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4525614
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Grand Rapids League of Women Voters, September 1948
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4525614
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Grand Rapids League of Women Voters, September 1948
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collections
Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
Speeches
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Congressional elections
Economics
Labor Management Relations Act, 1947
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1948-09-30
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9
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1948
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1948-09-01
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9
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1948
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The original documents are located in Box D13, folder "Grand Rapids League of Women
Voters, September 1948" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech
File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Speech by Devald R. Ford Jr Republican Candidate
meeting sponed by Ghoul Rapids League of Women Voters
for Congress - Sept. 1948
Thank you.
My appreciation is directed at the voters of Grand Rapids
who are here tonight out of a desire to get all the facts before
voting next Tuesday, and to the Grand Rapids League of Women
Voters, who have given me this opportunity to make my position
clear.
I for one am grateful for another chance to outline my
principles. It is to be regretted that my opponent for the
Republican nomination to Congress did not see fit to appear
with me tonight to discuss the question, "What Do We Consider
the Most Important Issues Facing the Country Which Call for
Congressional Action.'
The most important issues--indeed, the only basic issues
of this or any other campaign--are World Peace, ational Security
and the stabilization of our domestic economy.
They are the issues that every American Congress will be
faced with as long as the American way of life survives. They
are the issues that must be met and solved soon if we in this
FORD i LIBRARY 93
nation are to continue to enjoy the liberties and privileges
Digitized from Box D13 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
2
that we SO often take for granted.
Lip service to principles is not enough. Presuming a
solution
genyine desire for their accomplishment, a representative in
Congress must further KNOW what should be done to accomplish
them, and he should have the energy to tackle the job.
I have said often during this campaign that I believe no
group or combination of groups in this nation should be permitted
to dominate another. That means that white collar workers,
industry, labor--all groups must be guaranteed their rights,
must be fairly represented in their government.
For example, that means that the labor-management pendulum,
which on occasion has swung too far to the left and then again too
far to the right, must be stabilized at a point where bargaining
is a give-and-take matter with a minimum of government inter-
ference except where the public has a vital stake. A good
Congressman must fairly consider the merits of any proposed
labor-management legislation, and vote on its merits. That
is what I propose to do if I am nominated and elected to Congress.
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
The rights of real representation, and the right to live
in and under a free government will be meaningless if the ideal
3
of peace throughout the world is not preserved. of fought for.
bi-
I am convinced that a non-partisan foreign policy in
the United States has lighted. the path that will lead to
eventual peace and security for everyone. That path is the
path of economic aid to Europe-with a firm program of military
preparedness at home.
The 80th Congress passed that law.
The peacetime draft now is an accomplished fact. / If
it serves as a warning to the world of our determination for
peace it is good; but it also must give smmething of real
value to those young men who must leave civilian life to serve
in the Armed Forces. These, young men must have the opportunity to
military
learn something, to be more than just militarists trained to
fight, and die. This important educational phase of military
service must be handled by competent xxx civilian instructors,
and I favor a program that will place this kind of training in
the hands of non-military personnel.
And with our increased armed forces must come new
FORD i LIBRARY GERVID
equipment, and the best in scientific research, to give our
4
young men the best--and I mean the best training, the best guns,
the fastest and the largest airforce and navy--all of theme have
become an absolute necessity in winning wars. I know from personal
experience how faulty equipment and the lack of equipment caused
deaths during World War II.
These suggestions, I think, are practical and vital; yet
it is surprising to me that they are not universally accepted,
that there are men in Congress who deliberately have voted to
withhold this best chance of survival from our fighting men.
Besides the security that comes with peace, America must
stabilize its domestic economy--and soon.
At the moment this nation is richer than it ever has
been before. But wealth, in terms of national income, is a
relative matter.
Ne must find a way to stabilize our economy, so that the
man with a factory job, the office worker and the man who owns
and runs the factory can have some guarantee that his labor will
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD
produce the purchasing power he needs in our national market.
5
I do not set myself up as a medicine man who at a
stroke can solve the nation's economic problems. But I do
think I have some of the answers to the growing inflation
threat. Credit controls should be tightened, so that the
nation cannot spend itself into next year's income.
Bank reserve кичаих requirements should be increased,
so that the United States doesn't spread its dollars too far
to support our complicated credit structure.
The reduction of government expenses and an alertness
to prevent the federalization of all our governmental functions
The fight against monopoly and protection of small business must continue.
should be a concern of the 81st Congress.
My allotted time here of course does not permit me to
tell you all the things I think are important in this campaign.
combin
That is why I have chosen to present general objectives.
But throughout the last two months I have conducted a
campaign designed to acquaint voters with these problems, and what
I think are the answers. I think I have succeeded in letting most
GERALD FORD" LIBRARY
Fifth District voters know my views.
6
I am content to rest my case with them, and confident
in their decision in the Republican Primary "lection next Tuesday.
-30-
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD
********
There are just arguments presented by so me groups
in favor of retaining this tax, and there are equally just
arguments favoring its repeal.
If I am elected, and if the question comes. before
Congress next year, I will endeavor to decide on the
legislation on the basis of its merits, and on the basis of
all the factors involved at that time. It should be remembered
that these factors may change greatly by the time this issue
is discussed in Congress again.
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD
At the present I favor leaving genuine Farm Co-operatives
marketing their own products tax-free. But I feel that business
organizations masquerading as farm-cooperatives and in fact doing
business in competition with private enterprise certainly should
pay their legitimate taxes.
GERALD LIMITS ? FORD
I am definitely opposed to the repeal of the Taft-Hartley bill
as matters now stand. I understand it will come up for amendment at
the next session of Congress. What those amendments will be no one
knows at the present time. If I am elected to Congress I will
consider those matters solely upon their merits. I had wished to
discuss publicly with Mr. Jonkman the labor and capital controversy
in our country but he refused to so the safety and prosperity of our
nation depend upon cooperation betw en capital and labor. Any law
that is distructive to this principle should not exist. I will
fight for a principle of fairness in all law. I would not permit a
lash to be laid on the back of labor nov would I permit an injustice
be done an employer by the Taft-Hartley law or any Iaw.
GERALD LIBERTY ? FORD
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