The border vidette., 1933-03-11
TEXT OF PRESIDENT ROOSE-
VELT'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS

| V0AV VI ISSlUcuu 1OOOS6VOlU
inaugural address follows:
I am certain that my fellow
Americans expect that on my
induction into the Presidency l
will address them with a candor
and decision which the present
situation Of our nation impels.
This is pre- eminently the time
to speak the truth, the whole
truth, frankly aud boldly. Nor
need we shirk from honestly
facing conditions in our country
today. This great nation will
endure as it has endured, will
revive and will prosper. So first
of all let me assert my firm be
lief that the only thing we have
to fear is fear itself-nameless,
unreasonine, unjustified terror
which paralyzes needed efforts
to convert retreat into advance.
! 10 every dark hour of our na.
tional life leadership of frank
ness and vieor has met with
that understanding and support
of the people themselves which
is essential to victory. | am
convinced that you will again
give that support to leadership
in these critical days.
! 10 such q spirit on my part
and on your hands we face our
common difficulties. They con
cern, thank God, only material
things. Values have shrunken
to fantastic levels; taxes have
risen, our ability to pay has fal
len. government of all kinds is
faced By serious curtailment Of
income; the means of exchange
are frozen in the currents of
trade; the withered leaves of in
dustrial enterprise lie on every
side. Farmers find no markets
/! for their produce; the savings of
many years ia thousands Of
families are gone.
! More important, q host Of un-
employed citizens face the grim
problem OF existence, and an
lequally great numoe toll with
little return. Only q foolish op
tirnist can deny the dark realities
of the moment.
| Yet our distress comes from
no failure of substance. We are
stricken by no plague Or locusts.
Compared with the perils which
our forefathers conquered be
cause they believed and we're not
afraid, we have still much to be
thankful for. Nature still offers
her bounty and human efforts
have multiplied it. Plenty is at
our doorstep, but generous use
of it languishes in the very sight
of the supply.
Primarily, this is because the
rulers of exchange of mankind's 3
goods have failed through their
own stubbornness aud their own
incompetence. Have admitted
their failure and abdication.
Practices of the unscrupulous
I money changers they teach US
| that our true destiny stand in-
dicted in the court of public
opinion, rejected by the hearts
and minds Of men.
True, they have tried, but
their efforts have been cast in
\ pattern Of an outworn tradition.
Faced by failure of credit. they
\ have proposed only the lending
of more money. Stripped of the
i lure of profit by which to induce
\ our people to follow their false
| leadership. they have resorted
10 exhortations, pleading tear
fully for restored confidence.
\ They know only the rules of a
4 generation of self seekers. They
/ have no vision, and when there
is no vision the people perish!
4 The money changers have fed
| from their high seats in the TEN
/ pie of our civilization. We may
1 now restore that temple to the
ancient truths. The measure of
4 the restoration lies in the extent
1 to which we apply social values
4 more noble than mere monetary
\ profit.
!! Happiness lies not 10 the mere
|! possession of money; it lies ia
H the Joy of achievement, iu the
H tnri!l Of creative effort. The
Il JOY and moral stimulation ol
il work no longer must be forgot
: ten in the mad chase of evanes
cent profits. These dark days
will be worth all they cost Us il
it is not to be ministe:ea unto
but to minister to ourselves anC
to our fellow men.
Recognition Of the falsity o.