Evening star., 1941-06-30
Roosevelt Dedicates
Hyde Park Library
For Use Of Public
Confidence in Democracy
Will Not Diminish,
President Declares
Earlier Story on Page A-4.)
BY JOHN c. HENRY,
Star Staff ~orrespondent

HYDE PARK, N. Y, June 80
President Roosevelt dedicated to use
of the American public and the
worlds historians this afternoon the
new Franklin D. Roosevelt Library,
designed to house the most complete
collection extant of source material
pertaining to these immediate dec
AIDES in the Nations life.
Speaking briefly at informal cere-
monies which marked the end of
the planning and construction pc
riods before the library is opened to
the public tomorrow, the President
proclaimed the dedication new
proof that our confidence in the
future of democracy has not dimin-
ished in this Nation and will not
diminish"
The dedication of library is in
itself an act of faith" he told the
assembled neighbors and friends.
Three Things to Believe In.
ITO bring together the records of
the past and to house them in
buildings where they will be pre-
served for the use of men living in
the future, Nation must believe in
three things.
1T must believe in the past.
1T must believe in the future.
1T must, above all, believe in the
capacity of its people so to learn
from the past that they can gain in
judgment for the creation of the fu-
ture."
Remarking that this latest ad-
dition to the archives of America is
dedicated at moment when Gov
ernment of the people by themselves
is everywhere attacked" Mr.. Roose-
welt noted that it is in keeping with
the well-considered trend in these
difficult days" that historical COL
lections and records are being more
widely distributed throughout the
country.
From the point of view of the
safety-the physical safety of our
records. it is wiser that they be not
too greatly concentrated" he de-
clared.
Project Cost $3.50, 200.
Situated on an 18-acre tract of
land on the Albany Post road, di-
rectly in front of the Roosevelt fam
lily home high above the Hudson
River, the new library and its
grounds already have become prop
erty of the Federal Government.
Built of Duchess County field stone,
a favorite building material of the
President, the structure is Dutch
Colonial in style and is deceiving in
the great amount of space contained.
It's cost was approximately s3500OO,
provided by private contributions
from nearly $4,000 persons.
Mr.. Roosevelt announced plans
for the project more than two years
ago and his own collections of
paintings, ship models, and docu-
ments of all types pertaining to his
many years of public service, pro-
vide the nucleus of the material
housed. In addition, material has
been solicited from both public and
private sources, some friendly and
others critical, within the years
covered.
Today, Postmaster General
Walker, who is treasurer of the IL
brary corporation, told the gather
ing that the institution will serve
as the storehouse for the records
of a period that has no parallel in
the history of America, and of the
world. Within these walls shall
be found, in the days to come, q
collection of rare documents that
will we'll and truly record much of
our part in World War l. Here will
be found papers and aspirations.
the suffering and sorrows, and the
final triumph of the American peo-
pie of the New Deal era--here, con-
celvably, may come a collection of
documents that may provide more
accurate source material delineat-
ing the worlds greatest catastrophe
World War II, than may be found
in any one collection of papers of an
individual in the world"
Recalling the Presidents plea for
national unity in defense of our
national heritage, DR.. r. D. w. Con-
nor, archivist of the United States
also told the gathering that respect
for truth and integrity, as reflected
in such collection as is contem-
plated here, is essential for attain
ment of this objective.
The product of false history is
a spurious patriotism and a spurious
patriotism is no more to be desired
in democracy than in an autoc-
racy,' DR.. Connor said.
The material in the library will
show, he concluded, how in the
midst of a world conflict between
autocracy and democracy a free
people preserved their freedom ano
strengthened their democratic in.
stitutions."
DR.. Samuel Eliot Morrison of Har-
ward University was another speaker