Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-03-09
INAUGURAL
ASKS ACTION
Continued from Page -

lie IlOUcy CHdHScTS udNC liOu ~ yin
their high seats in the temple of our
civilization. We may now restore that
temple to the ancient truths. The
measure of the restoration lies In
the extent to which we apply social
values more noble than mere none
tary profit.
Happiness lies not in the mere pos
session of money; it lies i'm the JOY
of achievement, in the thrill of crea-
tive effort The joy and moral stimu-
lation or work no longer must be
forgotten in the mad chase of evanes-
cent profits. These dark days will be
worth all they cost if they teach us
that our true destiny is not to be
ministered' unto but to minister to
ourselves and to our fellowmen.
Must Be End to Conduct I'm Business
OF Selfish Wrongdofng.
Recognition of the falsity of mater
ial wealth as the standard of success
goes hand in hand with the abandon
ment of the false belief that public
office and high political position are
to be valued only by the standards
of pride of place and personal profit;
and these must be an end to a con-
duct in banking and in business
which too often has given to sacred
trust the likeness of callous and sell
fish wrongdoing. Small wonder that
confidence languishes for it thrives
only on honesty, on honor, on the
Of oh fai hf.ll
protection on unselfish performance;
without them it can not live:
Restoration calls, however, not for
changes in ethics alone. This nation
asks for action, and action now.
Our greatest primary task is to put
people to work. This is no unsolv-
able problem if we face it wisely and
courageously. 1t can be accomplished
in part by direct recruiting by the
government itself, treating the task
as we would treat the emergency of
war, but at the same time through
this employment accomplishing great
ly needed projects to stimulate and
reorganiZe the use of our natural re-
sources.
Hand in hand with this, we must
frankly recognize the overbalance of
population in our industrial centers
and, by engaging on national scale
in a redistribution, endeavor to pro-
vide better use of the land for those
best fitted for the land. The task
can be helped by definite efforts to
raise the values of agricultural pro-
ducts and with this power to pur-
chase the output of our cities. 1t can
be helped by preventing realistically
the tragedy of the growing loss
throgh foreclosure of our small homes
and our farms.
1t can be helped by insistence that
the federal, state and local govern
ments act forthwith on the demand
that their cost be drastically reduced
1t can be helped by the unifying OF
relief activities which today are often
scattered, uneconomical and unequal
1t can be helped by national planning
for and supervision of all forms OF
transportation and of communications
and other utilities which have a def
initely public character. There are
many ways in which it can be helped
but it can never be helped merely by
talking about it. We must act, and
act quickly.
Finally, in our progress toward g
resumption of work, we require two
safeguards against return of the
evils of the old order; there must be
strict supervision of all banking anG
credits and investments; there must
be an end to speculation with other
peoples money, and there must be
provision for an adequate but SOUND
currency.
These are the lines of attack.
shall presently urge upon a new con
gress in special session detailed meas.
ures for their fulfilment and | shall
seek the immediate assistance of the
several states.
Through this program of action we
address ourselves to putting our owl
national house i'm order and making
income balance outgo. Our interna.
tional trade relations, though vastly
important, are in point of time ant
necessity secondary to the establish
ment of a sound national economy
/ favor as a practical policy the put
ting of first things first. ! shall spare
no effort to restore world trade by
international economic readjustment
but the emergency at home cannO
wait on that accomplishment.
For Good NeighbOr Policy Toward
Nations.
The basic thought that guides these
specific means of national recover!
is not narrowly nationalistic. 1t il
the insiStence, as first consideration
upon the interdependence of the var
iouS elements in and parts of tn,
United States-a recognition of tn,
old and permanently important man
Hesitation of the American spirit o
the pioneer. 1t is the way to recov
cry. 1t is the immediate way. 1t i
the strongest assurance that the re
covery will endure.
In the field of world policy, l woul
dedicate this nation to the polio