Show complete text of president hoovers inaugural address the most malign of all these dangers today is disregard and disobedience of law crime is increasing the duty of citizens to support the laws of the land is coequal with the duty of their government to enforce the laws which exist washington march 4 Is the text of the inaugural ad dress ot president herbert hoover my countrymen this occasion la not alone the ad ministration of the most sacred oath which can be assumed by an american citizen it Is a dedication and consecration uner god to the high est office in service 0 our people I 1 assume this trust in the humility of knowledge that only through the guid ance ot almighty providence can I 1 hope to discharge its burdens it Is in beeping with tradition throughout our history that I 1 should express simply and directly the ions which I 1 hold concerning some of the matters ot present importance it we survey the situation ot our nation both at home and abroad we find many satisfactions we find some causes tor concern we have emerged from the losses ot the great war and the reconstruction following it with increased virility and strength from this strength a have contributed to the recovery and progress of the world what america has done has given renewed hope and courage to all who have faith in government by the people in the larger view we have reached a higher degree ot corn fort and security than ever existed before in the history ot the world through liberation from widespread poverty we have reached a higher degree of individual freedom than ever before the devotion to and concern for our institutions are deep and sin cere we are steadily building a new race a new civilization great in its own attainments the influence and high purposes ot our nation are respected among the peoples ot the world we aspire to distinction in the world but to a distinction based upon confidence in our cense ot bushce as well as our accomplishments within our own borders and in our own lives for wise guidance in this great period of recovery the nation Is deeply in debated to calvin cooledge but all this majestic advance should not obscure the constant dangers from which self government must be safeguarded the strong man must at all times be alert to the attack of ous disease the most malign of all these dan gers today Is disregard and ence of law crime Is increasing con floence in rigid and speedy justice Is decreasing I 1 am not prepared to believe that this indicates any decay in the motil fiber ot the american aso pl I 1 am not prepared to believe that it indicates an importance of the fed eral government to enforce its laws we are fortunate in the ability and i integrity of our federal judges and attorneys but the system which these offices are called upon to administer Is in many respects ill adapted to pro bent day conditions its intricate and involved rules ot procedure have bacome the reffuge ct both big and little criminals there is a brief abroad f that by involving technicalities sub tertule and delay the ends of justice may be thwarted hy those who can pay the cost reform reorganization and the strengthening of our whole indicia and enforcement system both in civil and criminal sides have been advocated for years by statesmen judges and bar associations first steps toward that end should not longer be delayed rigid and expeditious justice is the first safeguard of freedom the basis of all ordered liberty the vital force of progress it must not come to be in our republic that it can be defeated by the indifference of the citi ten by exploitation of the delays and entanglements entangle ments rt the law or by corn I 1 of criminals justice must not fall because the agencies of en tor cement are either delinquent or in efficiently organized to consider these evils to find their remedy Is the most sore necessity of our times i of the undoubted abuses which thava grown ap under the eighteenth r amendment part are due to the caus es I 1 have just mentioned but part f are due to the failure of some states to accept choir share of responsibility tor concurrent enforcement and to the failure of many state and local officials to accept the obligation under their oath of office zealously to enforce the laws with the failures from these many causes has come a dangerous expansion in the criminal elements who have found enlarged opportunities in dealing in illegal liquor but a large responsibility rests dl erectly upon our citizens there would be little traffic in illegal liquor it only criminals patronized it we must awake to the tact that this patronage patro aage from large numbers ot law abiding citizens Is supplying the rewards and stimulating crime I 1 have been selected by you to exe cute and enforce the laws ot the coun try I 1 propose to do to the extent of my own abilities but the measure of success that the government shall attain will depend upon the moral support which you as citizens extend the duty ot citizens to support the law ot the 1 Is coequal with the duty ot their government to enforce the laws which exist no greater na 1 can be given by men and women ot good will who I 1 know are not unmindful ot the atlea of citizenship than that they should by their example assist in stamping out crime and outlawry by refusing participation in and condemn ing all transactions with illegal liquor our whole system ot self government will crumble either it officials elect what laws they will enforce or citizens elect what laws they will support the worst ot disregard for some law Is that it destroys respect for all law for our citizens to patronize the violation ot a particular law on the ground that they are opposed to it 1 destructive ot the very basis bojc all that protection ot life or homes and property which they rightly claim nn der other laws it citizens do not like a law their duty as honest men and ft omen la to discourage its violation their right la openly to work tor Us repeal I 1 propose to appoint a national corn mission tor a searching investigation of the whole structure ot our federal system ot jurisprudence to include the method ot enforcement of the eighteenth amendment and the causes ot abuse under it its purpose will be to make such recommendations for reorganization ot the administration of federal laws and court procedure as may be found desirable in the mean time it Is essential that a large part ot the enforcement activities be trans berred from the treasury department to the department of justice as a beginning ot more effective organization the election has again confirmed the determination of the american people that regulation of private enterprise and not government ownership or operation Is the course rightly to be pursued in our relation to business la recent years we have established a differentiation in the whole method ot business regulation between the in destries dus tries which produce and distribute commodities on the one hand and public utilities on the other in the former our laws insist upon effective competition in the latter because we substantially confer a monopoly by limiting competition we must regulate their services and rates the rigid enforcement of the law applicable to both groups Is the very base of equal opportunity and freedom from dom for all our people and it is lust as essential tor the stability and prosperity of business itself as for the protection of the public at large such regulation should be extended by the federal government within the it mitat lons of the constitution and only when the individual states are with out power to protect their citizens through their own authority un the other hand we should be tearless when the authority rests only in the federal government the larger purpose of our economic thought should be to establish more firmly stability and security of bus iness and employment and thereby remove poverty still further tram our borders our people have in recent years developed a new found them selves to effect high purposes in public welfare it Is an advance toward the highest conception of self govern mant self government does not and should not imply the use of political agencies alone progress Is born of cooperation n the community not from governmental restrains the government should assist and enczur age these movements of collective self help by itself cooperating with them business has by cooperation made great progress in the advancement of service in stability in regularity of employment and in the correction of its own abuses such progress how ever can continue oaly so long business manifests its respect tor law there Is an equally important field ot cooperation by the federal government with the multitude of state m and private in the systematic and private in the ays ol 01 those process 03 which directly affect public health recreation education and the boma we have need further to perfect tho means by which government can be adapted to human service although education Is primarily a responsibility ot the aej local communities and rightly eo yet the nation a whole is vitally concerned in its development everywhere to the highest standards and to complete universality self gov can succeed only through an instructed electorate our ob is not simply to overcome illiteracy the nation nas marched tar beyond that lie more complex the problems of nation become ana greater la thas need for more and more advanced instruction moretter More oter as our numbers increase and as our lite expands with science and invention we must discover more and more leaderer for every balk of life we cannot hope to succeed in directing this increasingly complex civilization kulesa we can draw all the talent of leadership from the whole people one civilization after another has been wrecked upon the attempt to secure sufficient leadership from a single group or lasa if we would prevent the growth of class distinctions and would constantly refresh our leadership with the ideals of our people e must draw constantly from the general mabs the full opportunity for every boy and i to nse through the selective processes of education can alone secure to us this leadership the united states fully accepts the profound truth that our own progress prosperity and peace are interlocked with the progress prosperity and peace of all humanity the whole world is at peace the dangers to a continuation of this peace today are largely the fear and suspicion which still haunt the no suspicion or fear can be rightly directed toward our country those ano have a true understanding of america know that we have no desire for territorial expansion for economic or other domination of peoples such purposes are repugnant to our ideals of human freedom our form of government is ill adapted to the responsibilities 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 eee that the american people are engrossed in the building for themselves of a new economic system new social system a new political system all of which are characterized by aspirations of freedom of opportunity and thereby are the negation of imperialism they fail to realize that because of our abounding prosperity our youth are pressing more and more into our institutions of learning that a people are seeking a larger vision through art literature science and travel that tl ey are moving toward stronger moral and spiritual life that from these things our sympathies are broadening beyond the bounds of our nation and race toward their true expression in a real brotherhood the of man they fail to i that the idealism of america will lead it to no narrow or selfish channel but inspire it to do its full share as a nation toward the advancement of 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 corid but to see peace maintained lout the world we wish to advance the reign of justice and reason toward the extinction of force the recent for the renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy sets an advanced standard in our conception of the relations of nations its acceptance should pave the way to greater limitation of armament the offer of which we sincerely extend to the world but its full realization also implies a greater and greater perfection in the instrumentalities for pacific settlement of controversies between rations in the creation and use of these instrumentalities we should support aery sound method of con cili en and judicial se american statesmen were the first to propose and they hae urged upon th world atje establishment of a tribunal for the sett lemi t of controversies of n justl ceable character the perna pent court of international justice in its major purpose is thus huarly pu arly identified with american ideals and with american statesmanship no more potent instrumentality for this purpose ha ever connived cone ived and no other is practicable of establishment reu ovation tion placed upon our adherence should not be misinterpreted the united states by these reservations no special privilege or advantage but only to clarify our relation to advisory opinions and other matters which are subsidiary to the major purpose of the court the way should and I 1 believe will be boand by which we may take our proper place in a movement so fundamental to the progress of peace our people have determined that we should make no political engagements such as membership in the league of nations which may commit us in advance a nation to involved in the settlements of controversies between other countries thy adhere to the belief that the independence of america from such obligations increases its ability and availability for service in all fields of human progress it is impossible my countrymen to speak of peace without profound eno e no tion in thousands of homes in america in millions of homes aroud the horld there are vacant chairs it would be a shameful confession of our mess if it should develop that vie have abandoned abando red the hope to which all these men died surely civilization is old enough surely mankind is mature enough so that we ought in ajr own lifetime to find a way to permanent pea e aboard to west and east nations whose sons mingled their blood with the alood of our bons eons on the battlefields most of ahse nations have contributed to our race to our culture our knowledge and our progress from one of them we derive our very language and from many of them much of the genius of our institutions their desire for peace Is as cap and sincere 03 our own peace can be contributed to be re for our ability in defense peace can be promoted by the limitation of and by the relation of the instrumentalities for peaceful settlement of controversies but it will become a reality only through self restraint and active effort in friendliness and helpfulness I 1 covet for this administration i record of having further contributed to advance the cause of peace in our form of democracy demo racy the expression of the popular wilt can be effected only through the instrumentality of political parties we maintain part government not to promote intolerant partisanship but because ep port unity must be given for expression of the popular will and organization provided for the execution of its mandates and for accountability of government to the people it fol lows that the government both in tha executive and the legislative branches must carry out in good faith the platforms upon which the party was en trusted with power but the gov is that of the whole peoli the party ia the instrument through which policies are determined and men chosen to bring them into being the animosities of elections should have no place in our go |