Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress: I am happy to report to this 81st Congress that the state of the Union is good. Our Nation is better able than ever before to meet the needs of the American people, and to give them their fair chance in the pursuit of happiness. This great Republic is foremost among the nations of the world in the search for peace. During the last 16 years, our people have been creating a society which offers new opportunities for every man to enjoy his share of the good things of life. In this society, we are conservative about the values and principles which we cherish; but we are forward-looking in protecting those values and principles and in extending their benefits. We have rejected the discredited theory that the fortunes of the Nation should be in the hands of a privileged few. We have abandoned the "trickledown" concept of national prosperity. Instead, we believe that our economic system should rest on a democratic foundation and that wealth should be created for the benefit of all. The recent election shows that the people of the United States are in favor of this kind of society and want to go on improving it. The American people have decided that poverty is just as wasteful and just as unnecessary as preventable disease. We have pledged our common resources to help one another in the hazards and struggles of individual life. We believe that no unfair prejudice or artificial distinction should bar any citizen of the United States of America from an education, or from good health, or from a job that he is capable of performing. The attainment of this kind of society demands the best efforts of every citizen in every walk of life, and it imposes increasing responsibilities on the Government. The Government must work with industry, labor, and the farmers in keeping our economy running at full speed. The Government must see that every American has a chance to obtain his fair share of our increasing abundance. These responsibilities go hand in hand. We cannot maintain prosperity unless we have a fair distribution of opportunity and a widespread consumption of the products of our factories and farms. Our Government has undertaken to meet these responsibilities. We have ,made tremendous public investments in highways, hydroelectric power projects, soil conservation, and reclamation. We have established a system of social security. We have enacted laws protecting the rights and the welfare of our working people and the income of our farmers. These Federal policies have paid for themselves many times over. They have strengthened the material foundations of our democratic ideals. Without them, our present prosperity would be impossible. Reinforced by these policies, our private enterprise system has reached new heights of production. Since the boom year of 1929, while our population has increased by only 20 percent, our agricultural production has increased by 45 percent, and our industrial production has increased by 75 percent. We are turning out far more goods and more wealth per worker than we have ever done before. This progress has confounded the gloomy prophets--at home and abroad who predicted the downfall of American capitalism. The people of the United States, going their own way, confident in their own powers, have achieved the greatest prosperity the world has even seen. But, great as our progress has been, we still have a long way to go. As we look around the country, many of our shortcomings stand out in bold relief. We are suffering from excessively high prices. Our production is still not large enough to satisfy our demands. Our minimum wages are far too low. Small business is losing ground to growing monopoly. Our farmers still face an uncertain future. And too many of them lack the benefits of our modern civilization. Some of our natural resources are still being wasted. We are acutely short of electric power, although the means for developing such power are abundant. Five million families are still living in slums and firetraps. Three million families share their homes with others. Our health is far behind the progress of medical science. Proper medical care is so expensive that it is out of the reach of the great majority of our citizens. Our schools, in many localities, are utterly inadequate. Our democratic ideals are often thwarted by prejudice and intolerance. Each of these shortcomings is also an opportunity-an opportunity for the Congress and the President to work for the good of the people. Our first great opportunity is to protect our economy against the evils of "boom and bust." This objective cannot be attained by government alone. Indeed, the greater part of the task must be performed by individual efforts under our system of free enterprise. We can keep our present prosperity, and increase it, only if free enterprise and free government work together to that end. We cannot afford to float along ceaselessly on a postwar boom until it collapses. It is not enough merely to prepare to weather a recession if it comes. Instead, government and business must work together constantly to achieve more and more jobs and more and more production--which mean more and more prosperity for all the people. The business cycle is man-made; and men of good will, working together, can smooth it out. So far as business is concerned, it should plan for steady, vigorous expansion--seeking always to increase its output, lower its prices, and avoid the vices of monopoly and restriction. So long as business does this, it will be contributing to continued prosperity, and it will have the help and encouragement of the Government. The Employment Act of 1946 pledges the Government to use all its resources to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. This means that the Government is firmly committed to protect business and the people against the dangers of recession and against the evils of inflation. This means that the Government must adapt its plans and policies to meet changing circumstances. At the present time, our prosperity is threatened by inflationary pressures at a number of critical points in our economy. And the Government must be in a position to take effective action at these danger spots. To that end, I recommend that the Congress enact legislation for the following purposes: First, to continue the power to control consumer credit and enlarge the power to control bank credit. Second, to grant authority to regulate speculation on the commodity exchanges. Third, to continue export control authority and to provide adequate machinery for its enforcement. Fourth, to continue the priorities and allocation authority in the field of transportation. Fifth, to authorize priorities and allocations for key materials in short supply. Sixth, to extend and strengthen rent control. Seventh, to provide standby authority to impose price ceilings for scarce commodities which basically affect essential industrial production or the cost of living, and to limit unjustified wage adjustments which would force a break in an established price ceiling. Eighth, to authorize an immediate study of the adequacy of production facilities for materials in critically short supply, such as steel; and, if found necessary, to authorize Government loans for the expansion of production facilities to relieve such shortages, and to authorize the construction of such facilities directly, if action by private industry fails to meet our needs. The Economic Report, which I shall submit to the Congress shortly, will discuss in detail the economic background for these recommendations. One of the most important factors in maintaining prosperity is the Government's fiscal policy. At this time, it is essential not only that the Federal budget be balanced, but also that there be a substantial surplus to reduce inflationary pressures, and to permit a sizable reduction in the national debt, which now stands at $252 billion. I recommend, therefore, that the Congress enact new tax legislation to bring in an additional $4 billion of Government revenue. This should come principally from additional corporate taxes. A portion should come from revised estate and gift taxes. Consideration should be given to raising personal income rates in the middle and upper brackets. If we want to keep our economy running in high gear, we must be sure that every group has the incentive to make its full contribution to the national welfare. At present, the working men and women of the Nation are unfairly discriminated against by a statute that abridges their rights, curtails their constructive efforts, and hampers our system of free collective bargaining. That statute is the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947, sometimes called the Taft-Hartley Act. That act should be repealed! The Wagner Act should be reenacted. However, certain improvements, which I recommended to the Congress 2 years ago, are needed. Jurisdictional strikes and unjustified secondary boycotts should be prohibited. The use of economic force to decide issues arising out of the interpretation of existing contracts should be prevented. Without endangering our democratic freedoms, means should be provided for setting up machinery for preventing strikes in vital industries which affect the public interest. The Department of Labor should be rebuilt and strengthened and those units properly belonging within that department should be placed in it. The health of our economy and its maintenance at high levels further require that the minimum wage fixed by law should be raised to at least 75 cents an hour. If our free enterprise economy is to be strong and healthy, we must reinvigorate the forces of competition. We must assure small business the freedom and opportunity to grow and prosper. To this purpose, we should strengthen our antitrust laws by closing those loopholes that permit monopolistic mergers and consolidations. Our national farm program should be improved-not only in the interest of the farmers, but for the lasting prosperity of the whole Nation. Our goals should be abundant farm production and parity income for agriculture. Standards of living on the farm should be just as good as anywhere else in the country. Farm price supports are an essential part of our program to achieve these ends. Price supports should be used to prevent farm price declines which are out of line with general price levels, to facilitate adjustments in production to consumer demands, and to promote good land use. Our price support legislation must be adapted to these objectives. The authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide adequate storage space for crops should be restored. Our program for farm prosperity should also seek to expand the domestic market for agricultural products, particularly among low-income groups, and to increase and stabilize foreign markets. We should give special attention to extending modern conveniences and services to our farms. Rural electrification should be pushed forward. And in considering legislation relating to housing, education, health, and social security, special attention should be given to rural problems. Our growing population and the expansion of our economy depend upon the wise management of our land, water, forest, and mineral wealth. In our present dynamic economy, the task of conservation is not to lockup our resources but to develop and improve them. Failure, today, to make the investments which are necessary to support our progress in the future would be false economy. We must push forward the development of our rivers for power, irrigation, navigation, and flood control. We should apply the lessons of our Tennessee Valley experience to our other great river basins. I again recommend action be taken by the Congress to approve the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power project. This is about the fifth time I have recommended it. We must adopt a program for the planned use of the petroleum reserves under the sea, which are--and must remain--vested in the Federal Government. We must extend our programs of soil conservation. We must place our forests on a sustained yield basis, and encourage the development of new sources of vital minerals. In all this we must make sure that the benefits of these public undertakings are directly available to the people. Public power should be carried to consuming areas by public transmission lines where necessary to provide electricity at the lowest possible rates. Irrigation waters should serve family farms and not land speculators. The Government has still other opportunities--to help raise the standard of living of our citizens. These opportunities lie in the fields of social security, health, education, housing, and civil rights. The present coverage of the social security laws is altogether inadequate; the benefit payments are too low. One-third of our workers are not covered. Those who receive old-age and survivors insurance benefits receive an average payment of only $25 a month. Many others who cannot work because they are physically disabled are left to the mercy of charity. We should expand our social security program, both as to the size of the benefits and the extent of coverage, against the economic hazards due to unemployment, old age, sickness, and disability. We must spare no effort to raise the general level of health in this country. In a nation as rich as ours, it is a shocking fact that tens of millions lack adequate medical care. We are short of doctors, hospitals, nurses. We must remedy these shortages. Moreover, we need--and we must have without further delay--a system of prepaid medical insurance which will enable every American to afford good medical care. It is equally shocking that millions of our children are not receiving a good education. Millions of them are in overcrowded, obsolete buildings. We are short of teachers, because teachers' salaries are too low to attract new teachers, or to hold the ones we have. All these school problems will become much more acute as a result of the tremendous increase in the enrollment in our elementary schools in the next few years. I cannot repeat too strongly my desire for prompt Federal financial aid to the States to help them operate and maintain their school systems. The governmental agency which now administers the programs of health, education, and social security should be given full departmental status. The housing shortage continues to be acute. As an immediate step, the Congress should enact the provisions for low-rent public housing, slum clearance, farm housing, and housing research which I have repeatedly recommended. The number of lowrent public housing units provided for in the legislation should be increased to 1 million units in the next 7 years. Even this number of units will not begin to meet our need for new housing. Most of the houses we need will have to be built by private enterprise, without public subsidy. By producing too few rental units and too large a proportion of high-priced houses, the building industry is rapidly pricing itself out of the market. Building costs must be lowered. The Government is now engaged in a campaign to induce all segments of the building industry to concentrate on the production of lower priced housing. Additional legislation to encourage such housing will be submitted. The authority which I have requested, to allocate materials in short supply and to impose price ceilings on such materials, could be used, if found necessary, to channel more materials into homes large enough for family life at prices which wage earners can afford. The driving force behind our progress is our faith in our democratic institutions. That faith is embodied in the promise of equal rights and equal opportunities which the founders of our Republic proclaimed to their countrymen and to the whole world. The fulfillment of this promise is among the highest purposes of government. The civil rights proposals I made to the 80th Congress, I now repeat to the 81st Congress. They should be enacted in order that the Federal Government may assume the leadership and discharge the obligations dearly placed upon it by the Constitution. I stand squarely behind those proposals. Our domestic programs are the foundation of our foreign policy. The world today looks to us for leadership because we have so largely realized, within our borders, those benefits of democratic government for which most of the peoples of the world are yearning. We are following a foreign policy which is the outward expression of the democratic faith we profess. We are doing what we can to encourage free states and free peoples throughout the world, to aid the suffering and afflicted in foreign lands, and to strengthen democratic nations against aggression. The heart of our foreign policy is peace. We are supporting a world organization to keep peace and a world economic policy to create prosperity for mankind. Our guiding star is the principle of international cooperation. To this concept we have made a national commitment as profound as anything in history. To it we have pledged our resources and our honor. Until a system of world security is established upon which we can safely rely, we cannot escape the burden of creating and maintaining armed forces sufficient to deter aggression. We have made great progress in the last year in the effective organization of our Armed Forces, but further improvements in our national security legislation are necessary. Universal training is essential to the security of the United States. During the course of this session I shall have occasion to ask the Congress to consider several measures in the field of foreign policy. At this time, I recommend that we restore the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act to full effectiveness, and extend it for 3 years. We should also open our doors to displaced persons without unfair discrimination. It should be clear by now to all citizens that we are not seeking to freeze the status quo. We have no intention of preserving the injustices of the past. We welcome the constructive efforts being made by many nations to achieve a better life for their citizens. In the European recovery program, in our good-neighbor policy and in the United Nations, we have begun to batter down those national walls which block the economic growth and the social advancement of the peoples of the world. We believe that if we hold resolutely to this course, the principle of international cooperation will eventually command the approval even of those nations which are now seeking to weaken or subvert it. We stand at the opening of an era which can mean either great achievement or terrible catastrophe for ourselves and for all mankind. The strength of our Nation must continue to be used in the interest of all our people rather than a privileged few. It must continue to be used unselfishly in the struggle for world peace and the betterment of mankind the world over. This is the task before us. It is not an easy one. It has many complications, and there will be strong opposition from selfish interests. I hope for cooperation from farmers, from labor, and from business. Every segment of our population and every individual has a right to expect from our Government a fair deal. In 1945, when I came down before the Congress for the first time on April 16, I quoted to you King Solomon's prayer that he wanted wisdom and the ability to govern his people as they should be governed. I explained to you at that time that the task before me was one of the greatest in the history of the world, and that it was necessary to have the complete cooperation of the Congress and the people of the United States. Well now, we are taking a new start with the same situation. It is absolutely essential that your President have the complete cooperation of the Congress to carry out the great work that must be done to keep the peace in this world, and to keep this country prosperous. The people of this great country have a right to expect that the Congress and the President will work in closest cooperation with one objective--the welfare of the people of this Nation as a whole. In the months ahead I know that I shall be able to cooperate with this Congress. Now, I am confident that the Divine Power which has guided us to this time of fateful responsibility and glorious opportunity will not desert us now. With that help from Almighty God which we have humbly acknowledged at every turning point in our national life, we shall be able to perform the great tasks which He now sets before us.
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress: I am happy to report to this 81st Congress that the state of the Union is good. Our Nation is better able than ever before to meet the needs of the American people, and to give them their fair chance in the pursuit of happiness. This great Republic is foremost among the nations of the world in the search for peace. During the last 16 years, our people have been creating a society which offers new opportunities for every man to enjoy his share of the good things of life. In this society, we are conservative about the values and principles which we cherish; but we are forward-looking in protecting those values and principles and in extending their benefits. We have rejected the discredited theory that the fortunes of the Nation should be in the hands of a privileged few. We have abandoned the "trickledown" concept of national prosperity. Instead, we believe that our economic system should rest on a democratic foundation and that wealth should be created for the benefit of all. The recent election shows that the people of the United States are in favor of this kind of society and want to go on improving it. The American people have decided that poverty is just as wasteful and just as unnecessary as preventable disease. We have pledged our common resources to help one another in the hazards and struggles of individual life. We believe that no unfair prejudice or artificial distinction should bar any citizen of the United States of America from an education, or from good health, or from a job that he is capable of performing. The attainment of this kind of society demands the best efforts of every citizen in every walk of life, and it imposes increasing responsibilities on the Government. The Government must work with industry, labor, and the farmers in keeping our economy running at full speed. The Government must see that every American has a chance to obtain his fair share of our increasing abundance. These responsibilities go hand in hand. We cannot maintain prosperity unless we have a fair distribution of opportunity and a widespread consumption of the products of our factories and farms. Our Government has undertaken to meet these responsibilities. We have ,made tremendous public investments in highways, hydroelectric power projects, soil conservation, and reclamation. We have established a system of social security. We have enacted laws protecting the rights and the welfare of our working people and the income of our farmers. These Federal policies have paid for themselves many times over. They have strengthened the material foundations of our democratic ideals. Without them, our present prosperity would be impossible. Reinforced by these policies, our private enterprise system has reached new heights of production. Since the boom year of 1929, while our population has increased by only 20 percent, our agricultural production has increased by 45 percent, and our industrial production has increased by 75 percent. We are turning out far more goods and more wealth per worker than we have ever done before. This progress has confounded the gloomy prophets--at home and abroad who predicted the downfall of American capitalism. The people of the United States, going their own way, confident in their own powers, have achieved the greatest prosperity the world has even seen. But, great as our progress has been, we still have a long way to go. As we look around the country, many of our shortcomings stand out in bold relief. We are suffering from excessively high prices. Our production is still not large enough to satisfy our demands. Our minimum wages are far too low. Small business is losing ground to growing monopoly. Our farmers still face an uncertain future. And too many of them lack the benefits of our modern civilization. Some of our natural resources are still being wasted. We are acutely short of electric power, although the means for developing such power are abundant. Five million families are still living in slums and firetraps. Three million families share their homes with others. Our health is far behind the progress of medical science. Proper medical care is so expensive that it is out of the reach of the great majority of our citizens. Our schools, in many localities, are utterly inadequate. Our democratic ideals are often thwarted by prejudice and intolerance. Each of these shortcomings is also an opportunity-an opportunity for the Congress and the President to work for the good of the people. Our first great opportunity is to protect our economy against the evils of "boom and bust." This objective cannot be attained by government alone. Indeed, the greater part of the task must be performed by individual efforts under our system of free enterprise. We can keep our present prosperity, and increase it, only if free enterprise and free government work together to that end. We cannot afford to float along ceaselessly on a postwar boom until it collapses. It is not enough merely to prepare to weather a recession if it comes. Instead, government and business must work together constantly to achieve more and more jobs and more and more production--which mean more and more prosperity for all the people. The business cycle is man-made; and men of good will, working together, can smooth it out. So far as business is concerned, it should plan for steady, vigorous expansion--seeking always to increase its output, lower its prices, and avoid the vices of monopoly and restriction. So long as business does this, it will be contributing to continued prosperity, and it will have the help and encouragement of the Government. The Employment Act of 1946 pledges the Government to use all its resources to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. This means that the Government is firmly committed to protect business and the people against the dangers of recession and against the evils of inflation. This means that the Government must adapt its plans and policies to meet changing circumstances. At the present time, our prosperity is threatened by inflationary pressures at a number of critical points in our economy. And the Government must be in a position to take effective action at these danger spots. To that end, I recommend that the Congress enact legislation for the following purposes: First, to continue the power to control consumer credit and enlarge the power to control bank credit. Second, to grant authority to regulate speculation on the commodity exchanges. Third, to continue export control authority and to provide adequate machinery for its enforcement. Fourth, to continue the priorities and allocation authority in the field of transportation. Fifth, to authorize priorities and allocations for key materials in short supply. Sixth, to extend and strengthen rent control. Seventh, to provide standby authority to impose price ceilings for scarce commodities which basically affect essential industrial production or the cost of living, and to limit unjustified wage adjustments which would force a break in an established price ceiling. Eighth, to authorize an immediate study of the adequacy of production facilities for materials in critically short supply, such as steel; and, if found necessary, to authorize Government loans for the expansion of production facilities to relieve such shortages, and to authorize the construction of such facilities directly, if action by private industry fails to meet our needs. The Economic Report, which I shall submit to the Congress shortly, will discuss in detail the economic background for these recommendations. One of the most important factors in maintaining prosperity is the Government's fiscal policy. At this time, it is essential not only that the Federal budget be balanced, but also that there be a substantial surplus to reduce inflationary pressures, and to permit a sizable reduction in the national debt, which now stands at $252 billion. I recommend, therefore, that the Congress enact new tax legislation to bring in an additional $4 billion of Government revenue. This should come principally from additional corporate taxes. A portion should come from revised estate and gift taxes. Consideration should be given to raising personal income rates in the middle and upper brackets. If we want to keep our economy running in high gear, we must be sure that every group has the incentive to make its full contribution to the national welfare. At present, the working men and women of the Nation are unfairly discriminated against by a statute that abridges their rights, curtails their constructive efforts, and hampers our system of free collective bargaining. That statute is the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947, sometimes called the Taft-Hartley Act. That act should be repealed! The Wagner Act should be reenacted. However, certain improvements, which I recommended to the Congress 2 years ago, are needed. Jurisdictional strikes and unjustified secondary boycotts should be prohibited. The use of economic force to decide issues arising out of the interpretation of existing contracts should be prevented. Without endangering our democratic freedoms, means should be provided for setting up machinery for preventing strikes in vital industries which affect the public interest. The Department of Labor should be rebuilt and strengthened and those units properly belonging within that department should be placed in it. The health of our economy and its maintenance at high levels further require that the minimum wage fixed by law should be raised to at least 75 cents an hour. If our free enterprise economy is to be strong and healthy, we must reinvigorate the forces of competition. We must assure small business the freedom and opportunity to grow and prosper. To this purpose, we should strengthen our antitrust laws by closing those loopholes that permit monopolistic mergers and consolidations. Our national farm program should be improved-not only in the interest of the farmers, but for the lasting prosperity of the whole Nation. Our goals should be abundant farm production and parity income for agriculture. Standards of living on the farm should be just as good as anywhere else in the country. Farm price supports are an essential part of our program to achieve these ends. Price supports should be used to prevent farm price declines which are out of line with general price levels, to facilitate adjustments in production to consumer demands, and to promote good land use. Our price support legislation must be adapted to these objectives. The authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide adequate storage space for crops should be restored. Our program for farm prosperity should also seek to expand the domestic market for agricultural products, particularly among low-income groups, and to increase and stabilize foreign markets. We should give special attention to extending modern conveniences and services to our farms. Rural electrification should be pushed forward. And in considering legislation relating to housing, education, health, and social security, special attention should be given to rural problems. Our growing population and the expansion of our economy depend upon the wise management of our land, water, forest, and mineral wealth. In our present dynamic economy, the task of conservation is not to lockup our resources but to develop and improve them. Failure, today, to make the investments which are necessary to support our progress in the future would be false economy. We must push forward the development of our rivers for power, irrigation, navigation, and flood control. We should apply the lessons of our Tennessee Valley experience to our other great river basins. I again recommend action be taken by the Congress to approve the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power project. This is about the fifth time I have recommended it. We must adopt a program for the planned use of the petroleum reserves under the sea, which are--and must remain--vested in the Federal Government. We must extend our programs of soil conservation. We must place our forests on a sustained yield basis, and encourage the development of new sources of vital minerals. In all this we must make sure that the benefits of these public undertakings are directly available to the people. Public power should be carried to consuming areas by public transmission lines where necessary to provide electricity at the lowest possible rates. Irrigation waters should serve family farms and not land speculators. The Government has still other opportunities--to help raise the standard of living of our citizens. These opportunities lie in the fields of social security, health, education, housing, and civil rights. The present coverage of the social security laws is altogether inadequate; the benefit payments are too low. One-third of our workers are not covered. Those who receive old-age and survivors insurance benefits receive an average payment of only $25 a month. Many others who cannot work because they are physically disabled are left to the mercy of charity. We should expand our social security program, both as to the size of the benefits and the extent of coverage, against the economic hazards due to unemployment, old age, sickness, and disability. We must spare no effort to raise the general level of health in this country. In a nation as rich as ours, it is a shocking fact that tens of millions lack adequate medical care. We are short of doctors, hospitals, nurses. We must remedy these shortages. Moreover, we need--and we must have without further delay--a system of prepaid medical insurance which will enable every American to afford good medical care. It is equally shocking that millions of our children are not receiving a good education. Millions of them are in overcrowded, obsolete buildings. We are short of teachers, because teachers' salaries are too low to attract new teachers, or to hold the ones we have. All these school problems will become much more acute as a result of the tremendous increase in the enrollment in our elementary schools in the next few years. I cannot repeat too strongly my desire for prompt Federal financial aid to the States to help them operate and maintain their school systems. The governmental agency which now administers the programs of health, education, and social security should be given full departmental status. The housing shortage continues to be acute. As an immediate step, the Congress should enact the provisions for low-rent public housing, slum clearance, farm housing, and housing research which I have repeatedly recommended. The number of lowrent public housing units provided for in the legislation should be increased to 1 million units in the next 7 years. Even this number of units will not begin to meet our need for new housing. Most of the houses we need will have to be built by private enterprise, without public subsidy. By producing too few rental units and too large a proportion of high-priced houses, the building industry is rapidly pricing itself out of the market. Building costs must be lowered. The Government is now engaged in a campaign to induce all segments of the building industry to concentrate on the production of lower priced housing. Additional legislation to encourage such housing will be submitted. The authority which I have requested, to allocate materials in short supply and to impose price ceilings on such materials, could be used, if found necessary, to channel more materials into homes large enough for family life at prices which wage earners can afford. The driving force behind our progress is our faith in our democratic institutions. That faith is embodied in the promise of equal rights and equal opportunities which the founders of our Republic proclaimed to their countrymen and to the whole world. The fulfillment of this promise is among the highest purposes of government. The civil rights proposals I made to the 80th Congress, I now repeat to the 81st Congress. They should be enacted in order that the Federal Government may assume the leadership and discharge the obligations dearly placed upon it by the Constitution. I stand squarely behind those proposals. Our domestic programs are the foundation of our foreign policy. The world today looks to us for leadership because we have so largely realized, within our borders, those benefits of democratic government for which most of the peoples of the world are yearning. We are following a foreign policy which is the outward expression of the democratic faith we profess. We are doing what we can to encourage free states and free peoples throughout the world, to aid the suffering and afflicted in foreign lands, and to strengthen democratic nations against aggression. The heart of our foreign policy is peace. We are supporting a world organization to keep peace and a world economic policy to create prosperity for mankind. Our guiding star is the principle of international cooperation. To this concept we have made a national commitment as profound as anything in history. To it we have pledged our resources and our honor. Until a system of world security is established upon which we can safely rely, we cannot escape the burden of creating and maintaining armed forces sufficient to deter aggression. We have made great progress in the last year in the effective organization of our Armed Forces, but further improvements in our national security legislation are necessary. Universal training is essential to the security of the United States. During the course of this session I shall have occasion to ask the Congress to consider several measures in the field of foreign policy. At this time, I recommend that we restore the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act to full effectiveness, and extend it for 3 years. We should also open our doors to displaced persons without unfair discrimination. It should be clear by now to all citizens that we are not seeking to freeze the status quo. We have no intention of preserving the injustices of the past. We welcome the constructive efforts being made by many nations to achieve a better life for their citizens. In the European recovery program, in our good-neighbor policy and in the United Nations, we have begun to batter down those national walls which block the economic growth and the social advancement of the peoples of the world. We believe that if we hold resolutely to this course, the principle of international cooperation will eventually command the approval even of those nations which are now seeking to weaken or subvert it. We stand at the opening of an era which can mean either great achievement or terrible catastrophe for ourselves and for all mankind. The strength of our Nation must continue to be used in the interest of all our people rather than a privileged few. It must continue to be used unselfishly in the struggle for world peace and the betterment of mankind the world over. This is the task before us. It is not an easy one. It has many complications, and there will be strong opposition from selfish interests. I hope for cooperation from farmers, from labor, and from business. Every segment of our population and every individual has a right to expect from our Government a fair deal. In 1945, when I came down before the Congress for the first time on April 16, I quoted to you King Solomon's prayer that he wanted wisdom and the ability to govern his people as they should be governed. I explained to you at that time that the task before me was one of the greatest in the history of the world, and that it was necessary to have the complete cooperation of the Congress and the people of the United States. Well now, we are taking a new start with the same situation. It is absolutely essential that your President have the complete cooperation of the Congress to carry out the great work that must be done to keep the peace in this world, and to keep this country prosperous. The people of this great country have a right to expect that the Congress and the President will work in closest cooperation with one objective--the welfare of the people of this Nation as a whole. In the months ahead I know that I shall be able to cooperate with this Congress. Now, I am confident that the Divine Power which has guided us to this time of fateful responsibility and glorious opportunity will not desert us now. With that help from Almighty God which we have humbly acknowledged at every turning point in our national life, we shall be able to perform the great tasks which He now sets before us.
president speaker members of the congress i am happy to report to this 81st congress that the state of the union is good our nation is better able than ever before to meet the needs of the american people and to give them their fair chance in the pursuit of happiness this great republic is foremost among the nations of the world in the search for peace during the last 16 years our people have been creating a society which offers new opportunities for every man to enjoy his share of the good things of life in this society we are conservative about the values and principles which we cherish but we are in protecting those values and principles and in extending their benefits we have rejected the discredited theory that the fortunes of the nation should be in the hands of a privileged few we have abandoned the trickledown concept of national prosperity instead we believe that our economic system should rest on a democratic foundation and that wealth should be created for the benefit of all the recent election shows that the people of the united states are in favor of this kind of society and want to go on improving it the american people have decided that poverty is just as wasteful and just as unnecessary as preventable disease we have pledged our common resources to help one another in the hazards and struggles of individual life we believe that no unfair prejudice or artificial distinction should bar any citizen of the united states of america from an education or from good health or from a job that he is capable of performing the attainment of this kind of society demands the best efforts of every citizen in every walk of life and it imposes increasing responsibilities on the government the government must work with industry labor and the farmers in keeping our economy running at full speed the government must see that every american has a chance to obtain his fair share of our increasing abundance these responsibilities go hand in hand we can not maintain prosperity unless we have a fair distribution of opportunity and a widespread consumption of the products of our factories and farms our government has undertaken to meet these responsibilities we have made tremendous public investments in highways hydroelectric power projects soil conservation and reclamation we have established a system of social security we have enacted laws protecting the rights and the welfare of our working people and the income of our farmers these federal policies have paid for themselves many times over they have strengthened the material foundations of our democratic ideals without them our present prosperity would be impossible reinforced by these policies our private enterprise system has reached new heights of production since the boom year of 1929 while our population has increased by only 20 percent our agricultural production has increased by 45 percent and our industrial production has increased by 75 percent we are turning out far more goods and more wealth per worker than we have ever done before this progress has confounded the gloomy prophets at home and abroad who predicted the downfall of american capitalism the people of the united states going their own way confident in their own powers have achieved the greatest prosperity the world has even seen but great as our progress has been we still have a long way to go as we look around the country many of our shortcomings stand out in bold relief we are suffering from excessively high prices our production is still not large enough to satisfy our demands our minimum wages are far too low small business is losing ground to growing monopoly our farmers still face an uncertain future and too many of them lack the benefits of our modern civilization some of our natural resources are still being wasted we are acutely short of electric power although the means for developing such power are abundant five million families are still living in slums and firetraps three million families share their homes with others our health is far behind the progress of medical science proper medical care is so expensive that it is out of the reach of the great majority of our citizens our schools in many localities are utterly inadequate our democratic ideals are often thwarted by prejudice and intolerance each of these shortcomings is also an opportunity for the congress and the president to work for the good of the people our first great opportunity is to protect our economy against the evils of boom and bust this objective can not be attained by government alone indeed the greater part of the task must be performed by individual efforts under our system of free enterprise we can keep our present prosperity and increase it only if free enterprise and free government work together to that end we can not afford to float along ceaselessly on a postwar boom until it collapses it is not enough merely to prepare to weather a recession if it comes instead government and business must work together constantly to achieve more and more jobs and more and more production which mean more and more prosperity for all the people the business cycle is and men of good will working together can smooth it out so far as business is concerned it should plan for steady vigorous expansion seeking always to increase its output lower its prices and avoid the vices of monopoly and restriction so long as business does this it will be contributing to continued prosperity and it will have the help and encouragement of the government the employment act of 1946 pledges the government to use all its resources to promote maximum employment production and purchasing power this means that the government is firmly committed to protect business and the people against the dangers of recession and against the evils of inflation this means that the government must adapt its plans and policies to meet changing circumstances at the present time our prosperity is threatened by inflationary pressures at a number of critical points in our economy and the government must be in a position to take effective action at these danger spots to that end i recommend that the congress enact legislation for the following purposes first to continue the power to control consumer credit and enlarge the power to control bank credit second to grant authority to regulate speculation on the commodity exchanges third to continue export control authority and to provide adequate machinery for its enforcement fourth to continue the priorities and allocation authority in the field of transportation fifth to authorize priorities and allocations for key materials in short supply sixth to extend and strengthen rent control seventh to provide standby authority to impose price ceilings for scarce commodities which basically affect essential industrial production or the cost of living and to limit unjustified wage adjustments which would force a break in an established price ceiling eighth to authorize an immediate study of the adequacy of production facilities for materials in critically short supply such as steel and if found necessary to authorize government loans for the expansion of production facilities to relieve such shortages and to authorize the construction of such facilities directly if action by private industry fails to meet our needs the economic report which i shall submit to the congress shortly will discuss in detail the economic background for these recommendations one of the most important factors in maintaining prosperity is the government fiscal policy at this time it is essential not only that the federal budget be balanced but also that there be a substantial surplus to reduce inflationary pressures and to permit a sizable reduction in the national debt which now stands at 252 billion i recommend therefore that the congress enact new tax legislation to bring in an additional 4 billion of government revenue this should come principally from additional corporate taxes a portion should come from revised estate and gift taxes consideration should be given to raising personal income rates in the middle and upper brackets if we want to keep our economy running in high gear we must be sure that every group has the incentive to make its full contribution to the national welfare at present the working men and women of the nation are unfairly discriminated against by a statute that abridges their rights curtails their constructive efforts and hampers our system of free collective bargaining that statute is the relations act of 1947 sometimes called the act that act should be repealed the wagner act should be reenacted however certain improvements which i recommended to the congress 2 years ago are needed jurisdictional strikes and unjustified secondary boycotts should be prohibited the use of economic force to decide issues arising out of the interpretation of existing contracts should be prevented without endangering our democratic freedoms means should be provided for setting up machinery for preventing strikes in vital industries which affect the public interest the department of labor should be rebuilt and strengthened and those units properly belonging within that department should be placed in it the health of our economy and its maintenance at high levels further require that the minimum wage fixed by law should be raised to at least 75 cents an hour if our free enterprise economy is to be strong and healthy we must reinvigorate the forces of competition we must assure small business the freedom and opportunity to grow and prosper to this purpose we should strengthen our antitrust laws by closing those loopholes that permit monopolistic mergers and consolidations our national farm program should be only in the interest of the farmers but for the lasting prosperity of the whole nation our goals should be abundant farm production and parity income for agriculture standards of living on the farm should be just as good as anywhere else in the country farm price supports are an essential part of our program to achieve these ends price supports should be used to prevent farm price declines which are out of line with general price levels to facilitate adjustments in production to consumer demands and to promote good land use our price support legislation must be adapted to these objectives the authority of the commodity credit corporation to provide adequate storage space for crops should be restored our program for farm prosperity should also seek to expand the domestic market for agricultural products particularly among groups and to increase and stabilize foreign markets we should give special attention to extending modern conveniences and services to our farms rural electrification should be pushed forward and in considering legislation relating to housing education health and social security special attention should be given to rural problems our growing population and the expansion of our economy depend upon the wise management of our land water forest and mineral wealth in our present dynamic economy the task of conservation is not to lockup our resources but to develop and improve them failure today to make the investments which are necessary to support our progress in the future would be false economy we must push forward the development of our rivers for power irrigation navigation and flood control we should apply the lessons of our tennessee valley experience to our other great river basins i again recommend action be taken by the congress to approve the lawrence seaway and power project this is about the fifth time i have recommended it we must adopt a program for the planned use of the petroleum reserves under the sea which are and must remain vested in the federal government we must extend our programs of soil conservation we must place our forests on a sustained yield basis and encourage the development of new sources of vital minerals in all this we must make sure that the benefits of these public undertakings are directly available to the people public power should be carried to consuming areas by public transmission lines where necessary to provide electricity at the lowest possible rates irrigation waters should serve family farms and not land speculators the government has still other opportunities to help raise the standard of living of our citizens these opportunities lie in the fields of social security health education housing and civil rights the present coverage of the social security laws is altogether inadequate the benefit payments are too low of our workers are not covered those who receive and survivors insurance benefits receive an average payment of only 25 a month many others who can not work because they are physically disabled are left to the mercy of charity we should expand our social security program both as to the size of the benefits and the extent of coverage against the economic hazards due to unemployment old age sickness and disability we must spare no effort to raise the general level of health in this country in a nation as rich as ours it is a shocking fact that tens of millions lack adequate medical care we are short of doctors hospitals nurses we must remedy these shortages moreover we need and we must have without further delay a system of prepaid medical insurance which will enable every american to afford good medical care it is equally shocking that millions of our children are not receiving a good education millions of them are in overcrowded obsolete buildings we are short of teachers because teachers salaries are too low to attract new teachers or to hold the ones we have all these school problems will become much more acute as a result of the tremendous increase in the enrollment in our elementary schools in the next few years i can not repeat too strongly my desire for prompt federal financial aid to the states to help them operate and maintain their school systems the governmental agency which now administers the programs of health education and social security should be given full departmental status the housing shortage continues to be acute as an immediate step the congress should enact the provisions for public housing slum clearance farm housing and housing research which i have repeatedly recommended the number of lowrent public housing units provided for in the legislation should be increased to 1 million units in the next 7 years even this number of units will not begin to meet our need for new housing most of the houses we need will have to be built by private enterprise without public subsidy by producing too few rental units and too large a proportion of houses the building industry is rapidly pricing itself out of the market building costs must be lowered the government is now engaged in a campaign to induce all segments of the building industry to concentrate on the production of lower priced housing additional legislation to encourage such housing will be submitted the authority which i have requested to allocate materials in short supply and to impose price ceilings on such materials could be used if found necessary to channel more materials into homes large enough for family life at prices which wage earners can afford the driving force behind our progress is our faith in our democratic institutions that faith is embodied in the promise of equal rights and equal opportunities which the founders of our republic proclaimed to their countrymen and to the whole world the fulfillment of this promise is among the highest purposes of government the civil rights proposals i made to the 80th congress i now repeat to the 81st congress they should be enacted in order that the federal government may assume the leadership and discharge the obligations dearly placed upon it by the constitution i stand squarely behind those proposals our domestic programs are the foundation of our foreign policy the world today looks to us for leadership because we have so largely realized within our borders those benefits of democratic government for which most of the peoples of the world are yearning we are following a foreign policy which is the outward expression of the democratic faith we profess we are doing what we can to encourage free states and free peoples throughout the world to aid the suffering and afflicted in foreign lands and to strengthen democratic nations against aggression the heart of our foreign policy is peace we are supporting a world organization to keep peace and a world economic policy to create prosperity for mankind our guiding star is the principle of international cooperation to this concept we have made a national commitment as profound as anything in history to it we have pledged our resources and our honor until a system of world security is established upon which we can safely rely we can not escape the burden of creating and maintaining armed forces sufficient to deter aggression we have made great progress in the last year in the effective organization of our armed forces but further improvements in our national security legislation are necessary universal training is essential to the security of the united states during the course of this session i shall have occasion to ask the congress to consider several measures in the field of foreign policy at this time i recommend that we restore the reciprocal trade agreements act to full effectiveness and extend it for 3 years we should also open our doors to displaced persons without unfair discrimination it should be clear by now to all citizens that we are not seeking to freeze the status quo we have no intention of preserving the injustices of the past we welcome the constructive efforts being made by many nations to achieve a better life for their citizens in the european recovery program in our policy and in the united nations we have begun to batter down those national walls which block the economic growth and the social advancement of the peoples of the world we believe that if we hold resolutely to this course the principle of international cooperation will eventually command the approval even of those nations which are now seeking to weaken or subvert it we stand at the opening of an era which can mean either great achievement or terrible catastrophe for ourselves and for all mankind the strength of our nation must continue to be used in the interest of all our people rather than a privileged few it must continue to be used unselfishly in the struggle for world peace and the betterment of mankind the world over this is the task before us it is not an easy one it has many complications and there will be strong opposition from selfish interests i hope for cooperation from farmers from labor and from business every segment of our population and every individual has a right to expect from our government a fair deal in 1945 when i came down before the congress for the first time on april 16 i quoted to you king solomon prayer that he wanted wisdom and the ability to govern his people as they should be governed i explained to you at that time that the task before me was one of the greatest in the history of the world and that it was necessary to have the complete cooperation of the congress and the people of the united states well now we are taking a new start with the same situation it is absolutely essential that your president have the complete cooperation of the congress to carry out the great work that must be done to keep the peace in this world and to keep this country prosperous the people of this great country have a right to expect that the congress and the president will work in closest cooperation with one objective the welfare of the people of this nation as a whole in the months ahead i know that i shall be able to cooperate with this congress now i am confident that the divine power which has guided us to this time of fateful responsibility and glorious opportunity will not desert us now with that help from almighty god which we have humbly acknowledged at every turning point in our national life we shall be able to perform the great tasks which he now sets before us
president speaker members congress happy report 81st congress state union good nation better able ever meet needs american people give fair chance pursuit happiness great republic foremost among nations world search peace last 16 years people creating society offers new opportunities every man enjoy share good things life society conservative values principles cherish protecting values principles extending benefits rejected discredited theory fortunes nation hands privileged abandoned trickledown concept national prosperity instead believe economic system rest democratic foundation wealth created benefit recent election shows people united states favor kind society want go improving american people decided poverty wasteful unnecessary preventable disease pledged common resources help one another hazards struggles individual life believe unfair prejudice artificial distinction bar citizen united states america education good health job capable performing attainment kind society demands best efforts every citizen every walk life imposes increasing responsibilities government government must work industry labor farmers keeping economy running full speed government must see every american chance obtain fair share increasing abundance responsibilities go hand hand maintain prosperity unless fair distribution opportunity widespread consumption products factories farms government undertaken meet responsibilities made tremendous public investments highways hydroelectric power projects soil conservation reclamation established system social security enacted laws protecting rights welfare working people income farmers federal policies paid many times strengthened material foundations democratic ideals without present prosperity would impossible reinforced policies private enterprise system reached new heights production since boom year 1929 population increased 20 percent agricultural production increased 45 percent industrial production increased 75 percent turning far goods wealth per worker ever done progress confounded gloomy prophets home abroad predicted downfall american capitalism people united states going way confident powers achieved greatest prosperity world even seen great progress still long way go look around country many shortcomings stand bold relief suffering excessively high prices production still large enough satisfy demands minimum wages far low small business losing ground growing monopoly farmers still face uncertain future many lack benefits modern civilization natural resources still wasted acutely short electric power although means developing power abundant five million families still living slums firetraps three million families share homes others health far behind progress medical science proper medical care expensive reach great majority citizens schools many localities utterly inadequate democratic ideals often thwarted prejudice intolerance shortcomings also opportunity congress president work good people first great opportunity protect economy evils boom bust objective attained government alone indeed greater part task must performed individual efforts system free enterprise keep present prosperity increase free enterprise free government work together end afford float along ceaselessly postwar boom collapses enough merely prepare weather recession comes instead government business must work together constantly achieve jobs production mean prosperity people business cycle men good working together smooth far business concerned plan steady vigorous expansion seeking always increase output lower prices avoid vices monopoly restriction long business contributing continued prosperity help encouragement government employment act 1946 pledges government use resources promote maximum employment production purchasing power means government firmly committed protect business people dangers recession evils inflation means government must adapt plans policies meet changing circumstances present time prosperity threatened inflationary pressures number critical points economy government must position take effective action danger spots end recommend congress enact legislation following purposes first continue power control consumer credit enlarge power control bank credit second grant authority regulate speculation commodity exchanges third continue export control authority provide adequate machinery enforcement fourth continue priorities allocation authority field transportation fifth authorize priorities allocations key materials short supply sixth extend strengthen rent control seventh provide standby authority impose price ceilings scarce commodities basically affect essential industrial production cost living limit unjustified wage adjustments would force break established price ceiling eighth authorize immediate study adequacy production facilities materials critically short supply steel found necessary authorize government loans expansion production facilities relieve shortages authorize construction facilities directly action private industry fails meet needs economic report shall submit congress shortly discuss detail economic background recommendations one important factors maintaining prosperity government fiscal policy time essential federal budget balanced also substantial surplus reduce inflationary pressures permit sizable reduction national debt stands 252 billion recommend therefore congress enact new tax legislation bring additional 4 billion government revenue come principally additional corporate taxes portion come revised estate gift taxes consideration given raising personal income rates middle upper brackets want keep economy running high gear must sure every group incentive make full contribution national welfare present working men women nation unfairly discriminated statute abridges rights curtails constructive efforts hampers system free collective bargaining statute relations act 1947 sometimes called act act repealed wagner act reenacted however certain improvements recommended congress 2 years ago needed jurisdictional strikes unjustified secondary boycotts prohibited use economic force decide issues arising interpretation existing contracts prevented without endangering democratic freedoms means provided setting machinery preventing strikes vital industries affect public interest department labor rebuilt strengthened units properly belonging within department placed health economy maintenance high levels require minimum wage fixed law raised least 75 cents hour free enterprise economy strong healthy must reinvigorate forces competition must assure small business freedom opportunity grow prosper purpose strengthen antitrust laws closing loopholes permit monopolistic mergers consolidations national farm program interest farmers lasting prosperity whole nation goals abundant farm production parity income agriculture standards living farm good anywhere else country farm price supports essential part program achieve ends price supports used prevent farm price declines line general price levels facilitate adjustments production consumer demands promote good land use price support legislation must adapted objectives authority commodity credit corporation provide adequate storage space crops restored program farm prosperity also seek expand domestic market agricultural products particularly among groups increase stabilize foreign markets give special attention extending modern conveniences services farms rural electrification pushed forward considering legislation relating housing education health social security special attention given rural problems growing population expansion economy depend upon wise management land water forest mineral wealth present dynamic economy task conservation lockup resources develop improve failure today make investments necessary support progress future would false economy must push forward development rivers power irrigation navigation flood control apply lessons tennessee valley experience great river basins recommend action taken congress approve lawrence seaway power project fifth time recommended must adopt program planned use petroleum reserves sea must remain vested federal government must extend programs soil conservation must place forests sustained yield basis encourage development new sources vital minerals must make sure benefits public undertakings directly available people public power carried consuming areas public transmission lines necessary provide electricity lowest possible rates irrigation waters serve family farms land speculators government still opportunities help raise standard living citizens opportunities lie fields social security health education housing civil rights present coverage social security laws altogether inadequate benefit payments low workers covered receive survivors insurance benefits receive average payment 25 month many others work physically disabled left mercy charity expand social security program size benefits extent coverage economic hazards due unemployment old age sickness disability must spare effort raise general level health country nation rich shocking fact tens millions lack adequate medical care short doctors hospitals nurses must remedy shortages moreover need must without delay system prepaid medical insurance enable every american afford good medical care equally shocking millions children receiving good education millions overcrowded obsolete buildings short teachers teachers salaries low attract new teachers hold ones school problems become much acute result tremendous increase enrollment elementary schools next years repeat strongly desire prompt federal financial aid states help operate maintain school systems governmental agency administers programs health education social security given full departmental status housing shortage continues acute immediate step congress enact provisions public housing slum clearance farm housing housing research repeatedly recommended number lowrent public housing units provided legislation increased 1 million units next 7 years even number units begin meet need new housing houses need built private enterprise without public subsidy producing rental units large proportion houses building industry rapidly pricing market building costs must lowered government engaged campaign induce segments building industry concentrate production lower priced housing additional legislation encourage housing submitted authority requested allocate materials short supply impose price ceilings materials could used found necessary channel materials homes large enough family life prices wage earners afford driving force behind progress faith democratic institutions faith embodied promise equal rights equal opportunities founders republic proclaimed countrymen whole world fulfillment promise among highest purposes government civil rights proposals made 80th congress repeat 81st congress enacted order federal government may assume leadership discharge obligations dearly placed upon constitution stand squarely behind proposals domestic programs foundation foreign policy world today looks us leadership largely realized within borders benefits democratic government peoples world yearning following foreign policy outward expression democratic faith profess encourage free states free peoples throughout world aid suffering afflicted foreign lands strengthen democratic nations aggression heart foreign policy peace supporting world organization keep peace world economic policy create prosperity mankind guiding star principle international cooperation concept made national commitment profound anything history pledged resources honor system world security established upon safely rely escape burden creating maintaining armed forces sufficient deter aggression made great progress last year effective organization armed forces improvements national security legislation necessary universal training essential security united states course session shall occasion ask congress consider several measures field foreign policy time recommend restore reciprocal trade agreements act full effectiveness extend 3 years also open doors displaced persons without unfair discrimination clear citizens seeking freeze status quo intention preserving injustices past welcome constructive efforts made many nations achieve better life citizens european recovery program policy united nations begun batter national walls block economic growth social advancement peoples world believe hold resolutely course principle international cooperation eventually command approval even nations seeking weaken subvert stand opening era mean either great achievement terrible catastrophe mankind strength nation must continue used interest people rather privileged must continue used unselfishly struggle world peace betterment mankind world task us easy one many complications strong opposition selfish interests hope cooperation farmers labor business every segment population every individual right expect government fair deal 1945 came congress first time april 16 quoted king solomon prayer wanted wisdom ability govern people governed explained time task one greatest history world necessary complete cooperation congress people united states well taking new start situation absolutely essential president complete cooperation congress carry great work must done keep peace world keep country prosperous people great country right expect congress president work closest cooperation one objective welfare people nation whole months ahead know shall able cooperate congress confident divine power guided us time fateful responsibility glorious opportunity desert us help almighty god humbly acknowledged every turning point national life shall able perform great tasks sets us
president speaker member congress happy report 81st congress state union good nation well able ever meet needs american people give fair chance pursuit happiness great republic foremost among nation world search peace last 16 year people create society offer new opportunity every man enjoy share good thing life society conservative value principle cherish protect value principle extend benefit reject discredit theory fortune nation hand privilege abandon trickledown concept national prosperity instead believe economic system rest democratic foundation wealth create benefit recent election show people united state favor kind society want go improving american people decide poverty wasteful unnecessary preventable disease pledge common resource help one another hazard struggle individual life believe unfair prejudice artificial distinction bar citizen unite state america education good health job capable perform attainment kind society demand best effort every citizen every walk life impose increase responsibility government government must work industry labor farmer keep economy run full speed government must see every american chance obtain fair share increase abundance responsibility go hand hand maintain prosperity unless fair distribution opportunity widespread consumption product factory farms government undertaken meet responsibility make tremendous public investment highways hydroelectric power project soil conservation reclamation establish system social security enact law protect right welfare work people income farmer federal policy pay many time strengthen material foundation democratic ideal without present prosperity would impossible reinforced policy private enterprise system reach new height production since boom year 1929 population increase 20 percent agricultural production increase 45 percent industrial production increase 75 percent turn far good wealth per worker ever do progress confound gloomy prophet home abroad predict downfall american capitalism people united state go way confident power achieve great prosperity world even see great progress still long way go look around country many shortcoming stand bold relief suffer excessively high price production still large enough satisfy demand minimum wage far low small business lose ground grow monopoly farmer still face uncertain future many lack benefit modern civilization natural resource still waste acutely short electric power although mean develop power abundant five million family still live slum firetraps three million family share home others health far behind progress medical science proper medical care expensive reach great majority citizen school many locality utterly inadequate democratic ideal often thwart prejudice intolerance shortcoming also opportunity congress president work good people first great opportunity protect economy evils boom bust objective attained government alone indeed great part task must perform individual effort system free enterprise keep present prosperity increase free enterprise free government work together end afford float along ceaselessly postwar boom collapse enough merely prepare weather recession come instead government business must work together constantly achieve job production mean prosperity people business cycle men good work together smooth far business concerned plan steady vigorous expansion seek always increase output low price avoid vice monopoly restriction long business contribute continue prosperity help encouragement government employment act 1946 pledges government use resource promote maximum employment production purchase power mean government firmly commit protect business people danger recession evils inflation mean government must adapt plan policy meet change circumstance present time prosperity threaten inflationary pressure number critical point economy government must position take effective action danger spot end recommend congress enact legislation follow purpose first continue power control consumer credit enlarge power control bank credit second grant authority regulate speculation commodity exchange third continue export control authority provide adequate machinery enforcement fourth continue priority allocation authority field transportation fifth authorize priority allocation key material short supply sixth extend strengthen rent control seventh provide standby authority impose price ceiling scarce commodity basically affect essential industrial production cost living limit unjustified wage adjustment would force break establish price ceiling eighth authorize immediate study adequacy production facility material critically short supply steel find necessary authorize government loan expansion production facility relieve shortage authorize construction facility directly action private industry fail meet needs economic report shall submit congress shortly discuss detail economic background recommendation one important factor maintain prosperity government fiscal policy time essential federal budget balance also substantial surplus reduce inflationary pressure permit sizable reduction national debt stand 252 billion recommend therefore congress enact new tax legislation bring additional 4 billion government revenue come principally additional corporate tax portion come revise estate gift tax consideration give raise personal income rate middle upper bracket want keep economy run high gear must sure every group incentive make full contribution national welfare present work men woman nation unfairly discriminate statute abridges right curtails constructive effort hamper system free collective bargaining statute relation act 1947 sometimes call act act repeal wagner act reenact however certain improvement recommend congress 2 year ago need jurisdictional strike unjustified secondary boycott prohibit use economic force decide issue arise interpretation exist contract prevent without endanger democratic freedom mean provide set machinery prevent strike vital industry affect public interest department labor rebuilt strengthen unit properly belong within department place health economy maintenance high level require minimum wage fix law raise least 75 cent hour free enterprise economy strong healthy must reinvigorate force competition must assure small business freedom opportunity grow prosper purpose strengthen antitrust law close loophole permit monopolistic merger consolidation national farm program interest farmer last prosperity whole nation goal abundant farm production parity income agriculture standard live farm good anywhere else country farm price support essential part program achieve end price support use prevent farm price decline line general price level facilitate adjustment production consumer demand promote good land use price support legislation must adapt objective authority commodity credit corporation provide adequate storage space crop restore program farm prosperity also seek expand domestic market agricultural product particularly among group increase stabilize foreign market give special attention extend modern convenience service farm rural electrification push forward consider legislation relate housing education health social security special attention give rural problem grow population expansion economy depend upon wise management land water forest mineral wealth present dynamic economy task conservation lockup resource develop improve failure today make investment necessary support progress future would false economy must push forward development river power irrigation navigation flood control apply lesson tennessee valley experience great river basin recommend action take congress approve lawrence seaway power project fifth time recommend must adopt program plan use petroleum reserve sea must remain vested federal government must extend program soil conservation must place forest sustain yield basis encourage development new source vital mineral must make sure benefit public undertaking directly available people public power carry consume area public transmission line necessary provide electricity low possible rate irrigation water serve family farm land speculator government still opportunities help raise standard living citizen opportunity lie field social security health education housing civil right present coverage social security law altogether inadequate benefit payment low worker cover receive survivor insurance benefit receive average payment 25 month many others work physically disabled leave mercy charity expand social security program size benefit extent coverage economic hazard due unemployment old age sickness disability must spare effort raise general level health country nation rich shock fact ten million lack adequate medical care short doctor hospitals nurse must remedy shortage moreover need must without delay system prepay medical insurance enable every american afford good medical care equally shock million child receive good education million overcrowd obsolete building short teacher teacher salary low attract new teacher hold one school problem become much acute result tremendous increase enrollment elementary school next year repeat strongly desire prompt federal financial aid state help operate maintain school system governmental agency administers program health education social security give full departmental status housing shortage continue acute immediate step congress enact provision public housing slum clearance farm housing housing research repeatedly recommend number lowrent public housing unit provide legislation increase 1 million unit next 7 year even number unit begin meet need new housing house need build private enterprise without public subsidy produce rental unit large proportion house build industry rapidly price market building cost must lower government engage campaign induce segment build industry concentrate production lower price housing additional legislation encourage housing submit authority request allocate material short supply impose price ceiling material could use found necessary channel material home large enough family life price wage earner afford drive force behind progress faith democratic institution faith embodied promise equal right equal opportunity founder republic proclaim countryman whole world fulfillment promise among high purpose government civil right proposal make 80th congress repeat 81st congress enact order federal government may assume leadership discharge obligation dearly place upon constitution stand squarely behind proposal domestic program foundation foreign policy world today look u leadership largely realize within border benefit democratic government people world yearn follow foreign policy outward expression democratic faith profess encourage free state free people throughout world aid suffering afflict foreign land strengthen democratic nation aggression heart foreign policy peace support world organization keep peace world economic policy create prosperity mankind guide star principle international cooperation concept make national commitment profound anything history pledge resource honor system world security establish upon safely rely escape burden create maintain armed force sufficient deter aggression make great progress last year effective organization arm force improvement national security legislation necessary universal train essential security united state course session shall occasion ask congress consider several measure field foreign policy time recommend restore reciprocal trade agreement act full effectiveness extend 3 year also open door displace person without unfair discrimination clear citizen seek freeze status quo intention preserve injustice past welcome constructive effort make many nation achieve good life citizen european recovery program policy united nation begin batter national wall block economic growth social advancement people world believe hold resolutely course principle international cooperation eventually command approval even nation seek weaken subvert stand open era mean either great achievement terrible catastrophe mankind strength nation must continue use interest people rather privilege must continue use unselfishly struggle world peace betterment mankind world task u easy one many complication strong opposition selfish interest hope cooperation farmer labor business every segment population every individual right expect government fair deal 1945 come congress first time april 16 quote king solomon prayer want wisdom ability govern people govern explained time task one great history world necessary complete cooperation congress people united state well take new start situation absolutely essential president complete cooperation congress carry great work must do keep peace world keep country prosperous people great country right expect congress president work close cooperation one objective welfare people nation whole month ahead know shall able cooperate congress confident divine power guide u time fateful responsibility glorious opportunity desert u help almighty god humbly acknowledge every turn point national life shall able perform great task set u