Evening star., 1961-01-30
Vows to Encourage
Proud Civil Service

I have commented on the
state of the domestic economy,
our balance of payments. our
Federal and social budget and
the state of the world. would
like to conclude with a few re-
marks about the state Of the
Executive Branch. We have
found it full of honest and
useful public servants - but
their capacity to act decisively
at the exact time action Is
needed has too often been
muffled in the morass of COM
mittees. timidities and ficti-
tious theories which have
created a growing gap between
decision and execution. between
planning and reality. In time
of rapidly deteriorating situa-
tions at home and abroad, this
is bad for the public service
and particularly bad for the
country, and we mean to make
a change.
have pledged myself and my
colleagues in the cabinet to a
continuous encouragement OF
initiative. responsibility and
energy in serving the public
interest. Let every public serv-
ant know. whether his post is
high or low. that a mans rank
and reputation in this admin
istration will be determined by
the size of-the job he does. and
not by the size of his staff. his
office or his budget. Let it be
clear that this administration
recognizes the value OF daring
and dissent-that we greet
healthy controversy as the hall
mark of healthy change. Let
the public service be a proud
and lively career. And let every
man and woman who works in
any area of our National Gov
ernment, in any branch, at any
level, be able to say with pride
and honor in future years: Il
served the United States Gov
ernment in that hour OF our
Nations need"
For only with complete
dedication by us all to the ma
tional interest can we bring our
country through the troubled
years that lie ahead. Our prob
lens are critical. The tide Is
unfavorable. The news will be
worse before it is better. And
while hoping and working for
the best, we should prepare
ourselves now for the worst.
We cannot escape our dan
gers-neither must we let them
drive us to panic or narrow iso-
lation. In many areas Of the
world where the balance of
power already rests with our
adversaries, the forces Of free
dom are sharply divided. It is
one of the ironies Of our time
that the techniques of harsh
and repressive system should be
able to instill discipline and
ardor in its servants-while the
blessing of liberty have too
often stood for privilege, mat
terialism and a life of ease.
But / have a different view
of liberty.
Life in 1861 will not be easy.
Wishing it, predicting it, even
asking for it will not make it
SO. There will be further set
backs before the tide is turned.
But turn it we must. The hopes
of all mankind rest upon us
not simply upon those of us
in this chamber, but upon the
peasant in Laos, the fisherman
in Nigeria, the exile from Cuba.
the spirit that moves every
man and nation who shares our
hopes for freedom and the fu-
ture. And in the final analysis,
they rest most of all upon the
pride and perseverance of our
fellow citizens Of the Republic.
In the words OLA great Pres
ident whose birthday we cele-
brate today, in a farewell
state-o -of-the- Union address is
years ago: 1--WE pray we may
be worthy Of the unlimited op-
portunities that God has given
US"