Evening star., 1933-12-14

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Of economic recovery which will correct
those evils that brought about our
depression. To accomplish this, the
masses of our people must share more
equitably in the economic gains and
income of this country.
Four hundred and forty-one years ago
Columbus, sailing westward into the un-
known, became greatly disconnected and
worried by the very immensity Of space.
He began to doubt the fundamentals Of
navigation in which he had been so
thoroughly schooled throughout his life.
You can see similarity here to the
immensity of the economic and social
problems Of today. The troubles Of Co
as mutiny threatened on his ships, he
began to doubt the wisdom of these ira
ditions. Can we not still see the SINH
larity with our present situation? In
q moment Of supreme decision Column
bus abandoned the route he had traced
and charted on maps, he disregarded
the compass and followed the flight Of
birds, feeling that the instinct of the
birds would not guide them all in one
direction II they did not know that land
was there. And as a result of that his
toric decision Columbus discovered q
new world.
Charting New World.
That is what we are doing In the
United States today. We are discover
ing and charting a new economic and
social world. We have turned away
from old charts and old compasses that
have misguided us in the past. We are
following new leadership that is in
terpreting new era, leadership which
must be eliminated as rapidly as pos
sible, that every man who wishes to
work should have that opportunity, and
that unjustifiable gains should not &c
to a limited number Of people. thus
throwing our economic mechanism out
Of gear and balance. The accomplish
ment Of these objectives requires the
initiation Of measures and action which
will incur the disapproval of those who
wish to pursue the traditional thinking
and the traditional action Of pre-.
depression years.
We often hear the question asked to-
day. will the individual have as grea,
an opportunity in our future economic
and social system as he has had in the
past?" My answer Is that his opportu.
mites and rewards in the future will, Il
he is willing to work. be greater thar
ever before. Whenever hear people to-
day vehemently arguing that some of the
necessary regulations and restrictions ir
the Presidents recovery program will
initiate against individual initiative ant
the private rights characteristic to oul
Nation and form Of government, otter
think Of what some of our people die
In various parts Of the country when
trafic lights and regulations were first
put into effect.
When the first traffic lights were put
at two or three intersections in one o,
our Mid-estern cities less than q
years aCo, group of citizens actually
circulated a petition and secured q
large number Of signers. asserting that
the red and green traffic lights were
an infringement upon the rights and
privileges Of the citizens Of that city
They petitioned the mayor to remove
the lights Immediately. So useful tt
all has been this regulation that II
seems incredible today that any one
could have considered traffic lights an
unjust discrimination against the rights
Of citizens.
Regulations Essential.
When there were only a few auto
mobiles on the streets, traffic regula-
tions were unnecessary. Every driver
could do just about as he pleased. But
as the number Of cars increased. traffic
lights and regulations became absolutely
essential to protect the individual
driver from others and to protect others
from the individual driver. We nc
longer consider traffic lights as ar
infringement on our rights, but, quite
the contrary, a protection of our rights
Something Of the same kind of thing Is
taking place in our economic system II
Is true that We must have more regula-
tions than we have had in the past, but
just as with our traffic system, the com.
plexity Of our economic system makes
these regulations necessary for the bene.
At and protection Of each and all. This
does not mean in any sense that the
people Of our country are going to be
regimented, or that the opportunities ol
individual initiative, priced so highly
will be taken away.
Our objective is to so order and tc
so regulate our economic system that
every individual who wishes to work
and who will apply himself may have
greater opportunities for advancement
and for reward than before But. with
such opportunities. must come greater
sense Of social responsibility, a greater
practice Of and adherence to that es.
sential truth of democracy, that tns
person who does the greatest good fol
the greatest number of people will re.
ceive the fullest reward.
When hear any one express doubts
as to the certain and ultimate success,
OF the recovery program, my Thoughts
go back to those critical years Of tl1l
Revolutionary War and the writing anc
ratification Of our Constitution. Johr