Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-03-04
Text of Inaugural Speech
New President Says Co,ntry's Chief Problem Is
to Danish Fear From Our
National Life.

that the recovery will endure.
In the field of world policy I would
dedicate this Nation to the policy of
the good neighbor-.he neighbor
who resolutely respects himself and
because ne does so, respects the
rights of others-the neighbor who
respects his obligations and respects
the .sanctity of his agreements in
and with a world of neighbors.
If I read the temper of our people
correctly we now realize as we have
never realized before our interde-
pendence on each other; that We
cannot merely take but We must
give as well, that if we are to go for
ward we must move as trained and
loyal army willing to sacrifice for
the good of a common discipline, be-
cause without such discipline no
progress is made, no leadership be-
comes effective. We are, know,
ready and willing to submit our lives
and property to such discipline be-
cause it makes possible leadership
which aims at larger good. This
propose to offer, pledging that the
larger purposes will bind upon us all
as sacred obligation with a unity
of duty hitherto evoked only in time
Of armed strife.
With this pledge taken, assume
unhesitatingly the leadership of this
great army of our people dedicated
to a disciplined attack upon our
common problems.
Action in this image and to this
end is feasible under the form Of
government which we have inherited
from our ancestors. Our Constitu-
ton is SO simple and practical that
it is possible always to meet eXtraor-
binary needs by changes in emphasis
and arrangement without loss of es-
sential form. That is why our con-
stitutional system has proved itself
the most superbly enduring political
mechanism the modern world has
produced. 1t has met every stress
of vast expansion of territory, Of
foreign wars, of bitter internal strife,
of world relations.
1t is to be hoped that the normal
balance of executive and legislative
activity may be wholly adequate to
meet the unprecedented task before
us. But it may be that an unprece-
dented demand and need for unde-
layed action may call for temporary
departure from that normal balance
of public procedure.
I am prepared under my consti-
tutional duty to recommend the
measures that stricken Nation in
the midst Of stricken world may
require. These measures, or such
other measures as the Congress may
build out Of its experience and wis
dom, I shall seek. within my con-
stitutional authority, to bring to
speedy adoption.
But in the event that the Con-
gress shall fail to take one of these
two courses, and in the event that
the national emergency is still criti-
cal, I shall not evade the clear
course of duty that will then con-
front me. shall ask the Congress
for the one remaining instrument to
meet the crisis-broad executive
power to wage war against the
emergency, as great as the power
that would be given to me If we
were in fact invaded by a foreign
foe.
For the trust reposed in me I will
return the courage and the devo-
ton that beflt the time. I can do
no less.
We face the arduous days that lie
before us in the warm courage of
national unity; with the clear con-
oSAOuoA1Coo Va oCChAls OlO dllO
moral values; with the clean salts
faction that comes from the stern
performance of duty by old and
young alike. We aim at the assur-
ance of a rounded and permanent
national life.
We do not distrust the future of
essential democracy. The people of
the United States have not failed
In their need they have registered a
mandate that they want direct Wig
orous action. They have asked for
discipline and direction under lead
ership. They have made me the
present instrument of their wishes.
In the spirit of the gift take it.
In this dedication of a nation we
humbly ask the blessing Of God.
May He protect each and every one
of us. May He guide me in the days
to come.