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{
    "localId": "1133415",
    "label": "5/24/75 - Law School of Pepperdine University Commencement",
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{
    "id": "1133415",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "5/24/75 - Law School of Pepperdine University Commencement",
    "description": "This file contains material relating to Resource Consumption, Waste.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133415",
    "collections": [
        "Carla A. Hills Speeches",
        "Speeches"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Department of Justice. Watergate Special Prosecution Force. 5/25/1973-6/20/1977",
        "Conservation",
        "Natural resources"
    ],
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    "coverageEndDate": {
        "day": 24,
        "logicalDate": "1975-05-24",
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        "year": 1975
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{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0305/656148/1133415.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 1, folder \"5/24/75 - Law School of Pepperdine\nUniversity Commencement\" of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford\nPresidential 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. Gerald Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain.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 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nFINAL\nLAW SCHOOL OF\nPEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY\nCOMMENCEMENT\nMAY 24, 1975\nI THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE HONORS YOU HAVE\nBESTOWED UPON ME THIS DAY -- FOR THIS HONORARY DEGREE\nWHICH I SHALL CHERISH, FOR THE KIND WORDS BILL, THAT\nYOU OFFER WITH IT, AND FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT\nTHIS COMMENCEMENT OF THE PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL.\nTHIS GRADUATION PROVIDES US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO\nREAFFIRM OUR FAITH IN OUR SYSTEM OF JUSTICE.\nIT HAS BECOME FAR TOO FASHIONABLE TO BE SCORNFUL OF\nOUR PROFESSION, To CONDEMN THE FAILURES OF LAWYERS IN\nHIGH PLACES RATHER THAN TO PRAISE THE SYSTEM WHICH CHECKED\nTHEIR LAWLESSNESS, To COMPLAIN THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY\nLAWYERS RATHER THAN TO HONOR THE TRADITION THAT MAKES OURS\nA GOVERNMENT OF LAWS WHICH HAS ACHIEVED so MUCH IN\nCOMPARISON TO THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE A TYRANNY OF MEN RULES\nUNCHECKED.\nFORD a LIBRARY DERALD\n-2-\nOURS, AFTER ALL, IS STILL THE CREATIVE SOCIETY TO\nWHICH THE FREE WORLD LOOKS FOR LEADERSHIP. WE REMAIN A\nCOUNTRY OF VITALITY AND STRENGTH. WE RETAIN MORE THAN\nANY OTHER NATION THE CAPACITY FOR THE KIND OF INNOVATIVE\nTHOUGHT THAT CAN LEAD THE WORLD OUT OF ITS ECONOMIC AND\nMORAL RECESSION.\nTODAY AS WE APPROACH THE CELEBRATION OF OUR 200TH\nBIRTHDAY, ENGLAND, OUR MOTHER COUNTRY, IS CONTEMPLATING\nA STUDY OF ITS LAWS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INSTALLING THOSE\nBASIC CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARDS OF OUR BILL OF RIGHTS\nWHICH HAVE PROTECTED US SINCE OUR INFANCY FROM THE FOLLY\nOF MEN.\nIN CELEBRATION OF THIS LASTING WISDOM, I AM HONORED\nTO CONGRATULATE THIS GRADUATING CLASS OF THE PEPPERDINE\nUNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL,\nFOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WORRY ABOUT WHERE YOU WILL FIND\nYOUR WORK AND WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH IN THE 50 YEARS OF\nPROFESSIONAL LIFE AHEAD OF YOU, YOU SHOULD STOP A MOMENT\nTO REFLECT UPON THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PAST 50 YEARS,\nCORAMO R. FORD LIBRARY\n-3-\nIT WAS, AFTER ALL, LESS THAN 50 YEARS AGO THAT OUR\nPARENTS EXPRESSED FAR MORE CONCERN FOR THE FATE OF CHARLES\nLINDBERGH AS HE MADE HIS FIRST HISTORIC FLIGHT ACROSS THE\nATLANTIC THAN WE EXPRESSED DURING RECENT YEARS FOR OUR\nASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE MADE TRIPS TO AND FROM THE MOON,\nAT THE TIME OF THE LINDBERGH FLIGHT, MR. JUSTICE HOLMES\nGRACED OUR SUPREME COURT. HE ONCE STATED, AND I QUOTE:\n\"THE LAW, WHEREIN, AS IN A MAGIC MIRROR,\nWE SEE REFLECTED NOT ONLY OUR OWN LIVES,\nBUT THE LIVES OF ALL MEN THAT HAVE BEEN.\nWHEN I THINK OF THIS MAJESTIC THEME MY\nEYES DAZZLE.\nWHEN REFLECTING ON WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE CANNOT\nOVERLOOK THE STARTLING FACT THAT MORE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES\nOF NOTE WERE MADE IN THE PAST 25 YEARS THAN IN ALL OF THE\nHISTORY OF MAN.\nR. FORD LIBRISHA\n-4-\nBUT, AS GREAT AS OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN, WHO\nCANNOT SEE THE GREAT INEQUALITIES IN THE WORLD TODAY?\nTHE POORLY EDUCATED, POORLY FED, POORLY CLOTHED, AND\nPOORLY HOUSED LIVE IN THE WORLD AT LARGE AND IN OUR\nCOUNTRY IN NUMBERS FAR TOO NUMEROUS TO BE TOLERATED.\nWE CAN TAKE COMFORT IN THE STRENGTH, INGENUITY AND\nPURPOSE THAT HAS BROUGHT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAL INSURANCE,\nUNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION, EQUAL\nOPPORTUNITY LAWS,\nBUT MODERN COMMUNICATIONS BRING HOME TO US THE FACT\nTHAT NOTWITHSTANDING ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE, ALL THAT WE\nHAVE IS THREATENED BY WHAT IS YET UNDONE AND BY THE COLOSSAL\nMALFEASANCE THAT HAS ERRODED PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN OUR\nGOVERNMENT AND IN OUR SYSTEM TO A DANGEROUS DEGREE.\nCONFIDENCE MUST AND WILL BE RESTORED. WE CAN LOOK\nWITH EITHER HOPE OR DESPAIR TO THE PAST 3 YEARS IN WHICH\nOUR LEADERS HAVE BEEN CONVICTED, DISCREDITED, OR HAVE\nADMITTED GUILT ON A SCALE UNPARALLELED IN THE FREE WORLD.\nFORD\n-5-\nBUT WHAT OTHER COUNTRY HAS EVER SUSTAINED SUCH INTENSE\nAND MULTIPLE SHOCKS WITHOUT THE THREAT OF A REVOLUTION OR\nAN EFFORT TO IMPOSE THE TYRANNY OF A TOTALITARIAN GOVERNMENT?\nAs GREAT AS WERE THESE PAST FAILURES, OUR SYSTEM NOW\nAPPROACHES THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1976 WITH A\nDEDICATION TO MORALITY AND FAIRNESS THAT NONE OF US WOULD\nHAVE DREAMED POSSIBLE 12 SHORT MONTHS AGO. WE HAVE INDEED\nPROFITED FROM OUR TERRIBLE MISTAKES,\nWHAT CHALLENGE THEN CAN A NEW LAW GRADUATE SEE AT THIS\nHISTORIC CROSSROADS IN 1975 OTHER THAN THE CHALLENGE OF\nFINDING A JOB --- WHICH WILL ADMITTEDLY BE GREATER THAN IN\nRECENT PAST YEARS,\nLET ME SUGGEST A FEW --\nIN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO THE\nREALIZATION THAT WE ARE A WASTEFUL PEOPLE,\n&\nFORD\n-6-\nTHE GAS CRISIS TAUGHT US THAT WE WASTED ENERGY.\nTHE ENVIRONMENTALISTS HAVE TAUGHT US THAT WE ARE\nWASTING THE AIR AND WATER RESOURCES UPON WHICH WE DEPEND\nFOR SURVIVAL.\nTHE CIVIL DISTURBANCES OF 1968 TAUGHT US THAT WE\nWASTE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES BY CONSIGNING LARGE SEGMENTS\nOF OUR POPULATION TO A CONTINUING CYCLE OF POVERTY FROM\nWHICH FAR TOO FEW BREAK FREE.\nOUR COLLECTIVE EXISTENCE HAS BEEN ONE OF CONSUMPTION,\nWE CONSUMED A FRONTIER AND TURNED IT INTO A SERIES OF\nSPRAWLING CITIES. AND WE CONSUME OUR RESOURCES AT A FRIGHTENING\nRATE TO KEEP THOSE CITIES ALIVE.\nAMERICA AS A NATION HAS BEEN LIKE A SPOILED CHILD\nUSED TO ABUNDANCE, As WE NOW REACH OUR ADOLESCENCE AS A\nNATION WE MUST LEARN TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE AND SPARING\nWITH OUR VALUABLE RESOURCES,\nGE7A40 R. FORD\n-7-\nTo YOU IS PRESENTED THE CHALLENGE TO TEACH THAT\nRESPONSIBILITY.\nTo YOU IS PRESENTED THE NEED FOR FINDING BETTER\nWAYS TO SOLVE THE TOUGH ISSUES THAT DIVIDE US AND SAP\nOUR GROWTH. ISSUES SUCH AS:\nNEW BUSINESS AND ENERGY GROWTH\nVERSUS\nTHE INSISTENT DEMAND FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT.\nTHE PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT TO GUARANTEE\nNEW JOBS, HOMES AND SECURITY\nVERSUS\nOUR FAITH IN FREE ENTERPRISE.\nTHE CRITICAL NEED FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE\nSYSTEM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE\nVERSUS\nOUR DEDICATION TO FAIR TRIALS AND OUR\nCOMPASSION FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED.\n& FORD\n-8-\nTHE SHARP DEMAND OF CONSUMERS FOR\nBETTER TREATMENT\nVERSUS\nTHE EQUALLY INCESSENT CALL FOR LESS\nGOVERNMENT REGULATION.\nTHE DESPERATE CRY OF THE UNEMPLOYED\nVERSUS\nTHE UNIVERSAL DESIRE TO AVOID ANOTHER\nCRIPPLING INFLATIONARY CYCLE.\nLAWYERS NOW UNDER THE AGE OF 30 WILL FASHION FAR MORE\nEFFECTIVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WILL PROVIDE QUALITY LEGAL\nSERVICES TO MORE OF OUR LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME GROUPS,\nAND WILL SEE TO IT THAT APPROPRIATE PORTIONS OF THESE\nSERVICES WILL BE OFFERED BY NON-LAWYERS AT LOWER COSTS,\nYou WILL REFORM BOTH OUR CRIMINAL COURTS AND OUR\nPENAL INSTITUTIONS. You WILL FIND AND ESTABLISH DISPUTE\nSETTLEMENT TECHNIQUES TO LESSEN THE BURDEN ON OUR COURTS.\nMERALD P FORD\n-9-\nYou WILL, IN PARTICULAR, FIND NEW SOLUTIONS FOR THE\nAGONY IN OUR CITIES OVER HOUSING, JOBS, SCHOOLS, BUSSING.\nHOPEFULLY, IN YOUR TIME, GOVERNMENT WILL WORK BETTER\nBY WORKING LESS.\nWITH LUCK, AND HARD WORK, YOU WILL, 25 YEARS FROM\nTODAY BE JUST AS PROUD OF YOUR SUCCESS AND JUST AS AWARE\nOF YOUR REMAINING SHORT-FALLS AS WE ARE HERE TODAY,\nFOR ALL OF THESE ARE EITHER THE DESPERATE PROBLEMS,\nOR THE GREAT CHALLENGES, DEPENDING ON YOUR PRESENT STATE\nOF MIND, THAT AWAIT YOUR ATTENTION ALONG WITH THE JOB\nYOU SEEK ON THE OUTSIDE,\nAND, WHERE YOU WILL FIND THAT JOB NOW THAT so MANY\nOF THE ESTABLISHED AND DISTINGUISHED LAW FIRMS WITH SECURE\nOPPORTUNITY HAVE FILLED THEIR QUOTA OF YOUNG LAWYERS IN\nTHIS YEAR'S RECESSION. HERE TOO IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY.\nLET ME RESURRECT THE WISDOM OF EMERSON, WHO SAID IN HIS\nSELF RELIANCE:\nA.\nFORD\nDERALD\n-10-\n\"IF OUR YOUNG MEN MISCARRY IN\nTHEIR FIRST ENTERPRISE THEY LOSE ALL\nHEART\nIF THE FINEST GENIUS\nSTUDIES AT ONE OF OUR COLLEGES AND\nIS NOT INSTALLED IN AN OFFICE WITHIN\nONE YEAR\n...\nIN THE CITIES\nIT\nSEEMS TO HIS FRIENDS AND TO HIMSELF\nTHAT HE IS RIGHT IN BEING DISHEARTENED\nA STURDY LAD WHO IN TURN TRIES\nALL THE PROFESSIONS, WHO TRIES IT,\nFARMS IT, PEDDLES\nPREACHES,\nEDITS, GOES TO CONGRESS\nAND so\nFORTH IN SUCCESSIVE YEARS\nIS\nWORTH A HUNDRED OF THESE CITY DOLLS FOR\nHE HAS NOT ONE CHANCE BUT A\nHUNDRED CHANCES, INSIST ON YOURSELF;\n\"\nNEVER IMITATE.\nGERALD A. FORD LIBRARY\n-11-\nTHESE WORDS HAVE NEVER HAD MORE MEANING THAN TODAY.\nTHERE ARE so MANY FINE OPPORTUNITIES IN ADDITION TO THOSE\nTHAT WERE POSTED ON YOUR BULLETIN BOARD AND ARE NOW FILLED.\nTHE GREAT LAW FIRMS OF TODAY WERE NOT NECESSARILY\nFOUNDED BY THOSE WHO SPENT THEIR LIVES IN GREAT LAW FIRMS.\nTHE FUTURE MAY WELL BE BRIGHTER FOR YOU, IF YOU REACH FOR\nAN OPPORTUNITY WHICH IS NOT UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED ---\nBECAUSE OF WHAT YOU MAKE IT.\nFORTUNE MAGAZINE, EARLIER THIS YEAR, IN CELEBRATING\nOUR BICENTENNIAL LISTED THOSE BUSINESS LEADERS WHO CONTRIBUTED\nTHE MOST TO OUR NATION'S SUCCESS, WITHOUT EXCEPTION THEY\nPICKED THE NON-TRADITIONALISTS, PEOPLE WHO ACTED AND THOUGHT\nDIFFERENTLY, AND -- ACCOMPLISHED MORE.\nTHE COUNTRY NEEDS PEOPLE WHO CREATE NEW JOBS, FOR\nTHEMSELVES AND OTHERS, NOT ONLY PEOPLE WHO FILL ESTABLISHED\nJOBS, YOURS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INNOVATE.\n? P. FORD\n-12-\nA BRITISH JURIST WAS ONCE ASKED HOW TO SUCCEED IN THE\nSTUDY OF LAW. HE ANSWERED:\n\"LIVE LIKE A HERMIT AND WORK LIKE A HORSE.\"\nTo THIS YOU CAN NOW ADD, THE NEED TO SUFFER THE FINAL\nORDEAL OF A COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS!\nTHANK YOU,\nP. FORD"
}