Evening star., 1935-01-04
Text of Presidents Message Presented to Congres
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
frustrated. We lose sight. from
time to time, Of our ultimate
human objectives.
Again Champions
The Underprivileged.
Let us, for a moment, strip from
our simple purpose the confusion
that results from a multiplicity Of
detail and from millions Of written
and spoken words.
We find our population suffering
from old inequalities, little changed
by past sporadic remedies. In spite
of our efforts and in spite Eof our
talk, We have not weeded out the
over privileged and we have not
effectively lifted up the under
privileged. Both Of these mani
festations of injustice have re-
tarded happiness. No wise man
has any intention of destroying
what is known as the profit mo-
tive; because by the profit motive
we mean the right by work to earn
a decent livelihood for ourselves
and for our families.
We have, however. a clear man.
date from the people, that Amer
leans must forswear that concep-
tion of the acquisition of wealth
which, through excessive profits.
creates undue private power over
private affairs and, to our mis-
fortune, over public affairs as we'll.
In building toward this end we do
not destroy ambition nor do we
seek to divide our wealth into
equal shares on stated occasions.
We continue to recognize the
greater ability of some to earn
more than others. But we do as
sert that the ambition of the in
dividual to obtain for him and his
a proper security. a reasonable
leisure and decent living
throughout life, is an ambition to
be preferred to the appetite for
great wealth and great power.
I recall to your attention my
message to the Congress last June
in which I said" among our OBJ
jectives I place the security of the
men. women and children of the
Nation first" That remains our
first and continuing task; and In a
very real sense every major legio-
lative en- ctment of this Congress
should be a component part of it.
Defines Three Factors
Tending Toward Security.
In defining immediate factors
which enter into our quest, have
spoken to the Congress and the
people of three great divisions:
l. The security Of a livelihood
throu7h the better use of the ma
tional resources of the land in
which we live.
2. The security against the major
hazards and vicissitudes of life.
3. The security of decent homes.
1 am now ready to submit to the
Congress a broad program designed
ultimately to establish all three OF
these factors of security-a pro-
gram which. because of many lost
years. will take many future years
to fulfill.
A study of our national re-
sources. more comprehensive than
anv previously made. shows the
vast amount Of necessary and
practicable work which needs to
be done for the development and
preservation of our natural wealth
for the enjoyment and advantage
of our people in generations to
come. The sound use of land and
water is far more comprehensive
than the mere planting of trees,
building of dams. distributing OF
electricity or retirement of sub
marginal land. 1t recognizes that
stranded populations, either in the
country or the city. cannot have
security under the conditions that
now surround them.
Urges Definite Program
To Relieve Unemployment.
To this end We are ready to
begin to meet this problem-the
intelligent care of population
throughout our Nation, in &C
cordance with an intelligent dis
tribution of the means OF liveli-
hood for that population. A
definite program for putting peo-
pie to work. of which I shall speak
in a moment, is component part
of this greater program of security
of livelihood through the better
use of our national resources.
Closely related to the broad
problem of livelihood is that OF
security against the major hazards
of life Here elso a comprehen-
sive survey of what has been at
tempted or accomplished in many
nations and in many States proves
to me that the time has come for
action by the National Govern
ment. I shall send to you, in a
few days, definite recommended
tions based on these studies.
These recommendations will
cover the broad subjects of un-
employment insurance and old
age insurance, of benefits for chill
dren. for mothers. for the handl-
capped, for maternity care and for
other aspects of dependency and
illness where beginning can now
be made.
The third factor-better homes
for our people-has also been the
subject of experimentation and
study. Here, too, the first practical
steps can be made through the
proposals which I shall suggest in
relation to giving work to the un-
employed.
Whatever we plan and whatever
we do should be in the light OF
these three clear objectives Of Sc
curity. We cannot afford to lose
valuable time in hapha0ard public
policies which cannot find a place
in the broad outlines of these
major purposes. In that spirit I
come to an immediate issue made
for us by hard and inescapable
circumstance-the task of putting
people to work. In the Spring Of
1888 the issue of destitution
seemed to stand apart; today, in
the light of our experience and our
new national policy, we find we
can put people to work in ways
which conform to, initiate and