The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-03-09

The text of President Roosevelt's
inaugural address follows:
1 am certain that my fellow Amer
leans expect that on my induction into
the presidency 1 will address them
with a candor and a decision which
the present situation in our nation
| impels.
This is prominently the time to
speak the truth, the whole truth,
frankly and boldly. Nor need we
shrink from honestly facing condi-
lions 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 belief
that the only thing we have to fear
| is fear itself-nameless unreasoning,
unjustifed terror which paralyzes
needed efforts-to convert retreat
into advance.
Asks Support of Public
In every dark hour of our national
life a leadership of frankness and
vigor has met with that understand
ing and support of the people them
selves which is essential to victory
am convinced that you will again
give that support to my leadership in
these critical days.
In such spirit on my part and on
yours we face our common difficulties.
They concern, thank God, only mater
ial things. Values have shrunken to
fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our
ability to pay has fallen; government
of all kinds is faced by serious curtail-
ment of income; the means of ex-
change are frozen in the currents of
trade; the withered leaves of indus
trial enterprise lie on every side; far
mers find no markets for their pro-
duce; the savings Of many years in
thousands of families are gone.
More important, host of unem-
ployed citizens face the grim problem
of existence, and an equally great
number toll with little return. Only
foolish optimism can deny the dark
realities of the moment.
Yet our distress comes from no
failure of substance. We are stricken
by no plague of locusts. Compared
with the perils which our forefathers
conquered because they believed and
were 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 door
step, but generous use of it Ian
guishes in the very sight of the sup
ply.
Rulers of Exchange Assailed
Primarily, this is because the rul-
ers of the exchange of mankind's
goods have failed through their own
stubborness and their own incompe-
tence, have admitted their failure and
abdicated. Practices of the unscru-
pulous money changers stand indicted
in the court of public opinion, reacted
by the hearts and minds of men.
True, they have tried, but their
efforts have been cast in the pattern
of an outworn tradition. Faced by
failure of credit they have proposed
only the lending of more money.
Stripped of the lure of profit by which
to induce our people to follow their
false leadership they have resorted to
exhortations, pleading tearfully for
restored confidence. They know only
the rules of a generation of self
seekers. They have no vision, and
when there is no vision the people
perish.
The money changers have fled from
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 monetary
profit.
Happiness lies not in the mere pos
session of money; it lies in the joy
of achievement, in the thrill of crea-
tive effort. The joy and moral stimu-
lation of work no longer must be for
gotten in the mad chase of evanescent
profits. These dark days will be
worth all they cost US if they teach
us that our true destiny is not to be
ministered unto but to minister to
ourselves and to our fellowmen.
Lack of Confidence Justified
Recognition of the farsity 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
there must be an end to a conduct in
banking and in business which too
often has given to a sacred trust the
likeness of callous and selfish wrong
doing. Small wonder that confidence
languishes, for it thrives only on hon.
esty, on honor, on the sacredness of
obligations, on faithful 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 unsolvable
problem if we face it wisely and cour-
ageously. 1t can be accomplished in
part by direct recruiting by the gov
eminent itself, treating the task as