Campaign Statement in Illinois.

MORE than any other city, Chicago has come to symbolize the strength and resourcefulness of the American worker.

Throughout the 20th century, Chicago has been a showplace for the growth, diversity, and progress that this dedication has made possible. The spirit of Chicago is the true spirit of America. Chicagoans, drawn from so many different ethnic backgrounds, have earned a reputation for patriotism and competitiveness.

This spirit is reflected in Chicago's economy. At a time when some politicians are constantly harping on what is wrong with America, let us consider the progress that Chicagoans have made, and continue to make.

In manufacturing, for instance, Chicagoans enjoy higher average weekly earnings (over $175 per week) than the national average ($154 per week). During the past year, when the cost of living increased by 2.9 percent in Chicago, the average weekly earnings of Chicagoans in manufacturing increased by 9.6 percent, a real increase of 6½ percent--the equivalent of three extra weekly paychecks.

Chicagoans today are working hard. They are making an enormous contribution to our free enterprise system, and they are benefiting from the results as never before.

In addressing the domestic concerns of this Nation, we have tried to apply the Chicago spirit nationally. The willingness to work has been the cornerstone of America's great economic strength.

We want to keep it that way. Therefore, the record of this Administration has been one of creating real jobs--not artificial government make-work jobs or handouts--while fighting inflation and converting our economy from war to peace.

When this Administration took office, civilian employment stood at 77 million, but approximately 3 1/3 million were employed in defense-related industries and civilian Defense Department jobs. And another 3 1/3 million were in the Armed Forces.

By contrast, in October of 1972, 82.5 million persons were employed, 5 1/2 million more than when I took office and the highest number in our history. And this important progress has been achieved at the same time that defense-related employment has been scaled down. Between October of 1971 and October of 1972 alone, total employment increased by an amazing 2.3 million people. All of this has occurred while we have successfully brought back more than half a million men and women from Southeast Asia, while the size of the Armed Forces has been cut by almost a third and the number of defense-related jobs has dropped nearly 1 ½ million.

Yet we have picked up these people in other jobs, we have retrained many of them, and through such programs as the technology mobilization and reemployment program, we have assisted scientists and engineers in relocating and finding new jobs.

This is progress, real progress. It is based not on more handouts paid out of the taxpayer's pocket, but on the revitalization of our dynamic free economy. Much, of course, remains to be done. I am not satisfied with the current rate of unemployment at the national level. Everyone who wants to work should be able to work. That is the American way. But let us not lose sight of the impressive gains we have made already. Of all over-25 males in the labor force, only 3 percent were unemployed as of September, a lower rate than in the prosperous years of 1955, 1956, and 1957, and clearly better than the 3.3 percent rate in 1964, just before the escalation of our Vietnam involvement triggered a wartime boom.

Just as we are now near achievement of this Administration's goal of peace with honor in Vietnam, so we are closer than ever to our goal of prosperity with. out war and without inflation in America. With your continued support, we can achieve them both.

The people of Chicago have helped us enormously in achieving many of our goals in the past. Now you can help us once again by electing the entire Republican ticket in Illinois.

The two gentlemen at the head of that ticket, Dick Ogilvie and Chuck Percy,¹ are men I have known and trusted over the years. They can give great leadership to Illinois and to the Nation.

¹ Gov. Richard B. Ogilvie and Senator Charles H. Percy were Republican candidates for reelection.

I look forward to working with them not only on the problems of the cities-and they have been especially helpful in securing the passage of general revenue sharing--but also on the needs of the rural areas. Dick Ogilvie and Chuck Percy are the type of men we need to continue our farm policies. Net farm income this year is the highest in our history, finally breaking the all-time record set 25 years ago. In fact, net farm income--what is left after the bills are paid--has been 24 percent higher for the last 4 years than it was during the last Administration. We can continue that progress with your help.

And there is something else that the people of Chicago can help us to achieve. The strong work ethic of Chicagoans is rooted in an even deeper value--this deep cultural and spiritual heritage which is as strong today as ever. For example, Chicago has one of the largest nonpublic school systems in our Nation, a network of education centers that keep alive in our children the religious and moral values on which a full life must be based.

Today that nonpublic school system is threatened by the growing financial pressures which it must overcome to survive. So I ask the people of Chicago to join with me in working for the passage of legislation that will allow the parents of children attending nonpublic schools tax credits to offset a part of their tuition costs. I have actively worked for the passage of this kind of legislation in the past. I am pledged to continue working for it, so that we can achieve passage of this much needed measure to maintain diversity and to keep a strong spiritual and moral element in the American education system.

The opportunity for diverse, quality education, the chance to work hard at a meaningful job, the perpetuation of the values and beliefs that made this country great--each of these things is an important part of the "Spirit of Chicago," and of the spirit of America itself.