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1252470
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8/25/75 - Remarks for the Milwaukee White House Conference
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1252470
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document
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8/25/75 - Remarks for the Milwaukee White House Conference
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Wisconsin
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Economics
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1252470
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25
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1975-08-25
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8
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1975
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25
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1975-08-25
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8
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 14, "8/25/75 - Remarks for the Milwaukee
White House Conference" 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Digitized from Box 14 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
REMARKS FOR THE MILWAUKEE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE
MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 1975
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THANK YOU, BILL (Bill Baroody introduces you)
MR. WATSON (Key Business sponsor)
MR. SCHMIDT (Key Labor sponsor) AND
HEADS OF THE OTHER SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS
CONGRESSMAN BOB KASTEN
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION
LADIES AND GENT LEMEN
- 1 -
(ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS)
I HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR
26 YEARS NOW AND IT SADDENS ME TO SEE THE EVER-WIDENING
COMMUNICATION GAP BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND OUR CITIZENS.
- 2 -
I THINK THE DESPAIR MANY AMERICANS FEEL OF EVER MAKING
THEIR WISHES KNOWN WAS BEST SUMMED UP ON THE ENVELOPE
OF A LETTER I RECENTLY RECEIVED.
IT WAS PLAINTIVELY
ADDRESSED TO: PRESIDENT GERALD FORD -- OR VICE PRESIDENT
NELSON ROCKEFELLER -- OR SECRETARY OF STATE HENRY KISSINGER
-- OR JUST PLAIN ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN.
- 3 -
WELL, I ALONG WITH KEY MEMBERS OF MY
CABINET AND STAFF -- HAVE COME HERE TODAY TO LISTEN.
WE HAVE KEPT THE SPEECHES TO A MINIMUM -- AND,
HOPEFULLY, OUR RESPONSIVENESS TO A MAXIMUM.
- 4 -
WITH THE REPUTATION YOU WISCONSIN PEOPLE
HAVE FOR HARD WORK AND KEEN TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW,
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS, CONCERNS AND IDEAS
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY.
- 5 -
BUT FIRST, LET ME BRIEFLY TOUCH ON SOME
OF THE BASIC DIRECTIONS I BELIEVE OUR NATION CAN AND
SHOULD TAKE IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD.
OBVIOUSLY, THE ECONOMY IS ONE OF OUR
PRINCIPAL CONCERNS.
GRADUALLY, STEP BY STEP,
THE AMERICAN FREE ENTERPRISE ECONOMY HAS CREATED OVER
THE YEARS A BETTER LIFE FOR MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER
SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
- 6 -
YET, IN THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE SEEN IT PASS
THROUGH SOME VERY DIFFICULT TIMES.
RECESSION
ON THE ONE HAND AND INFLATION ON THE OTHER HAVE STRAINED
THE ECONOMIC SECURITY OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
- 7 -
SOME OF THE CAUSES OF OUR ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES
WERE BEYOND OUR CONTROL -- INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
PROMPTED THE SKYROCKETING OIL PRICES.
OTHERS WERE
THE RESULT OF GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY -- SUCH AS
INFLATIONARY SPENDING.
- 8 -
BUT, ON THE BASIS OF THE LATEST FIGURES,
THE DARKEST DAYS OF THE RECESSION ARE BEHIND US.
THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IS STARTING THE SUSTAINED RECOVERY
WE ALL DESIRE.
WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET,
HOWEVER, AS FAR AS THE RECESSION IS CONCERNED.
UNEMPLOYMENT IS FAR TOO HIGH AND MUST BE BROUGHT
DOWN.
WE MUST GET OUR FACTORIES PRODUCING AT
MAXIMUM CAPACITY AGAIN.
- 9 -
AND, WHILE WE CONTINUE FIGHTING THE
RECESSION, WE MUST ALSO FIGHT JUST AS HARD AGAINST
RISING INFLATION.
THE JULY INCREASE IN THE
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX WAS A CLEAR WARNING THAT
WE MUST NOT RELAX FOR A MOMENT IN THE BATTLE AGAINST
INFLATION.
AND WE WILL NOT.
- 10 - -
TODAY, YOU ALREADY HAVE HEARD FROM
SOME OF THE KEY PEOPLE IN MY ADMINISTRATION ON ENERGY,
INFLATION, UNEMPLOYMENT AND NEW INCENTIVES FOR THE
WORKING PEOPLE AND EMPLOYERS.
I HOPE WE CAN
GO FURTHER INTO THESE AND OTHER AREAS IN THE QUESTIONS
YOU HAVE SAVED UP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
END OF TEXT
(QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION FOLLOWS)