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Law and Order, Oshkosh, WI, June 14, 1968
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Law and Order, Oshkosh, WI, June 14, 1968
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The original documents are located in Box D25, folder "Law and Order, Oshkosh, WI,
June 14, 1968" 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Digitized from Box D25 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
--FOR RELEASE AT 6:30 P.M. FRIDAY--
June 14, 1968
Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford, R-Mich., Minority Leader of the
U.S. House of Representatives, Friday evening, June 14, 1968, at Oshkosh, Wisc.
A wave of revulsion against violence is sweeping this country as an after-
math of the tragic and senseless slaying of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
I think that feeling of abhorrence of violence to attain a political or
social objective signals the beginning of the end of such tactics in America. I
think the people will win this contest between the forces of democracy and the
devotees of violence and anarchy.
I see the people of America rising up--in spirit--against the haters, the
criminals and the practitioners of violence for political and social goals.
We all want progress for America. Each of us wants to get ahead. To do that
each of us must dedicate himself to the truth that progress can be achieved only
within the framework of law and order. The alternative is anarchy and destruction.
I believe the American people are going to move ahead. They are going to
insist on law and order. They are going to insist on equal justice before the law.
Most important, they are going to insist that the law be carried out because they
know that fear of punishment is a deterrent to law-breaking.
The American people are going to insist that every law enforcement agency in
the land make it unmistakably clear to every would-be lawbreaker that he will be
brought to justice and will be punished whether his crime is car theft or armed
robbery, looting during a central city riot, or seizure of a university building.
To condone one offense is to invite another.
We all want to build a better society in America, but we can build a better
society only if we have a lawful society.
The clear-headed individual--be he a liberal or a conservative--recognizes
that government must provide security for the law-abiding American, for his life
and for his property, and that failure to do this endangers the rights and liberties
of us all. That kind of security has not been provided under the Johnson-Humphrey
Administration. The Johnson-Humphrey Administration has failed the American people.
And that is why all law-abiding Americans are in danger today
as to their persons
and their property, their families, their homes and their businesses.
Since 1960 the national crime rate has climbed 88 per cent--nearly nine times
(more)
-2-
faster than the population of this country. The biggest one-year rise was 16 per
cent, just last year.
Yet it is only now--in June 1968--that an Omnibus Crime Control Bill has
finally passed the Congress.
The House passed a Crime Control Bill last August. Why the delay?
The facts are plain. Republicans worked hard to push strong anti-crime
legislation through the Congress. But the Johnson-Humphrey Administration and
mistaken liberals dragged their heels and fought fought us because we were
determined to get really tough with law-breakers in this country.
What have Republicans been doing to halt the crime wave? Despite our
limitations due to lack of a majority, we beefed up the bill that passed the House
last year and helped shape the tough bill that passed both Houses recently.
We sponsored and won House passage of an Anti-Riot Act as long ago as July 19,
1967. It became law last April 10 after President Johnson finally saw the light
and embraced it.
We initiated legislation which will enable federal agents for the first time
to go in hot pursuit of loan sharks with crime syndicate stripes--and this legis-
lation recently passed both Houses of Congress.
It was Republicans who first pressed for court-supervised wire-tapping as a
weapon against organized crime as well as subversion, because we know we need that
tool to get at the Mafia.
We must have law and order in America--with justice--and we are going to get
it.
We have been plagued by a crisis of violence in America. At the same time,
a financial crisis of great dimensions threatens us.
What has brought on our financial troubles? Like the crime crisis, the
financial crisis has been building due to Johnson-Humphrey Administration inaction.
The dollar crisis has been building up since 1966 when President Johnson and
the huge Democratic majority in the Congress refused to practice restraint in
domestic spending despite repeated Republican pleas and repeated Republican moves
in favor of economy.
Now we are paying the price for the fiscal excesses of the Johnson-Humphrey
Administration and the Democratic majority in the Congress. We are paying it in
high consumer prices, high interest rates and a steady drop in the purchasing power
of the dollar. The farmer is paying in high production costs that have caught him
in a cost-price squeeze. We are all--and most of all the pensioners and the poor--
the victims of Johnson-Humphrey inflation.
And still we must pay--pay with a Johnson-Humphrey tax increase--for that
will be the crowning cost of Johnson-Humphrey inflation. That is the full cost of
Johnson-Humphrey inflation--more taxes on top of higher prices.
# # #
Distribution House side
9.30pm
mailing 20 Copies Mr ford
6/13/68
M
Office Copy
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
--FOR RELEASE AT 6:30 P.M. FRIDAY--
June 14, 1968
Excerpts from a Speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford, R-Mich., Minority Leader of the
U.S. House of Representatives, Friday evening, June 14, 1968, at Oshkosh, Wisc.
A wave of revulsion against violence is sweeping this country as an after-
math of the tragic and senseless slaying of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
I think that feeling of abhorrence of violence to attain a political or
social objective signals the beginning of the end of such tactics in America. I
think the people will win this contest between the forces of democracy and the
devotees of violence and anarchy.
I see the people of America rising up--in spirit--against the haters, the
criminals and the practitioners of violence for political and social goals.
We all want progress for America. Each of us wants to get ahead. To do that
each of us must dedicate himself to the truth that progress can be achieved only
within the framework of law and order. The alternative is anarchy and destruction.
I believe the American people are going to move ahead. They are going to
insist on law and order. They are going to insist on equal justice before the law.
Most important, they are going to insist that the law be carried out because they
know that fear of punishment is a deterrent to law-breaking.
The American people are going to insist that every law enforcement agency in
the land make it unmistakably clear to every would-be lawbreaker that he will be
brought to justice and will be punished whether his crime is car theft or armed
robbery, looting during a central city riot, or seizure of a university building.
To condone one offense is to invite another.
We all want to build a better society in America, but we can build a better
society only if we have a lawful society.
The clear-headed individual--be he a liberal or a conservative--recognizes
that government must provide security for the law-abiding American, for his life
and for his property, and that failure to do this endangers the rights and liberties
of us all. That kind of security has not been provided under the Johnson-Humphrey
Administration. The Johnson-Humphrey Administration has failed the American people.
And that is why all law-abiding Americans are in danger today as to their persons
and their property, their families, their homes and their businesses.
Since 1960 the national crime rate has climbed 88 per cent--nearly nine
RAVO R. times FORD LIBRARY
(more)
-2-
faster than the population of this country. The biggest one-year rise was 16 per
cent, just last year.
Yet it is only now--in June 1968--that an Omnibus Crime Control Bill has
finally passed the Congress.
The House passed a Crime Control Bill last August. Why the delay?
The facts are plain. Republicans worked hard to push strong anti-crime
legislation through the Congress. But the Johnson-Humphrey Administration and
mistaken liberals dragged their heels and fought fought us because we were
determined to get really tough with law-breakers in this country.
What have Republicans been doing to halt the crime wave? Despite our
limitations due to lack of a majority, we beefed up the bill that passed the House
last year and helped shape the tough bill that passed both Houses recently.
We sponsored and won House passage of an Anti-Riot Act as long ago as July 19,
1967. It became law last April 10 after President Johnson finally saw the light
and embraced it.
We initiated legislation which will enable federal agents for the first time
to go in hot pursuit of loan sharks with crime syndicate stripes--and this legis-
lation recently passed both Houses of Congress.
It was Republicans who first pressed for court-supervised wire-tapping as a
weapon against organized crime as well as subversion, because we know we need that
tool to get at the Mafia.
We must have law and order in America--with justice--and we are going to get
it.
We have been plagued by a crisis of violence in America. At the same time,
a financial crisis of great dimensions threatens us.
What has brought on our financial troubles? Like the crime crisis, the
financial crisis has been building due to Johnson-Humphrey Administration inaction.
The dollar crisis has been building up since 1966 when President Johnson and
the huge Democratic majority in the Congress refused to practice restraint in
domestic spending despite repeated Republican pleas and repeated Republican moves
in favor of economy.
Now we are paying the price for the fiscal excesses of the Johnson-Humphrey
Administration and the Democratic majority in the Congress. We are paying it in
high consumer prices, high interest rates and a steady drop in the purchasing power
of the dollar. The farmer is paying in high production costs that have caught him
in a cost-price squeeze. We are all--and most of all the pensioners and the poor--
the victims of Johnson-Humphrey inflation.
And still we must pay--pay with a Johnson-Humphrey tax increase--for that
will be the crowning cost of Johnson-Humphrey inflation. That is the full cost of
Johnson-Humphrey inflation--more taxes on top of higher prices.
###