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    "title": "Annual Republican Lincoln Day Dinner, Butler, PA, February 9, 1950",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box D13, folder \"Annual Republican Lincoln Day\nDinner, Butler, PA, February 9, 1950\" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary\nand Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box D13 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nSPEECH TO BE GIVEN FEBRUARY 9, 1950 AT THE ANNUAL\nREPUBLICAN LINCOLN DAY DINNER AT BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA\nMr. Chairman, honored and distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen -\nBeing with you this evening on this occasion is a real privilege.\nI would be remiss in my responsibilities if no mention at this time\nwere made of my good friend and yours, Congressman Louis E. Graham. As\na new member of the Congress I have had, as do all of us freshmen, a\ndifficult time and little opportunity to know and thoroughly appreciate\nall of my colleagues. Circumstances, principally the question of time,\nlimit your sound appraisal of only the best in the House. I can truth-\nfully and honestly state, and without equivocation, that Louie Graham\nis one of the soundest and most mature members of the House of Representa-\ntives. You should be proud of his record as we are proud to number him\namong our colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle. My comments\nare not based on long standing friendships or personal affection but\nrather on a critical analysis and appraisal of the work I have seen done\non the floor of the House.\nFORD & LIBRARY GERALD\n-2-\nIn the months following one of the blackest Tuesdays in the history of\nthis country, namely November 2, 1948, it was my subconscious feeling\nthat the United States was on the brink of disaster with little or no\nhope of recovery. It seemed to me that people of our nation had lost\na golden opportunity on November 2nd to snatch from the hands of selfish\nminority groups the controls of our Government. Through indifference and\na failure to undertake our responsibilities as citizens, we fumbled the ball\non that infamous day.\nIn the days, weeks and months following November 2nd our feelings enshrouded\nour conscience. We knew as citizens and as members of a great political\nparty that we had been remiss in our responsibilities. The shock of\ndefeat was such a blow many thought no recovery was possible. This attitude\nwas understandable if not desirable.\nThe long, uphill road and battle began in the Congress early in 1949.\nThrough near historic efforts, I believe, Republican members of the Congress\naverted further disaster. We licked in practically every instance the\n\"handout state\" programs of the Administration. This struggle which\nSERAL was FORD LISKAGE\n-3-\ncarried on on your behalf became infectious, and in recent months a\nnew spirit among Republicans has permeated our nation. In addition, and\nthis is most important, this new attitude has seemingly taken hold of\nthe imagination of that great group of citizens who consider themselves\nindependent voters.\nA year ago Republican rallies and dinners were performa performances. We\nwent through the moutine with little hope for future successes. Today\nI am glad to report to you that Republican gatherings are attended by\ncitizens of all walks of life, of all ages, who believe they have a mission\nand a crusade.\nLet me give you several examples. On January 21st, in the City of Detroit,\nthe largest and most enthusiastic GOP dinner and get together was held in\nthe history of the Party in the State of Michigan. We did not delve on our\ndismal past performances, but rather spoke of our future achievements.\nI can assure you that every Republican from the State of Michigan who\nattended that meeting, and even those who were turned away for lack of\nfacilities, and there were many, believe that our mission can be accomplished\nin the crucial months ahead.\n-4-\nOn Monday night, February 6th, the Republican women of the District of\nColumbia put on the most successful political rally in the annals of the\nnation's capital, the cost of the function a mere $2.20, that including a\ngrass roots dinner, excellent speeches by our leaders, and an evening of\ngood entertainment. It might be mentioned that we who attended, and there\nwere over 10,000 in the arena, paid our Federal tax in order to participate\nin this stirring event. In passing, I might mention that our Democratic\nfriends, who are having their annual Jackson-Jefferson Day Dinner with\na tariff of $100 per plate, are not assuming their share of the tax burden.\nFor some unknown reason, probably best known by the Administration, the\n20% tax on the Administration's party is not being paid.\nI would like to give you still another example of a reborn enthusiasm. In\nmy home town, Grand Rapids, Michigan, we are having the largest Republican\nLincoln Day Dinner in the history of the community. A year ago at our\nLincoln Day Dinner we had difficulty in corralling 350 for the occasion.\nIn 1950, 2 weeks in advance of the Dinner, 1600 dinner tickets have been\nsold and it is estimated that 2,000 or more citizens will attend the speech\nmaking as the guests of the Committee.\nGERALD FORD LIBRARY\n-5-\nNeedless to say, I am certain that you who are here this evening have a\nsimilar attitude as best illustrated by the enthusiasm and determination\nthat I see among you.\nAs a young man, I am one of those who became of voting age after the New\nDeal came into power, and as a result have had no opportunity to point to\nthe White House and say \"A Republican who believes in our American way of life\nnow occupies the highest and most respected office in the world.\" All of my\ncontemporaries are in the same category and as a result have never had the\nopportunity to appraise the difference between sound administration and\nmaladministration. Because there has been no opportunity to contrast good\nand evil, it has taken a longer time than normally would be necessary for the\nyounger generation to see that our future success depends upon a change in\nauthority in the White House and in the Congress.\nIt is now becoming apparent, however, that some of our leaders in the younger\ngenerations are realizing and appraising the gravity of the situation. In-\nstead of being sold a false bill of goods by the Administration's propagandists\nwe are presently seeing a rebirth of young GOPism on our college campuses\nand in our communities. In the Middle West, for example, a determined group\n-6-\nof young Republcans have taken the time and effort to present a thoughtful\nplatform entitled \"The Opportunity State\". At the same time, and working\nindependently, another group of young Republicans in New York State has prepared\nwhat they call \"A Blueprint for a Better America\". I submit to you that these\ntwo young groups, and there may be many more with which I am not acquainted,\nhave started a grass roots movement to rekindle the fires in the hearts and\nminds of our young people. I recommend most highly that you aid and abet\nany and all new movements of this sort for both the Party and the nation need\nsuch help. Frankly and in all sincerity, some of the most constructive\nand concrete thinking I have seen among Republicans has been evidenced by\nthe work of the young GOPers in New York and on the campus in Ann Arbor,\nMichigan. No one here tonight probably agrees in toto with every provision\nin the Michigan platform or the New York blueprint, but under no circumstances\nshould we destroy their initiative by being disdainful of their determination\nto present a real platform to those of their own generation.\nOur real purpose in gathering here this evening is to pay tribute to one\nof the greatest Americans in our nation's history. At the same time it is\nhighly appropos for us to draw lines of distinction between the political\nFORD & LIBRARY CERALE\n-7-\nphilosophies of the Party founded by Abraham Lincoln and the present\nDemocratic administration. I have entitled my speech \"The Present\nDemocratic Administration - a Menace\", and I feel that if Abraham Lincoln\nwere here with us during these tumultuous and confusing times his attitude\ntoward those now in authority in Washington would be identical with ours.\nAbraham Lincoln believed in the preservation of the Union and the fundamental\nAmerican way of life. Today we are faced with an equally grave crisis and\nunless all of us are willing to contribute of our time and means, the nation\nthat Lincoln preserved will inevitably tumble over the precipice toward\nstatism.\nSo much has been written about this great leader of the American people,\nAbraham Lincoln, that today he stands as one of the symbols of real\nAmericanism. What made Abraham Lincoln a legend? What did he accomplish\nto deserve such a niche in our history? Why is he treated with such great\nreverence by all of our people?\nYou are all familiar with Abraham Lincoln's righks rise from the back woods\nof Kentucky to the office of President of the United States. He was a man\nof kindness, simplicity, intelligence, statesmanship, integrity, and deep\nFORD LIBRARY CERT\n-8-\nreligious conviction. Unfortunately some of his recent successors in\nthat high office have lacked to a surprising degree a number of these\nnecessary and desirable characteristics. I condemn no man for any individual\nfailings, but I feel it is tragic for the American people and the world at\nlarge, and in these critical times, that our President cannot be above\nbackroom political trading and lacking in essential qualities for true\nleadership.\nToday more than ever before we need to survey Lincoln's life to evaluate what\nhe said and what he did. As the first President eleeted by the Republican\nParty, Lincoln gives us the answer or answers to the trouble that is presently\nraging in this country as to whether or not we should preserve the American\nconcept or way of life in favor of a new philosophy, term it what you will.\nSome call the present Administration's program socialistic. Others define\nit differently. Regardless of the definition, it must be admitted that\nthe Administration does not believe in or stand for principles that have\nguided our people to the pinnacle in the short span of 174 years.\nIn reality there can be no compromise. The Republican Party does not nec-\nessarily disagree with some of the Democrats in the goals we seek to achieve.\nFORD LIBRARY 07130 39\n-9-\nThe basic difference is in the means by which a better standard of living\nmay be obtained for all of us. This difference is reflected in the completely\ndissimilar political and social philosophies prevailing within each Party.\nThe choice between these two philosophies lies with the American people. It is\nan alternative between self-help and the handout.\nThe leaders of the present Democratic Party pursue relentlessly their policy\nof unlimited Federal spending for the purpose of appeasing pressure groups\nwhich command large blocks of votes. The Administration's program is not\none of prudently conceived assistance to the individual in need but is rather\na program of creating a reliance upon Government from the cradle to the grave.\nThe inevitable result has been the slow but never-ending destruction of\nself-reliance and individual incentive. By demagoguing appeals to the some-\nthing-for-nothing instinct, the Democrats in the past have and will in the\nfuture endeavor to obtain widespread support of their program. We in the\nRepublican Party firmly believe that the American people are self-reliant\nand independence-loving citizens and that they, if the facts were known\nto them, would resent being classified as the objects of permanent charity.\nMost Americans prefer to rely primarily upon their own industry, ability\nGLRATE and FORD LIBRARY\n-10-\ndecision to provide not only the necessities but also the luxuries of life\nrather than to rely upon the uncertain benevolence of government.\nAbraham Lincoln believed then as he would now in the Republican point of\nview. He is quoted as having said: \"The legitimate object of government\nis to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but\ncannot do at all, or cannot so well do, for themselves, in their separate\nand individual capacities. In all that the people can do individually, do\nas well for themselves, Government ought not to interfere.\" Republicans\nare constantly reminded by unthinking people that all segments of our\nsociety are now better off economically speaking than they were in the days\nbefore the present Administration. I ask you, is that a true statement?\nStatisticians can show that we may be slightly more prosperous, but if the end\nresult is complete loss of individual opportunity, is temporary economic\nsuccess worth the cost?\nMany citizens rightfully ask the question, What has happened to the American\npeople that they should allow the United States to reach a point to which\nwe may never return. We have gradually traveled the path of regimentation\nand government control in a piecemeal but nevertheless unchanging course.\n-11-\nI could recount for you some of the legislation that has been enacted during\nthe past 18 years that would prove my point. I think it best, however, to\ncall to your attention some of the proposals that lie ahead for in them\nthe real danger is most evident. The answer to the success or failure of\nthe Republican Party depends upon our making aware to the American people\nthe specific faults and failings of our Democratic friends.\nA sound analysis of the Administration's basic legislative program would\nconvince you that it is not in accord with the concepts of Abraham Lincoln.\nMr. Lincoln at one time made the following statement - \"You cannot bring\nabout prosperity by discouraging threats, you cannot strengthen the weak\nby weaking the strong, you cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the\nwage payer, you cannot establish sound security on borrowed money, you cannot\nkeep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.\" These terse but true\nstatements are the complete antithesis of the present philosophy prevalent\nin the Administration. I believe the Republican point of view on all issues\ncoincides with that expressed by Mr. Lincoln and is in contrast to the policies\nof the Democrats.\nWe Republicans have been accused of \"Me-tooism\". I deplore the use of\nGERIA the term FORD LIBRART\n-12-\nfor a number of reasons, but principally because it does not define our\nParty's program. On February 6,1950, the Republican Party issued a Statement\nof Principles and Objectives. The 1950 Statement coincides with the ideals\nso often expressed by Abraham Lincoln.\nFor example, on the issue of foreign affairs our Party advocates a bi-\n1\npartisan approach with full consideration and recognition to the legislative\n2\nbranch of our government. We are opposed to secret commitments such as those\n3\nentered into at Yalta. We vehemently and vigorously believe in stopping the\nI\nspread of Communism. Our Party does favor an extension and expansion of\nworld trade, but we question the soundness or the advisability of such a\npinl Cicape printing\nprogram where it will imperil the living standards of our own people. The\nUnited States should not allow the flooding of our markets with goods pro-\nduced by cheap labor to the inevitable detriment of our national security\nand the economic status of our individual workers.\nIn recent weeks it has been vividly called to our attention that former\na\nresponsible officials in our State Department have been guilty of treasonous\nconduct. Furthermore our present Secretary of State, well knowing that a\nCHO1 i LIBRARY GERALD\nfair and equitable trial had been granted to Alger Hiss, refused to admit or\nacknowledge\n-13-\n&\nfriend\nthe reprehensible conduct of a former associate Loyalty and compassion\nare commendable personal qualities but Mr. Acheson's words pertaining to\nMr. Hiss do little credit to a man occupying such a high official position.\nSecretary Acheson has impaired his usefulness as a governmental official\nbeen convicted of perjury and by indirection convicted of\nby his comments concerning the activities of a man who has betrayed, his\n1\ncountry. Treason is not a pardonable offense in the eyes of the American\npeople. Unless the Secretary has the desire to retract his comments\non his attitude toward Mr. Hiss, Mr. Acheson should resign.\nOn domestic matters the issue is clearly drawn between us and our Democratic\nopponents. In our new Statement of Policy there is a statement demanding\na balanced budget and a general reduction of our mounting tax burden. It\nis indeed a shame on the American people that at a time of relative prosperity\nthis nation is faced with pending bankruptcy. Canada, our neighbor to the\nnorth, has led the way and made a phenomenal record in reducing taxes and\nbalancing the budget. To the contrary, the present Administration's record\nis one of increased taxes, increased annual deficits, and mounting national\nindebtedness.\nThe Republican Party in its Statement of Policy stands four-square with\nthe agricultural programs of the National Grange and the American Farm Bureau.\n-14-\nWe condemn the Brannan plan which aims at nationalizing agriculture.\nThe program set forth in the GOP Policy Statement advocates a fair\nprice for the farmer's products at the market place by a system of price\nsupports only when the need is apparent and with emphasis on the funda-\nmental concepts of free enterprise.\nI imagine the farmers in this county and this area are similar in many\nrespects to those in my own district. We have a strong Grange and a strong\nFarm Bureau. Our farmers in Michigan are not selfish predatory citizens\nwho disregard the legitimate point of view of the urban consumers and the\nwelfare of our national economy. Our farmers and those of you in this\nsuh\ndistrict who live in rural areas want above all else a fair share of our\nnational income without entire reliance on government subsidies, and above\nall else deplore the trend toward regimentation of our agriculture.\nWe in the Republican Party need have no apology for the basic philosophy\nLABOR\nin most of the provisions in the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947,\nbetter known as the Taft-Hartley Act. Our new Policy Statement stands\nfour-square for the Taft-Hartley approach in contrast to the Administration's\nGERALD FORD LIBRARY\ninequitable Wagner Act. No one denies that the Taft-Hartley Act can be\n-15-\namended to eliminate certain inequities. I can assure you that a sincere\nattempt was made by the Members of the Congress in our Party during the\nlast session to amend the Taft-Hartley Act where proven inequalities existed.\nMembers of the Democratic Party with an alleged fiendish allegiance to\nthe Wagner Act refused to cooperate in any honest effort to change the\nexisting law. Furthermore, despite the statement in the Democratic platform\nthat the Democrats would repeal the Taft-Hartley Act and substitute in its\nstead the Wagner Act, when the vote on such a motion was made in the House\nonly 37 Democrats so voted. This is but another example of broken platform\npledges, for Mr. Truman and his followers repeatedly promised that if given\nthe leadership in this country in 1949 and 1950 they would destroy the Taft-\nHartley Act.\nThe Republican Party, as did Mr. Lincoln long ago, realizes the government's\nobligation to those who are in need. In our 1948 Party platform and again in\nthe recent Party Statement, we indicated our approval of a sound and fair\nSocial curity\nprogram of security of our older citizens. It would be most unwise to embark\nupon changes in our Social Security Program without the full benefit of\nSERALD FORD\nhorough study. We favor expanded coverage and increased benefits, but we\n-16-\ndeplore the financial unsoundness of the program as it now exists.\nNo one denies that this country has room for improvement in expanding\nour nation's health. The Democratic Administration says this problem must\nbe attacked and solved by the President's prepaid compulsory health insurance\nprogram. The Administration is anxious and willing to embark upon a dupli-\ncation of the socialized medicine program inaugurated by the labor socialist\ngovernment in England. We in the Republican Party admit the need of\nimprovement but deny most emphatically the necessity of adopting that experi-\nment which has so miserably failed in Great Britain. We can and will meet\nthe challenge with the help of all interested segments of our people. The\ndoctors, the dentists, and the various technicians in the field of health\nare making a strenuous and determined effort to cooperate with those in\npublic office so that the American people will be given the finest medical\ncare and attention without resorting to governmental red tape and regimentation.\nThe Federal Government can and should assist the various states and communi-\nties so that expanded medical care will be available to those unable to\nafford voluntary health insurance. In addition, an all-out effort should\nbe made to expand and strengthen voluntary nonprofit health insurance programs.\n-17-\nOne might go on indefinitely, but rather than take further time I would\nlike to set forth what I consider to be the goal of our Party, the promise\nwe should make to our people, the threat that will engulf us if affirmative\naction is not taken in our position generally. For your information and\nguidance I submit the following:\nOur goal at home - An opportunity society that offers each individual a maximum\nchance for achievement, wellbeing, and security.\nOur goal abroad - A world at peace working out the common problems of mankind\nthrough effective international organization in a spirit of mutual trust and\ncooperation and with an increasing regard for the dignity of every man.\nOur Promise - At home - Increasing economic prosperity with a renewed faith\nin moral values. New energy sources, new products and new production\ntechniques can greatly improve the material well-being of each citizen in\nour time. But the pursuit of material wealth must be accompanied by a\nrenewal of spiritual and moral values on the part of the individual, the\nfamily and the nation.\nOur Promise Abroad - A community of free nations living at peace. The free\nFORD & LIBRARY GREALO\nexchange of goods and ideas among nations affords the best hope for maintaining\nthe peace and raising the standard of living in all countries.\n-18 -\nThe Threat at home - Gradual surrender of individual freedom. In our\ncountry, the danger to our democratic way of life lies chiefly in our adopting\nschemes for attaining economic security which compel or result in the surrender\nof individual freedom.\nThe Threat Abroad - Breakdown in international relations. Failure of the\nUnited States to develop a sound affirmative foreign policy to meet the threat\nof Soviet imperialism and the revival of Fascism, and to assume its\nresponsibilities of world leadership, may lead to a breakdown in international\nrelations resulting in economic or military warfare between nations.\nOur position is that the present Administration is neither realizing the promise\nnor warding off the threat. Instead, it is creating a hand-out state which\nslowly destroys individual initiative and enterprise, limits the right of\nthe individual to make personal decisions, and compels a surrender of individual\ndecision and action to a bureaucratic central government.\nOur own position can be summed up in two main principles: \"individual freedom\nwith security\" at home and \"international responsibility\" abroad.\nTIME + NONEY-an investment in gontant SERAL\nLIBRARY\nSPEECH TO BE GIVEN FEBRUARY 9, 1950 AT THE ANNUAL\nREPUBLICAN LINCOLN DAY DINNER AT BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA\nMr. Chairman, honored and distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen -\nBeing with you this evening on this occasion is a real privilege.\nI would be remiss in my responsibilities if no mention at this time\nwere made of my good friend and yours, Congressman Louis E. Graham. As\na new member of the Congress I have had, as do all of us freshmen, a\ndifficult time and little opportunity to know and thoroughly appreciate\nall of my colleagues. Circumstances, principally the question of time,\nlimit your sound appraisal of only the best in the House. I can truth-\nfully and honestly state, and without equivecation, that Louie Graham\nis one of the soundest and most mature members of the House of Representa-\ntives. You should be proud of his record as we are proud to number him\namong our colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle. My comments\nare not based on long standing friendships or personal affection but\nrather on a critical analysis and appraisal of the work I have seen done\non the floor of the House.\nFORD & LIBRARY GERALD\n-2-\nIn the months following one of the blackest Tuesdays in the history of\nthis country, namely November 2, 1948, it was my subconscious feeling\nthat the United States was on the brink of disaster with little or no\nhope of recovery. It seemed to me that people of our nation had lost\na golden opportunity on November 2nd to snatch from the hands of selfish\nminority groups the controls of our Government. Through indifference and\na failure to undertake our responsibilities as citizens, we fumbled the ball\non that infamous day.\nIn the days, weeks and months following November 2nd our feelings enshrouded\nour conscience. We knew as citizens and as members of a great political\nparty that we had been remiss in our responsibilities. The shock of\ndefeat was such a blow many thought no recovery was possible. This attitude\nwas understandable if not desirable.\nThe long, uphill road and battle began in the Congress early in 1949.\nThrough near historic efforts, I believe, Republican members of the Congress\naverted further disaster. We licked in practically every instance the\nFORD i LIBRARY GERALD\nhandout state\" programs of the Administration. This struggle which was\n-3-\ncarried on on your behalf became infectious, and in recent months a\nnew spirit among Republicans has permeated our nation. In addition, and\nthis is most important, this new attitude has seemingly taken hold of\nthe imagination of that great group of citizens who consider themselves\nindependent voters.\nA year ago Republican rallies and dinners were performa performances. We\nwent through the routine with little hope for future successes. Today\nI am glad to report to you that Republican gatherings are attended by\ncitizens of all walks of life, of all ages, who believe they have a mission\nand a crusade.\nLet me give you several examples. On January 21st, in the City of Detroit,\nthe largest and most enthusiastic GOP dinner and get together was held in\nthe history of the Party in the State of Michigan. We did not delve on our\ndismal past performances, but rather spoke of our future achievements.\nI can assure you that every Republican from the State of Michigan who\nattended that meeting, and even those who were turned away for lack of\nFORD i LIBRARY GERALD\nfacilities, and there were many, believe that our mission can be accomplished\nin the crucial months ahead.\nOn Monday night, February 6th, the Republican women of the District of\nColumbia put on the mest successful political rally in the annals of the\nnation's capital, the cost of the function a mere $2.20, that including a\ngrass roots dinner, excellent speeches by our leaders, and an evening of\ngood entertainment. It might be mentioned that we who attended, and there\nwere over 10,000 in the arena, paid our Federal tax in order to participate\nin this stirring event. In passing, I might mention that our Democratic\nfriends, who are having their annual Jackson-Jefferson Day Dinner with\na tariff of $100 per plate, are not assuming their share of the tax burden.\nFor some unknown reason, probably best known by the Administration, the\n20% tax on the Administration's party is not being paid.\nI would like to give you still another example of a reborn enthusiasm. In\nmy home town, Grand Rapids, Michigan, we are having the largest Republican\nLincoln Day Dinner in the history of the community. A year ago at our\nLincoln Day Dinner we had difficulty in corralling 350 for the occasion.\nIn 1950, 2 weeks in advance of the Dinner, 1600 dinner tickets have been\nFORD sold and it is estimated that 2,000 or more citizens will attend the speech\n1 GERALD LIBRATY ?\nsmking as the guests of the Committee.\n-5-\nNeedless to say, I am certain that you who are here this evening have a\nsimilar attitude as best illustrated by the enthusiasm and determination\nthat I see among you.\nAs a young man, I am one of those who became of voting age after the New\nDeal came into power, and as a result have had no opportunity to point to\nthe hite House and say \"A Republican who believes in our American way of life\nnow occupies the highest and most respected office in the world. All of my\ncontemporaries are in the same category and as a result have never had the\nopportunity to appraise the difference between sound administration and\nmaladministration. Because there has been no opportunity to contrast good\nand evil, it has taken a longer time than normally would be necessary for the\nyounger generation to see that our future success depends upon a change in\nauthority in the White House and in the Congress.\nIt is now becoming apparent, however, that some of our leaders in the younger\ngenerations are realising and appraising the gravity of the situation. In-\nstead of being sold a false bill of goods by the Administration's propagandists\nFORDIO are presently seeing a rebirth of young GOPism on our college campuses\n& LIBRA GERALD 1\nin our communities. In the Middle West, for example, a determined group\n-6-\nof young Republeans have taken the time and effort to present a thoughtful\nplatform entitled \"The Opportunity State\". At the same time, and working\nindependently, another group of young Republicans in New York State has prepared\nwhat they call \"A Blueprint for a Better America\". I submit to you that these\ntwo young groups, and there may be many more with which I am not acquainted,\nhave started a grass roots movement to rekindle the fires in the hearts and\nminds of our young people. I recommend most highly that you aid and abot\nany and all new movements of this sort for both the Party and the nation need\nsuch help. Frankly and in all sincerity, some of the most constructive\nand concrete thinking I have seen among Republicans has been evidenced by\nthe work of the young GOPers in New York and on the campus in Ann Arber,\nMichigan. No one here tonight probably agrees in toto with every provision\nin the Michigan platform or the New York blueprint, but under no circumstances\nshould we destroy their initiative by being disdainful of their determination\nto present a real platform to those of their own generation.\nOur real purpose in gathering here this evening is to pay tribute to one\nof the greatest Americans in our nation's history. At the same time it is\nGERALD LIBRARY P. FORD\nHighly appropes for us to draw lines of distinction between the political\n-7-\nphilosophies of the Party founded by Abraham Lincoln and the present\nDemocratic administration. I have entitled my speech \"The Present\nDemocratic Administration - a Menace\", and I feel that if Abraham Lineoln\nwere here with us during these tumultuous and confusing times his attitude\ntoward those now in authority in Washington would be identical with ours.\nAbraham Lincoln believed in the preservation of the Union and the fundamental\nAmerican way of life. Today we are faced with an equally grave erisis and\nunless all of us are willing to contribute of our time and means, the nation\nthat Lincoln preserved will inevitably tumble over the presipiee toward\nstatism.\nSo much has been written about this great leader of the American people,\nAbraham Linecln, that today he stands as one of the symbols of real\nAmericanism. What made Abraham Lineoln a legend? What did he accomplish\nto deserve such a niche in our history? Why is he treated with such great\nreverence by all of our people?\nYou are all familiar with Abraham Lincoln's xkgkka rise from the back woods\nof Kentucky to the office of President of the United States. He was a men\nFORD i LIBRARY GERALD\nof kindness, simplicity, intelligence, statemenship, integrity, and deep\n&\nreligious conviction. Unfortunately some of his recent successors in\nthat high office have lacked to a surprising degree a number of these\nnecessary and desirable characteristics. I condemn no man for any individual\nfailings, but I feel it is tragic for the American people and the world at\nlarge, and in these critical times, that our President cannot be above\nbackroom political trading and lacking in essential qualities for true\nleadership.\nToday more than ever before we need to survey Lincoln's life to evaluate what\nhe said and what he did. As the first President eleeted by the Republican\nParty, Lineoln gives us the answer or answers to the trouble that is presently\nraging in this country as to whether or not we should preserve the American\nconcept or way of life in favor of a new philosophy, term it what you will.\nSome call the present Administration's program socialistic. Others define\nit differently. Regardless of the definition, it must be admitted that\nthe Administration does not believe in or stand for principles that have\nguided cur people to the pinnaele in the short span of 174 years.\nIn reality there can be no compromise. The Republican Party does not nec-\nFORD i LIBRARY GERALD\ndesarily disagree with some of the Democrats in the goals we seek to achieve.\n-9-\nThe basic difference is in the means by which a better standard of living\nmay be obtained for all of us. This difference is reflected in the completely\ndissimilar political and social philosophies prevailing within each Party.\nThe choice between these two philosophies lies with the American people. It is\nan alternative between self-help and the handout.\nThe leaders of the present Democratic Party pursue relentlessly their policy\nof unlimited Federal spending for the purpose of appeasing pressure groups\nwhich command large blocks of votes. The Administration's program is not\none of prudently conceived assistance to the individual in need but is rather\na program of creating a reliance upon Government from the cradle to the grave.\nThe inevitable result has been the slow but never-ending destruction of\nself-reliance and individual incentive. By demagoguing appeals to the some-\nthing-fer-nothing instinct, the Democrats in the past have and will in the\nfuture endeavor to obtain widespread support of their program. We in the\nRepublican Party firaly believe that the American people are self-reliant\nand independenco-loving citizens and that they, if the facts were known\nto them, would resent being classified as the objects of permanent charity.\nGERALO R. FORD Meet ARI\nAmericans prefer to rely primarily upon their own industry, ability and\n-9-\nThe basic difference is in the means by which a better standard of living\nmay be obtained for all of us. This difference is reflected in the completely\ndissimilar political and social philosophies prevailing within each Party.\nThe choice between these two philosophies lies with the American people. It is\nan alternative between self-help and the handout.\nThe leaders of the present Democratic Party pursue relentlessly their policy\nof unlimited Federal spending for the purpose of appeasing pressure groups\nwhich command large blocks of votes. The Administration's program is not\none of prudently conceived assistance to the individual in need but is rather\na program of creating a reliance upon Government from the cradle to the grave.\nThe inevitable result has been the slow but never-ending destruction of\nself-relience and individual incentive. By demagoguing appeals to the some-\nthing-for-nothing instinct, the Democrate in the past have and will in the\nfuture endeavor to obtain widespread support of their program. We in the\nRepublican Party firmly believe that the American people are self-reliant\nand independenco-loving citizens and that they, if the facts were known\nto them, would resent being classified as the objects of permanent charity.\nGERALD R. FORD\nMost Americans prefer to rely primarily upon their own industry, ability and\n-10-\ndecision to provide not only the necessities but also the luxuries of life\nrather than to rely upon the uncertain benevolence of government.\nAbraham Lincoln believed then as he would now in the Republican point of\nview. He is quoted as having said: \"The legitimate object of government\nis to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but\ncannot do at all, or cannot so well do, for themselves, in their separate\nand individual capacities. In all that the people can do individually do\nas well for themselves, Government ought not to interfere.\" Republicans\nare constantly reminded by unthinking people that all segments of our\nsociety are now better off economically speaking than they were in the days\nbefore the present Administration. I ask you, is that a true statement?\nStatisticians can show that we may be alightly more prosperous, but if the end\nresult is complete loss of individual opportunity, is temperary economic\nsuccess worth the cost?\nMany citizens rightfully ask the question, What has happened to the American\npeople that they should allow the United States to reach a point to which\ni\nFORD are may never return. We have gradually traveled the path of regimentation\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\nand government control in a piecemeal but nevertheless unchanging course.\n-10-\ndecision to provide not only the necessities but also the luxuries of life\nrather than to rely upon the uncertain benevolence of government.\nAbraham Lincoln believed then as he would now in the Republican point of\nview. He is quoted as having said: \"The legitimate object of government\nis to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but\ncannot do at all, or cannot so well do, for themselves, in their separate\nand individual capacities. In all that the people can do individually do\nas well for themselves, Government ought not to interfere.\" Republicans\nare constantly reminded by unthinking people that all segments of our\nsociety are now better off economically speaking than they were in the days\nbefore the present Administration. I ask you, is that a true statement?\nStatisticians can show that we may be alightly more prosperous, but if the end\nresult is complete loss of individual opportunity, is temperary economic\nsuccess worth the cost?\nMany citizens rightfully ask the question, What has happened to the American\npeople that they should allow the United States to reach a point to which\nFORD we may never return. We have gradually traveled the path of regimentation\ni LIBRARY GERALD\nand government control in a piecemeal but nevertheless unchanging course.\n-11-\nI could recount for you some of the legislation that has been enacted during\nthe past 18 years that would prove my point. I think it best, however, to\ncall to your attention some of the proposals that lie ahead for in them\nthe real danger is most evident. The answer to the success or failure of\nthe Republican Party depends upon our making aware to the American people\nthe specific faults and failings of our Democratic friends.\nA sound analysis of the Administration's basic legislative program would\nconvince you that it 1s not in accord with the concepts of Abraham Lincoln.\nMr. Lincoln at one time made the following statement - \"You cannot bring\nabout prosperity by discouraging threats, you cannot strengthen the week\nby weaking the strong, you cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the\nwage payer, you cannot establish sound security on borrowed money, you cannot\nkeep out of trouble by spending more then you earn.\" These terse but true\nstatements are the complete antithesis of the present philosophy prevalent\nin the Administration. I believe the Republican point of view on all issues\ncoincides with that expressed by Mr. Lincoln and is in contrast to the policies\nof the Democrate.\nFORD i LIBRARY GERALD\nWe Republicans have been secused of \"Me-tooism\". I deplore the use of the term\n-12-\nfor a number of reasons, but principally because it does not define our\nParty's program. On February 6,1950, the Republican Party issued a Statement\nof Principles and Objectives. The 1950 Statement coincides with the ideals\nso often expressed by Abrahem Lincoln.\nFor example, on the issue of foreign affairs our Party advocates a bi-\npartisan approach with full consideration and recognition to the legislative\nbranch of our government. We are opposed to secret commitments such as those\nentered into at Yalta. We vehemently and vigorously believe in stopping the\nspread of Communism. Our Party does favor an extension and expansion of\nworld trade, but we question the soundness or the advisability of such a\nprogram where it will imperil the living standards of our own people. The\nUnited States should not allow the flooding of our markets with goods pro-\nduced by cheap labor to the inevitable detriment of our national security\nand the economic status of our individual workers.\nIn recent weeks it has been vividly called to our attention that seemingly\nresponsible officials in our State Department have been guilty of treascnous\nconduct. Furthermore our present Secretary of State, well knowing that a\nFORD i LIBRARY GERALD\nfair and equitable trial had been granted to Alger Hiss, refused to admit\n-13-\nthe reprehensible conduct of a former associate. Leyalty and compassion\nare commendable personal qualities but Mr. Acheson's words pertaining to\nMr. Hiss do little credit to a man occupying such a high official position.\nSecretary Acheson has impaired his usefulness as a governmentak official\nby his comments conserning the activities of a man who has betrayed his\ncountry. Treason is not a pardonable offense in the eyes of the American\npeople. Unless the Secretary has the desire to retract his comments\non his attitude toward Mr. Hiss, Mr. Acheson should resign.\nOn domestic matters the issue is clearly drawn between us and our Democratic\nopponents. In our new Statement of Policy there is a statement demanding\na balanced budget and a general reduction of our mounting tax burden. It\nis indeed a shamp on the American people that at a time of relative propperity\nthis nation is faced with pending bankruptey. Canada, our neighbor to the\nnorth, has led the way and made a phenomenal record in reducing taxes and\nbalancing the budget. To the contrary, the present Administration's record\nis one of increased taxes, increased annual deficits, and mounting national\nindebtedness.\nFORD\ni\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\nthe Republican Party in its Statement of Policy stands four-square with\nthe agricultural programs of the National Grange and the American Farm Bureau.\n-14-\nWe condemn the Brannan plan which aims at nationalising agriculture.\nThe program set forth in the GOP Policy Statement advosates a fair\nprice for the farmer's products at the market place by a system of price\nsupports only when the need is apparent and with emphasis on the funda-\nmental concepts of free enterprise.\nI imagine the farmers in this county and this area are similar in many\nrespects to those in my own district. We have a strong Grange and a strong\nFarm Bureau. Our farmers in Michigan are not selfish predatory eitizens\nwho disregard the legitimate point of view of the urban consumers and the\nwelfare of our national economy. Our farmers and those of you in this\ndistrict who live in rural areas want above all else a fair share of our\nnational income without entire reliance on government subsidies, and above\nall else deplore the trend toward regimentation of our agriculture.\nWe in the Republican Party need have no apology for the basic philosophy\nin most of the provisions in the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947,\nbetter known as the Taft-Hartley ACt. Our new Policy Statement stands\nfour-square for the Taft-Hartley approach in contrant to the Administration's\nFORD is LIBRARY GERALD\ninequitable Wagner Act. No one denies that the Taft-Hartley Ast can be\n-15-\namended to eliminate certain inequities. I can assure you that a sincere\nattempt was made by the Members of the Congress in our Party during the\nlast session to amend the Taft-Hartley Act where proven inequalities existed.\nMembers of the Democratic Party with an alleged fiendish allegiance to\nthe Wagner Act refused to cooperate in any honest effort to change the\nexisting law. Purthermore, despite the statement in the Democratic platform\nthat the Democrate would repeal the Taft-Hartley Act and substitute in its\nstead the Wagner 1st, when the vote on such a motion was made in the House\nonly 37 Democrats so voted. This is but another example of broken platform\npledges, for Mr. Truman and his followers repeatedly promised that if given\nthe leadership in this country in 1949 and 1950 they would destroy the Taft-\nHartley Act.\nThe Republicsn Party, as did Mr. Lincoln long ago, realizes the government's\nobligation to those who are in need. In our 1948 Party platform and again in\nthe resent Party Statement, we indicated our approval of a sound and fair\nprogram of security of our older eitisens. It would be most unvise to embark\nupon changes in our Social Security Program without the full benefit of\nFORD & LIBRARY GERALD\nthorough study. We favor expended coverage and increased benefits, but we\n-16-\ndeplore the financial unsoundness of the program as it now exists.\nNo one denies that this country has room for improvement in expanding\nour nation's health. The Democratic Administration says this problem must\nbe attacked and solved by the President's prepaid compulsory health insurance\nprogram. The Administration is anxious and willing to embark upon a dupli-\ncation of the socialized medicine program inaugurated by the labor socialist\ngovernment in England. We in the Republican Party admit the need of\nimprovement but deny most emphatically the necessity of adopting that experi-\nment which has so miserably failed in Great Britain. We can and will meet\nthe challenge with the help of all interested segments of our people. The\ndoctors, the dentists, and the various technicians in the field of health\nare making a strenuous and determined effort to cooperate with those in\npublic office so that the American people will be given the finest medical\ncare and attention without resorting to governmental red tape and regimentation.\nThe Federal Government can and should assist the various states and communi-\nties so that expanded medical care will be available to those unable to\nFORD & LIBRARY GERALD\nafford voluntary health insurance. In addition, an all-out effort should\nbe made to expand and strengthen voluntary nonprofit health insurance programs.\n-16-\ndeplore the financial unsoundmess of the program as it now exists.\nNo one denies that this country has room for improvement in expanding\nour nation's health. The Democratic Administration says this problem must\nbe attacked and solved by the President's prepaid compulsory health insurance\nprogram. The Administration is anxious and willing to embark upon a dupli-\ncation of the socialized medicine program inaugurated by the labor socialist\ngovernment in England. We in the Republisan Party admit the need of\nimprovement but deny most emphatieslly the necessity of adopting that experi-\nment which has so miserably failed in Great Britain. We can and will meet\nthe challenge with the help of all interested segments of our people. The\ndoctors, the dentists, and the various technicians in the field of health\nare making a strenuous and determined effort to cooperate with those in\npublic office 80 that the American people will be given the finest medical\ncare and attention without reserting to governmental red tape and regimentation.\nThe Federal Government can and should assist the various states and communi-\nties so that expanded medical care will be available to those unable to\nFORD i LIBRARY GERALD\nafford voluntary health insurance. In addition, an all-out effort should\nbe made to expand and strengthen voluntary nonprofit health insurance programs.\n-17-\nOne might go on indefinitely, but rather than take further time I would\nlike to set forth what I consider to be the goal of our Party, the promise\nwe should make to our people, the threat that will engulf us if affirmative\naction is not taken in our position generally. For your information and\nguidance I submit the following:\nOur goal at home - An opportunity society that offers each individual a maximum\nchance for achievement, wellbeing, and security.\nOur goal abroad - - A world at peace working out the common problems of mankind\nthrough effective international organization in a spirit of mutual trust and\ncooperation and with an increasing regard for the dignity of every man.\nOur Promise - At home. - Increasing economic prosperity with a renewed faith\nin moral values. New energy sources, new products and new production\ntechniques can greatly improve the material well-being of each citizen in\nour time. But the pursuit of material wealth must be accompanied by a\nrenewal of spiritual and moral values on the part of the individual, the\nfamily and the nation.\nOur Promise Abroad - A community of free nations living at peace. The free\nGERALO FORD LIBRARY\nexchange of goods and ideas among nations affords the best hope for maintaining\nthe peace and raising the standard of living in all countries.\n-18 -\nThe Threat at home - Gradual surrender of individual freedom. In our\ncountry, the danger to our democratic way of life lies chiefly in our adopting\nschemes for attaining economic security which compel or result in the surrender\nof individual freedom.\nThe Threat Abroad - Breakdown in international relations. Failure of the\nUnited States to develop a sound affirmative foreign policy to meet the threat\nof Soviet imperialism and the revival of Fascism, and to assume its\nresponsibilities of world leadership, may lead to a breakdown in international\nrelations resulting in economic or military warfare between nations.\nOur position is that the present Administration is neither realizing the premise\nnor warding off the threat. Instead, it is creating a hand-out state which\nslowly destroys individual initiative and enterprise, limits the right of\nthe individual to make personal decisions, and compels a surrender of individual\ndesision and action to a buresueratic central government.\nOur own position can be summed up in two main principles: \"individual freedom\nwith security\" at home and \"international responsibility\" abroad.\nGERALD FORD LIBRARY\n-18 -\nThe Threat at home - Gradual surrender of individual freedom. In our\ncountry, the danger to our democratic way of life lies chiefly in our adopting\nschemes for attaining economic security which compel or result in the surrender\nof individual freedom.\nThe Threat Abroad - Breakdown in international relations. Failure of the\nUnited States to develop a sound affirmative foreign policy to meet the threat\nof Soviet imperialism and the revival of Fascism, and to assume its\nresponsibilities of world leadership, may lead to a breakdown in international\nrelations resulting in economic or military warfare between nations.\nOur position is that the present Administration is neither realizing the premise\nnor warding off the threat. Instead, it is creating a hand-out state which\nslowly destroys individual initiative and enterprise, limits the right of\nthe individual to make personal decisions, and compels a surrender of individual\ndesision and action to a buresueratic central government.\nOur own position can be summed up in two main principles: \"individual freedom\nwith security\" at home and \"international responsibility\" abroad.\nGERALD FORD LIBRARY"
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