PRESIDENT HOOVER OUTLINES POLICY IN INAUGURAL SPEECH

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6851, 5 March 1929, Page 7

PRESIDENT HOOVER OUTLINES POLICY IN INAUGURAL SPEECH

Some Causes for Concern

INTENDS INQUIRY INTO FEDERAL LEGAL SYSTEM

INTERNATIONAL HARMONY.

United Press Association —By Electrii Telegraph—Copyright. Received Monday 7.0 p.m. WASHINGTON, March 4.

In his address on the occasion of his inauguration, President Hoover said: “If we survey tho situation of our nation both at homo and abroad, we find many satisfactions, but we also find some causes for concern.

“Tho most malign of all dangers is disregard and disobedience of the law. Crime is increasing and confidence in a rigid, speedy justice is decreasing. I am not prepared to believe that it indicates the impotence of the Federal Government to enforce its laws. It is only in part due to additional burdens imposed upon our judicial system by tho Eighteenth Amendment. The problem is much wider than that.

“Many influences have increasingly complicated and weakened our law enforcement, which was organised long before the adoption of tho Eighteenth Amendment. Justice must not fail because tho agencies of enforcement are either delinquent or inefficiently organised. To consider these evils and to find their remedy, is the most sore necessity of our times.” Reference to Prohibition. Referring to prohibition, President Hoover said: “Our wholo system of self-government will crumble either if officials elect what laws they will enforce, or citizens elect what laws they will support. The worst evil of a disregard for some law is that it destroys respect for all law. For our citizens to patronise tho violation of a particular law on tho ground that they are opposed to it is destructive of the very basis of all that protection of life, homes and property which they rightly claim under other laws. If citizens do not liko any law, their duty as honest men and women, is to discourage its violation. Their right is openly to work for its repeal. “I intend to appoint a National Commission for a searching investigation of the wholo structure of the Federal system of jurisprudence, to include the method of enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment and the causes of abuse under it.”

In referring to world peace, President Hoover said: “The United States freely accepted the profound truth that itß own progress, prosperity and peace are interlocked with the progress, prosperity and peace of all humanity. The whole world is at peace, but the dangers to the continuation of this peace to-day are largely fear and suspicion, which haunt the world. No suspicion or fear can rightly be directly toward our- country. No Imperialistic Aims.

“Those who have true understanding of America know we have no desire for territorial expansion; for the economic or other domination of other peoples. Such purposes are repugnant to our ideals of human freedom. Our form of government is ill-adapted to responsibilities which inevitably follow the permanent limitation of the independence of other peoples. Superficial observers seem to find a destiny for our abounding increases in population, wealth and power in imperialism. They fail to see that the American people are engrossed in tho building for themselves of a now economic system, new soeial system, new political system; all of which are characterised by aspirations of freedom and opportunity and thereby are a negation of imperialism.” President Hoover also referred to the Kellogg treaty. “The recent treaty for renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy sets an advanced standard in our conception of the relations of tho nations. Its acceptance should pave the way to tho greater limitation of armaments.” World Court.

Referring to the World Court, President Hoover said: “American statesmen were among the first to propose and have constantly urged upon the world the 'establishment of a tribunal for settlement of controversies of a justifiable character, A permanent court for international justice in its major purpose is thus peculiarly identified with American ideals and American statesmanship. No more potent instrumentality for this purpose has ever been conceived, and no other is practicable of establishment. The reservations placed upon our adherenco should not be misinterpreted. Tho United States seeks, by these reservations, no special privilege or advantage but only to clarify our relations to advisory opinion and other matters which are subsidiary to tho major purpose of the Court. Tho way should, and I believe will be found by which we may take our proper place in a movement so fundamental to the progress of peace.”