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1252304
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5/1/75 - Swearing In of Rogers C. B. Morton as Secretary of Commerce
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1252304
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document
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5/1/75 - Swearing In of Rogers C. B. Morton as Secretary of Commerce
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Presidential appointments
Speeches, addresses, etc.
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1252304
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1975-05-01
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5
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1975
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1975-05-01
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5
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 8, folder "5/1/75 - Swearing In of Rogers C.B.
Morton as Secretary of Commerce" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading
Copies 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. Gerald Ford 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THANK YOU FRED (FRED DENT INTRODUCES YOU)
MR.VICE PRESIDENT
SECRETARY MORTON
MRS. MORTON
MR. JUSTICE POWELL
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
Digitized from Box 8 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN day
SWEARING IN OF
ROGERS C. B. MORTON
AS SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1975
- 1 -
IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO PAY
MY RESPECTS TO A VITAL DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT AND TO A
DEVOTED PUBLIC SERVANT I HAVE WORKED WITH AND RESPECTED FOR
MANY YEARS.
-la-
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR ROGERS MORTON.
IN ADDITION TO BECOMING SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, WITH ITS
ATTENDANT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES -- I HAVE ALSO ASKED HIM
TO CONTINUE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE ENERGY RESOURCES COUNCIL,
vitab
WITH ALL ITS ATTENDANT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
I HAVE
A FEELING THERE'S GOING TO BE AN AWFUL LOT OF ENERGY CONSERVED --
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE BY ROGERS.
-1b-
BECAUSE OF THIS DUAL RESPONSIBILITY, ROG WILL BE
WEARING TWO HATS -- AND HE CAN DO IT.
BY THAT I DON'T
MEAN HE HAS A BIG HEAD -- JUST A BIG TALENT.
- 2 -
I HAVE KNOWN "ROG" MORTON AS A CONGRESSMAN
AS
A PARTY CHAIRMAN,
AND AS A CABINET MEMBER.
IN EACH OF THESE
CAPACITIES, HE HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
I KNOW
HE WILL CONTINUE THIS STRING OF SUCCESSES AS SECRETARY OF
COMMERCE.
- 3 -
WITH THE END OF THE VIETNAM ERA, TRAGIC AS IT WAS,
IT IS TIME FOR AMERICA TO LOOK AHEAD -- TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
A NEW AGENDA FOR THE FUTURE -- AN AGENDA DESIGNED TO SOLVE
THIS NATION'S PROBLEMS AS WE MOVE INTO ITS THIRD CENTURY.
- 4 -
A TOP ITEM ON THAT AGENDA IS THE RESTORATION OF A
DYNAMIC AND EFFECTIVE ECONOMY AND A REVITALIZED FREE
ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
AND THE SECRETARY AND STAFF OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MUST PLAY A KEY ROLE IN BRINGING
THIS ABOUT.
- 5 -
LET'S NOT KID OURSELVES.
DESPITE THE ENORMOUS
MATERIAL PROGRESS AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM WE HAVE ATTAINED IN
AMERICA THROUGH THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, CONFIDENCE IN THE
SYSTEM IS TODAY CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN IT SHOULD BE.
- 6 -
ONE REASON IS INADEQUATE EDUCATION AND LACK OF
UNDERSTANDING OF THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM WHICH HAS PRODUCED
FOR OUR CITIZENS THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF LIVING IN THE WORLD
TODAY.
BECAUSE IT HAS WORKED so WELL FOR so LONG FOR so
MANY, WE HAVE TENDED TO TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
WE CAN DO
so NO LONGER.
- 7 -
WE MUST MAKE SURE WE DO NOT LOSE THIS LEGACY OF
FREEDOM AND PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY THROUGH APATHY OR
INDIFFERENCE -- OR EVEN IGNORANCE.
AND THAT IS WHERE THIS DEPARTMENT AND THIS MAN WHO
IS ABOUT TO BE SWORN IN AS ITS NEW SECRETARY COME IN.
- 8 -
ROG MORTON, IT'S UP TO YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT --
ALONG WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY -- TO GET THE FACTS TO THE
PEOPLE, TO RE-SELL AMERICANS ON THE MOST PRODUCTIVE AND MOST
RESPONSIVE ECONOMIC SYSTEM THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.
- 9 -
IT WILL ALSO BE YOUR TASK TO HELP RESTORE THE CONFIDENCE OF
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
IN THE BUSINESS WORLD.
I WILL DO MY PART.
- 10 -
AS YOU TAKE OVER THESE NEW AND VAST RESPONSIBILITIES,
ROG, I WANT TO WISH YOU SUCCESS IN PURSUING THIS VITAL
NEW GOAL.
I AM FULLY CONFIDENT THAT THIS DEPARTMENT, AND
ITS NEW SECRETARY, HAVE THE ENERGY, THE ABILITY, THE CHARACTER
AND THE INTEGRITY TO DO THIS IMPORTANT JOB.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO CALL ON JUSTICE POWELL TO
ADMINISTER THE OATH.
END OF TEXT