going througl
another Valley Forge at this time. T
each and every one of us 1t is an hou
of unusual stress and trial. You hav
each one your special cause fc
anxiety. So, too, have I. Thu Who'll
Nation is beset with difficulties incider
to worldwide depression. These tenn
porary revers:s in the march of progress
have been in part the penalty of eS
cesses of greed, of failure of crops, an
the malign inheritances of the Gres
War and a storm of other world force
beyond our control. Their far-reachin
effects have fallen heavily upon man
who were in no wise conc. rned wit
their causes. Many have lost the say
ings of lifetime, many are unen1
ployed, all know the misgivings of dout
and grave conc.rn for the future.
No one who reviews the past an
realizes the vast strength of our peep
can doubt that this, like a score
similar experiences in our history, is
passing trial. From it will come
greater knowledge of the weaknesses {
our system, and from this knowledg
must come the courage and wisdom I
improve and strengthen us for the fu
ture. Numerous are the temptation
under the distress of the day to tur
aside from orr trlIe national pllrpoSf