Show Complete m Text of President Hoovers Hoover's Inaugural Address The Thc most malign of all these dangers today is disregard and disobedience disobedience dis- dis 1 of of obedience of law Crime is The increasing duty citizens to support the laws of oC the land is coequal with the dut duty of oC their government go to enforce the laws which exist r WASHINGTON March WASHINGTON March 4 AP- AP AP Here la le the text of ot tho Inaugural ad- ad address address drees ad-drees dress of President Herbert Hoover My Countrymen This occasion Is not Dot alone the tho ad- ad administration ad administration ministration of the most sacred oath which can be assumed by an American AmerIcan ican citizen It Is a dedication and consecration under God Cod God to the high high- high highest est at office omee In service of ot our people I assume this trust la in the humility ot of knowledge that only through the guid guld guidance anco ance of Almighty Providence can I IhO hO hope e to discharge Its burdens It Is In keeping with tradition throughout our history that I should express simply and directly the opinions ions which I hold concerning some ot of the matters ot of o present Importance It If we survey sun the situation ot of our nation both at home and abroad we find many satisfactions we find some causes for concern We Ve have emerged from the losses of ot the great war and the reconstruction following It with increased virility and strength From this strength we h have ve contributed to the tho recovery and pro progress ress of ot the world Wha What America has done has given renewed hope and courage to aU all who have faith In government by bythe bythe bythe the people In the larger view we have reached a higher degree of ot com com- comfort fort and security than ever existed before In the history of ot the world Through liberation from widespread poverty we have reached a higher de- de degree degree de degree gree of ot Individual freedom than ever before The devotion to and concern for our Institutions are deep and sin sin- sincere sin sincere cere We Ve are steadily building a n new race race- a new civilization great In its own attainments The Influence and high 1 purposes of or our nation are reo re- respected re respected 8 among the peoples of ot the world We Ye aspire to distinction in inthe Inthe the world but to a distinction based upon confidence In our sense of ot Justice justices as well as our accomplishments within our own borders and in our own lives For wise guidance in this great period or of recovery the nation nallon Is deeply in- in indebted In Indebted to Calvin Coolidge But nut all aU this majestic ad advance vance should not obscure the constant dangers from from which self government must be safe sate safeguarded safeguarded guarded The strong man must at all times be alert to the attack of ot insidious Insidious ous disease The most malign of ot all these dan dan- dangers dangers gers toda today Is disregard and once once ence of ot law lav la v Crime is Increasing Con Con- Confidence Confidence In rigid and speedy Justice Is decreasing I am not prepared to be- be belIeve behove Ilove be-Ilove hove lIeve that this Indicates an any decay In Inthe inthe Inthe the moral fiber of ot the American peo peo- people pIe I am not prepared to believe that It Indicates an importance of ot the fed ted federal eral government g to enforce its laws We Wo are fortunate in the ability and integrity of or our federal judges and attorneys but the system which these offices are called upon to administer la is In many respects to pre pre- pre sent day conditions Its Intricate and Involved rules of ot procedure have ha be- be become become be become come the of tt both big and little criminals There is a brief brier abroad that by technicalities subterfuge sub subterfuge and delay the ends of ot justice justic e may be thwarted by those who can ca capay n pay the cost Reform reorganization and the th e strengthening of ot our whole judicial an md d enforcement system both In civil and an d criminal sides have been advocated advocate d for years ears by slates statesmen men judges and bar associations First steps toward towar d that end should not longer be delayed Rigid and expeditious justice Is the th e et first safeguard of ot freedom the basis o ot t all ordered lIbert liberty the vital force torce ot of progress It must not come to be beI beIn b bein e I In fn be defeated de defeated our republic that It ft can by the Indifference of ot the call citi citizen zen by exploitation of ot the delays delas and an d entanglements ct of the law or by com corn combinations of ot criminals Justice mus must t not fall because the agencies of ot enforcement en tn enforcement are either delinquent or in inefficiently efficiently organized To r these evils to find their remedy i ithe Is s the tho most sore necessity of ot our times Of or the undoubted abuses which which have bave grown up under tho the eighteenth amendment part are due to the canses caus cans causes es I have just mentioned but par parare part t are due to the failure of ot some state states s to accept their share of ot responsibility for concurrent enforcement and to the th e failure allure of ot many state slate and local official of l e to accept the obligation under their thou r oath of ot office zealously to enforce lh the laws With the failures from these many causes has come a n dangerous s expansion In the criminal element clements s who have found enlarged s in dealing In Illegal liquor But a largo large responsibility rests di dl directly upon our citizens There p bo be little traffic in Illegal liquor It if only p criminals patronized It We Wo must mus t awake to the fact tact that this patronage e from large largo numbers of ot law abiding g citizens te os supplying supply-lug the rewards and an stimulating crime I have been selected by you to exe execute execute cute and enforce the laws ws of ot the coun coup country try I I propose to do so to the exten t ot of my own abilities but the measure c ot of success that the government shall l attain will wl depend upon the moral morn I support which you OU as citizens extend The duty of oC citizens to support tb the e laws of oC the land is fa coequal with the tho enforce duty of ot their theft government go to the tho laws S which exist No greater na aa national service can be given by men and women of ot good will who will who I know are not unmindful of ot the responsibilities ides of ot than citizenship citizenship than that the they b their example assist In should by stamping g out crime and outlawry b by r participation In and condemn condemn- condemning i ing ng all transactions with Illegal liquor Our whole system of ot government self self w m ill crumble either cither it if officials elect what bat laws they will enforce or citizens elect what laws they will II support The worst evil of ot disregard for tor some low law lawIs lawis la Is that it destroys respect for tor all law For our citizens to patronize the vio violation lotion lation of ot a particular law on the ground that they are opposed to It ft ItIs itis Is e destructive of ot the very basis of ot all that hat t protection of ot life lite or homes AntI and property which the they rightly claim un- un uner un under der d er other laws It citizens do 10 not like a law their dut duty as honest men and I women Is to discourage its violation n their right Is openly to work for tor Its repeal I propose to appoint a national com com- commission commission I mission for a searching investigation on ot of the tho whole structure of ot our federal system of ot jurisprudence to Include the t he method of ot enforcement of ot the e amendment and the causes or o f abuse under it Its purpose will bato to make such recommendations for reorganization of ot the administration ot of federal laws and court procedure as may be found desirable In the mean mean- meantime meantime time lime It Is s essential that a large part ot of the enforcement activities be trans trans- transferred f erred from the tilt treasury department to the department of ot justice as a n begin begin- beginning ning of ot more effective organization The election has again confirmed the determination of ot the American people that hat t regula regulation lion of ot private enterprise and not DOt government ownership or op- op op operation o ration oral Is s the course rightly to be pur- pur pur pursued s sued in our relation to business In recent years we have established a differentiation In the whole method ot of business regulation between the in- in industries In Industries which produce and distribute commodities on the one hand band and pub pub- public l lic ie utilities on the other In the for tor former mer mar our laws insist upon effective J competition In the latter because we substantially confer conCer a monopoly by ng l competition we must regulate theft services and rates The rigid enforcement of ot the law applicable to both bolh groups Is the ver very base of ot equal opportunity and freedom from domn dom domination for all our people and It Is just as essential for tor the stability and prosperity of ot business itself as for forthe tiro tho protection of ot the public at large Such regulation should be extended by bythe bythe bythe the federal government within the lie li 11 li- li limitations limitations of ot the constitution and only when the Individual states stales are with with- without without out 1 power ower to protect their citizens through their own authority On the theother theother theother other hand we should be fearless when the authority rests only In n the federal government The larger purpose of ot our economic thought should be to establish more firmly stability and security of ot bus bus- busIness business iness mess and employment and thereby remove poverty still further from our borders Our people have ha In recent years ears developed a new found them them- themselves themselves selves to effect high rig purposes in lit pub public lIe lic welfare It is an advance toward th the e highest conception of ot self govern ment went Self-government Self does not and should not Dot Imply the use of ot political agencies alone Progress is boom born of oC cooperation In la the not nol community from governmental restrains The file government should assist and encourage age these movements of ot collective self help help by itself cooperating with Ith them Business has by cooperation made great progress In lu the advancement ot of service 1 In stability In regularity o ot f employment and In the lie correction o oits ot f its own abuses Such progress how how- however however ever can continue only so eo long a as s business manifests its respect for tor law There is an equall equally important fief field ot of cooperation by the federal govern govern- gO ern government government ment with the multitude of ot agencies state slate municipal and private in n the th e 8 and private In the systematic development of ot those process processes es oa which directly affect public health recreation education end and the home We have need further to perfect th the e means by which government can b be e adapted to human service Although education is primarily a responsibility o of the states and an d local communities and rightly so M yet ct the tho nation as a whole is vitally concerned in its development every every- everywhere everywhere where to the highest standards an anto d to complete universality Self gov Self gov government can succeed only through an instructed electorate Our ob- ob objective ob objective is not simply to overcome il it l- l illiteracy merac literacy The nation nas Has marched fa far r beyond that The more complex th the c problems of the nation become become tnt e greater is the need for more and more advanced ad instruction Moreover as a s our numbers increase andas and as our d e expands with science and ond invention on we must discover more and more leaders for every walk of life me We cannot hope to succeed in directing g this increasingly complex c n unless wo we can draw raw all tho the talent o of f leadership from the whole hole people i Unc Una nr civilization after another has haa been b wrecked upon the attempt to secure st securest sufficient leadership from a single Bingle group or class dass If we would prevent the growth of lass distinctions and would constantly refresh our leader leadership ship with the ideals of our people We must draw constantly fro from In the gener general al The full lull mass opportunity for every boy and firl Liri L rl to rise through the selective processes of education can alone secure to us this leadership The United States fully accepts the I profound truth that our own awn progress I prosperity and peace are with the progress prosperity and I pence peace of all humanity The whole world is at peace pence The dangers to a continuation of this peace today are largely the fear and Md suspicion Which still haunt the tilt world No suspicion or fear can be rightly directed toward our country Those who have n a true understand understanding ing of America know that we have no desire for territorial expansion for economic or other domination of o other her peoples Such purposes are repugnant to our ideals of human freedom Our form fonn of government is ill adapt adapted d to the responsibilities l es which inevitably follow permanent limitation of the independence of other peoples Superficial observers seem to find no destiny for our abounding increase in population in wealth and power except that of imperialism They fail to see seo that the American people are engrossed in the building for f or themselves of a 8 new economic system system system tem anew a new social system a new po- po political political po political system all system all of which ore nt e characterized by aspirations of freedom free free- freedom freedom dom of opportunity and thereby are the negation of imperialism They fail to realize that because of our abounding prosperity our youth routh are pressing more and more into our in- in institutions in institutions of learning that our peo- peo people plo pIa are seeking a larger vision ision through art literature science and andI I travel that they are moving toward stronger moral and spiritual life life- life that from these things our sympathies thies are broadening beyond the bounds of ot and race race toward their true expression In a real bro bro- brotherhood bro brotherhood of man They fail to s a t that that the idealism of America will lead it to no narrow or selfish channel but inspire it to do its full share as asa asa asa a nation toward the advancement of civilization It will so that not by mere declaration but by taking a practical part in supporting all useful international undertakings We not only desire peace with the world but butto butto butto to see peace maintained throughout the world We wish to advance the reign of justice and reason toward the extinction of force The recent treaty tr for the renunciation renunciation renunciation of war as an instrument of national polie policy sets an advanced a standard in our conception of the re- re relations relations re relations lations of oi nations Its acceptance should pave the way to greater lim- lim limitation lim limitation im of armament the offer of which we v sincerely extend to the world But its full realization also implies a greater grealer and greater perfection in inthe inthe inthe the instrumentalities for pacific set set- settlement set settlement of controversies between n nations In the creation and use of these instrumentalities we tee should support every sound method of con con- con arbitration and judicial set set- set settlement settlement American statesmen were among the first to propose and they have constantly urged upon the te establishment of a tribunal for |