Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-02

lttOLDSs
the hopes and needs Of free men
everywhere.
Now we come to our second
key question: How much Of this
job has already been done?
I shall be blunt and truthful:
I am proud of the record to date.
But 1 want to explain why I
speak Of such pride. It is not
to make a political boast-or to
ask praise for the performance
of duty.
1 speak Of it because our past
performance is the evidence that
we can and will do the job that
remains to be done.
There is one simple proof of
this.
Most of the items I have just
listed in our hopes and plans for
the years just ahead are already
backed up by specific laws en-
acted or bills in Congress-based
on my last three State of the
Union messages.
This, then, is not q set of
lglittering phrases, coined in the
frenzied weeks Of q political
campaign. This is a working plan
of action.
Reviews Past Progress
Now let us look at some
examples Of progress in our new
direction.
Before all elSe--in our hearts
and in our deeds-comes our
quest of peace.
In Korea, long since, the
guns have been stiHed-and in
America, the casualty lists have
ended. The road to secure world
peace, obviously. merely began
with the Korean arrnistice. But
lit did begin. And there have
been no more Koreas-anywhere
in the world.
What about our progress at
home?
AS to jobs: In August there
were 66.8 million. That was SIS
million more than the average
for 1852. 1t was some AS Million
more than in August Of 1852.
AS to wages: I realize that
averages do not mean too much
to any one individual. But the
fact is that the worker in our
factories today is making an
average Of $12 a week more than
he did in August, 1852. Most Of
this is clear gain-because taxes
have been reduced, while the
cost OF living has increased less
than 3 per cent. 1
AS to farm prices: Except for
the Korean War years, this will
be the first year since l947 when
farm prices have gone up.
AS to homes: More homes have
been built In the last three years
than in any previous three-year
period.
Highways and Seaways Begun
AS to transportation: The
huge, new interstate hirhwav
network is already under con-
struction. And so is the st.
Lawrence Seaway-after about
80 years Of talk and delay.
AS to disaster relief: We have
civil defense bringing the help
OF all Government agencies to-
communities hit by flood or
tornado. And a new program for
HOOD insurance that I proposed
early this year is now in effect 1
As to older workers: We have
been carrying on a new Federal
State project to help older work.
ers get jobs. We have launched
q whole new array Of special
housing. health, and other pro-
grams for retired or aging per-
sons.
AS to soil conservation: We
have our acreage-reserye and
conservation reserve systems
working, as well as our Great
Plains program. We got Com
gresS to pass a watershed pro-
lection and flood prevention
act, an act for small-reclama-
ton projects, and authorization
TO develop the Upper Colorado
River.
AS to small business: We
created the Small Business Adj
ministration. And we have sub
stantially increased the share OF
oelense contracts going to small
business.
Taxes Cut; Budget Balanced
As to Government efficiency:
our Federal civilian payroll in
June, 1856, was 1877. 800 less than
at the end Of the preceding ad-
ministration. We have cut taxes
by $7.4 billion. with about two
thirds OF the cut going directly
70 individuals. And we have
balanced the budget.
As to the needs Of low-income
Families: The minimum wage
was increased. A great co-opera-
tive effort was launched to i'm
prove earning opportunities In
loW-income rural areas. A special