Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-18
~ the Associated Press.


copied the Republican prestden-
tidl nomination here today:
The ceremony of an acceptance
speech is a tradition Of our
pioneer past-before the days of
rapid communication. You all
know that accepted at Phila-
delphia the nomination OF the
Republican party for President
of the United States. But take
pride in the traditions and not in
change for the mere sake Of
oyerthrowing precedents.
An acceptance speech is a can
didate's keynote, a declaration of
his broad principles. 1t cannot
possibly review the issues in de-
tail. I shall, however, cover each
of them frankly during this cam
paign. Here I give you an outline
of the political philosophy that
is in my heart. We are here today
to represent a sacred cause.-the
preservation of American de-
mocracy.
Obviously, I cannot lead this
cause alone. I need the help Of
every American - Republican,
Democrat or Independent-Jew,
Catholic or Protestant-people of
every color, creed and race. Party
lines are down. Nothing could
make that clearer than the nomi-
nation by the Republicans of
Liberal Democrat who changed
his party affiliation because he
found democracy in the Repub-
lican party and not in the New
Deal party.
Need Leadership That Believes
In Destiny of America.
And as the leader Of the Re-
publican party let me say this.
we 20 into our campaign as into
a crusade. Revitalized and re-
united, and joined by millions
who share in our cause, we dedi-
cate ourselves to the principles OF
American liberty, and we shall
fight this campaign on the basis
of those principles. not on the
basis of hate, jealousy or per-
sonalities. The leaders of the
Republican party, in Congress
and in the party organization,
have made me that pledge. l
have given that pledge to them.
And l extend it to all who will
join in this cause. What we need
in this country is a new leader
ship that believes in the destiny
of America. 1 represent here
today the forces that will bring
that leadership to you.
There Is a special reason why
I have come back to Elwood,
Ind, to make this acceptance
speech. I have an engagement
to keep in this town. 1t was
made a long time ago with
young man I knew we'll.
This young man was born and
raised In Elwood. He attended
the Elwood public schools. He
worked in your factories and
stores. He started the practice
of law in your courts. AS look
back upon him, I realize that
he had plenty of faults. But he
had also three steadfaSt convic-
lions. He was devoted to the
IDEAL of individual liberty. He
hated all special privileges and
forms of oppression. Am-he
knew without any doubt that
the greatest country on earth
was the United States Of America.
That boy was myself 80 or IS
years ago. I still adhere to
those convictions. To him, to his
generation. to his elders and to
the youth Of today I pledge my
word that shall never let them
down.
Must Retain Opportunity
For High Achievement.
In former days America was
described as a country in which
any young man might become
President. 1t is still that kind
of country. The thousands OF
my fellow-townsmen standing
hereabout know how distant
seemed that opportunity to me
80 years ago. We must fight to
preserve America as a country
in which every girl and boy has
every opportunity for any
achievement.
To millions of our young men
and women who have been de-
liberately disillusioned by the
Political influences I now oppose;
to the millions who no longer be-
lieve in the future of their land
to them I want to say in all
humility-this boy I knew started
like you, without money or
position; but America gave him
the opportunity for a career. I
want to assure a similar OPP
portunity to every boy and girl
of today who is willing to stand
on his own feet, and work and
fight.
have more reason than most
of you to feel strongly about this
because the United States gave
to my family their first chance
for a free life. The ancestors OF
both my father and my mother,
like the ancestors of millions Of
Americans, lived in Central Eu-
rope. They were humble people
not members Of the ruling or
wealthy classes. Their opor-
tunities were restricted by dis
criminatory laws and class dis
tinctions. One was exiled because
OF his religion; another was per-
secuted because he believed in
the principles of the French
revolution, and still another was
jailed for insisting on the right
of free speech.
AS their descendant, I have
fought from boyhood against all
those restrictions, determinations
and tyrannies. And I am still
fighting.
Pledge an America Free
OF Hate and Class Distinction.
My grandparents lived in Ger
many. They were supporters Of
the democratic revolutions in that
country, and when the revolu-