Dwight D. Eisenhower photo

Radio and Television Address Delivered at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California

October 20, 1958

Mr. Chairman, Governor Knight, Senator Knowland, Republican Candidates, Republican Workers--My fellow Americans:

Here in California two years ago, I renewed a personal pledge to America--to keep your Government on a steady, even course, guided only by the public good.

I promised you several things:

--fiscal integrity;
--a sound, free economy;
--honesty, efficiency and thrift in government;
--a national defense--modern and strong;
and, above all, always to strive for a just and lasting peace.

Overwhelmingly, you of California approved those pledges.

And this I believe: I believe you still want sane, forward-looking, honest government in America at all levels.

This is why I'm back in your great State--to call upon everyone listening tonight to help carry forward those pledges, and that kind of government, by preaching--working--voting Republican in this campaign. To hold back now is to abandon what you and I believe in and want for America.

For--make no mistake about it--good government vitally concerns your business, your farm, your job, your home. It directly affects the prices you pay at the corner store.

Good government is your own responsibility--not someone else's. Work not done, votes not cast, letters not sent, phone calls not made, are sins of omission against the kind of government that you and I, and Independents and discerning Democrats want.

Let's have no more family bickering--fancied or real. It just defeats what we want.

Now I have been told that there is apathy in our campaign. People that could work, don't want to work, and people that have money don't want to give it.

Not any more. Too many citizens know how much depends upon Congress determined to settle this issue.

Here let's consider a significant fact.

The Democrat Party is not one--but two--political parties with the same name. They unite only once every two years--to wage political campaigns.

But at one extreme is a wing where the campaigns of this year were largely settled in southern primaries held weeks ago. At the other extreme is the stronger wing, dominated by political radicals. The campaign we are in, and the campaign of that wing are still going on.

Now these self-styled liberals are the ones who really challenge sane, forward-looking government in the United States. It is against the spread of their radical influence that we are waging this campaign.

In that fight we must be together one hundred percent.

Our Republican Party and these political radicals are poles apart. A few examples will prove the importance of these disagreements.

First--all of us know that parts of organized labor have long been terribly abused by hoodlums and racketeers.

The proof of this has been amply demonstrated by the McClellan Committee of the Senate.

These evil elements are deeply entrenched. Only powerful, new legal weapons can root them out and protect the rank and file.

Last session I urged Congress to give American workers the weapons to drive racketeers and corrupt leaders out of the labor movement. Republicans in the Congress went full out for that law.

But the radical opposition killed it--offering in its place a substitute far too weak to do the job. Rightly, Republicans rejected that political bait.

My friends--the answer is to protect American workers and businessmen--to conserve strong, clean trade unions--the nation needs a Congress determined to settle this issue.

Another example--

Most Americans are against reckless public spending. As to this, the record of Congressional radicals is too clear and too recent to need explanation. One single Senator of that group introduced bills this year that, if enacted into law, would have spent tens of billions of dollars unnecessarily.

Now again, most of us believe in the Constitutional rights of the States. But in every session of Congress the radicals persistently try to vest more and more responsibility and authority in the Federal Government. They are the ones who turn to Federal power even where private power can do the job--to Government housing where private housing can meet the need--to Federal domination of agriculture rather than trusting to the initiative and freedom of the farmer--to Federal development of nuclear power where private development will best serve the interests of the United States.

And the result. The result is: the record of the radicals is one of ever higher taxes--of dollars worth fifty cents--of sky-high prices--of an economy harassed into producing fewer jobs, chronic unemployment, labor strife, and fear of the future.

I repeat--if you don't want that kind of government again, work for a Republican victory.

My friends--over the years we Republicans have had our family spats. But look at our opponents.

They have political schizophrenia.

They are hopelessly split--right down the middle.

In Congress they crash headlong into each other on every important domestic issue.

One wing attacks States' rights--the other defends them.
One prates of civil rights--the other fights them.
One stands for big government--the other for decentralization.
One wing is big city--the other rural.
One is spendthrift--the other conservative.

In short, our opposition can offer America only deadlocked government--government that wages war on itself.

Long ago I found out that, to a political radical, a sound program for America is an invitation for demagogic excess.

This year in Congress that happened time and again. One after another, Administration bills were mangled or mushroomed by extremists pursuing economic and political goals at odds with American tradition. We saw this in housing and public works, in agriculture and unemployment benefits--in urban redevelopment and Federal-State-community relations. It happened in every area where these self-styled liberals might have a field day.

We saw it constantly in efforts to spend, unnecessarily, billions more of federal dollars. And only sturdy Republican resistance in Congress and my vetoes blocked over $5 billions of this spending. And I remind you-these federal billions are your money--your own money. Either they come out of your paycheck through higher taxes, or your pocket is picked by inflation.

This campaign, then, gives us a critical choice.

Either we choose left-wing government or sensible, forward-looking government--spendthrift government or responsible government--overpowering federal government or government kept close to home--frustrated, stymied government or efficient government able to keep its promises to America.

If you are for trustworthy, progressive government--then it is clear you should talk Republican, work Republican--and, on November 4, vote Republican.

Republican accomplishments these past six years fully justify your doing so. First, take our pledge to strive for a just peace.

This effort Americans have instinctively wanted to keep non-partisan. I shall continue doing my best to keep it so. And I am glad--even proud--to say that responsible leaders of both parties have fully supported the purpose of preserving a just peace. As to this effort, let's look at the record.

It shows that during six years of serious international stress America has remained at peace and, God willing, is going to stay at peace.

Today--from Lebanon to Quemoy--those in the world who would do us harm know that America will not be bullied.

They know that America will not countenance territorial expansion by force.

They know that America will not desert her friends.

And America is allergic to appeasement. There will be no appeasing of Communist aggression while I am President.

The record shows that for six years no new victim has fallen to Communist imperialism.

Our young men have not gone to war.

Tirelessness in the search for peace--a search anchored firmly in principle--this we promised. In this, we have kept faith with America.

We promised a strong national defense.

No matter what the political merchants of fear and defeat would have you believe, we have kept that promise.

The striking power of our Strategic Air Command is beyond imagination. There is no comparable military instrument on the face of the earth.

SAC is ready for any possible emergency. And it is a mighty deterrent to war--a servant in the cause of peace.

On hundreds of airfields, thousands of our tactical aircraft are dispersed.

Our distant warning systems feature the best equipment industry has been able to produce.

On Navy carriers are hundreds of medium-range and tactical aircraft. As always, the United States Marines are ready. The unmatched competence of our atomic submarines is known to all. Our Army is modernized, mobile, prepared to repel any aggression. And under a new law--incidentally, one for which I fought for twelve long years--the Defense Department has now been reorganized to suit modern conditions. The rewards will be more efficiency--more strength. Next, a word on long-range ballistic missiles.

Fast-talking critics of this huge program have apparently failed to check the record.

Here are some incontestable facts.

For eight years after World War II, there was inadequate emphasis on the development of long-range ballistic missiles. In fact, in no single year was more than a million dollars actually spent for this purpose until this Administration took office.

Now one of my earliest acts at that time was to start an exhaustive scientific study of missiles. This study made our need crystal-clear--and all long-range ballistic missile research and development programs were given the nation's highest priority as to talent and money. Hundreds of millions go into the program annually.

As a result, today the so-called missile gap is being rapidly filled. I assure you that the progress we have made on every type of missile and rocket should awaken the pride of every American citizen.

And to this great power of our own, we must add the resources of allies who, with us, belong to an extensive system of collective security. That system greatly increases the power of every member.

Clearly, we have fulfilled our promise to keep America's defenses strong--for the nation's safety--and for the cause of peace.

Next. A healthy, free economy was another of our Republican promises.

Again, the record;

During the past six years there has been more improvement in the level of living--more investment in America's future--a prosperity more widely-shared--than in any comparable period in our history.

And we have done this in the post Korean war period, a kind of period historically characterized by depression.

Of course, in a free society economic dips will occasionally occur. Just over a year ago our economy experienced such a downturn.

At that time of economic challenge, what did sound Republican government do?

Without resorting to costly, dislocating federal programs, we led the way to victory over this recession and are making it one of the shortest in history.

Meanwhile, the extremists ran true to form.

Massive public works, heavy-handed Federal spending--these, they said, were America's salvation from complete collapse--a collapse which they unceasingly forecast.

During that period they trafficked in defeatism and fear of the future. They argued distrust of America's economy. Their remedy was the usual one--take over in Washington, D.C., and spoon-feed the economy with Federal dollars.

Fortunately, common sense prevailed--sane government refused to be stampeded.

Instead of using a mailed fist on the economy, your government applied a helpful, reassuring hand.

Today, with that help, and because of our faith in the American system, the economy is still sound.

Every economic indicator proves it.

Last month, as hundreds of thousands went back to work, unemployment dropped 600,000.

Factory workers' pay has never been as high. Personal income is the highest ever.

Home building is booming. More housing units were started last month than in any September in the past eight years.

Steel output--new construction--employment--everywhere there is growing economic strength.

Ladies and gentlemen, things are good, and getting better every day. All of us know, unfortunately, that some of us who are seeking jobs are still unemployed. I know my concern over their well-being is shared by all Americans.

But destruction of the economic machinery that provides jobs for 64 million other workers will not help anyone. Keeping that machinery efficient and hard at work is our best assurance of providing jobs.

Today America is generating a peacetime prosperity that will be unmatched.

We are living up to our economic pledge--a pledge that will always be part of Republican purposes and platforms.

And now--a word about agriculture--always a key part of our economy. I am glad to say it is prospering, too.

Now, that pleases farmers, and it pleases me. But a lot of demagogues are sorely disappointed. Their hoped-for issue evaporated.

All over America farm prices are higher today than when rigid price supports were last fully in effect.

Net farm income is up 20 percent over last year.

Per capita farm income is the highest ever. So is gross farm income.

Here in California farm receipts are running $50 million over a year ago.

And we promised farm people a self-reliant, free agriculture, with emphasis on research. We promised new markets--and these past two years we exported over 8 1/2 billion dollars worth of farm products--a record amount. We pledged sensible price supports. We promised help for the long-neglected, lowest income farm people. We promised to stop bureaucratic badgering of farmers.

These promises, too, we have kept.

My friends, it would be most enlightening if I could finish this discussion of Republican accomplishments in these past six years. But just quickly

--stultifying controls removed from our economy
--six years ago;
--the Defense Department reorganized;
--super highways crisscrossing America;
--satellites, long-range ballistic missiles, a new outer space agency;
--a new agency for civil aviation;
--the St. Lawrence Seaway;
--statehood for Alaska;
--the largest tax cut of all time;
--a new Cabinet Department for Health, Education, and Welfare;
--social security insurance expanded;
--unemployment insurance expanded;
--small business encouraged;
--Federal positions cut by a quarter of a million;
--bright prosperity ahead;
--an America mighty in arms--courageously standing for principle--an America spiritually and economically strong;
--an America at peace.

Fellow Citizens--Fellow Workers--whether Republicans, Independents, or Democrats--this record justifies support for Republican candidates from coast to coast.

Certainly that goes for California.

The stakes are such that we should eagerly devote our time, our effort, our money to this cause.

One of our most effective leaders in this great fight is the distinguished Vice President, and your fellow Californian, Dick Nixon. He is giving to us a shining example of dedication to the cause of good government.

So we need--all of us--to support Bill Knowland--Goodwin Knight--Pat Hillings--and indeed your whole Republican slate of State candidates.

We need to re-elect California's Republican Congressmen and add some more, for America, we need a Republican Congress.

Those--my friends--are my very special requests to each of you. I make them for our party, for our country, and for all those who in years to come deserve to enjoy the blessings we have had in free America.

Thank you--Good night. God bless you.

Note: The President spoke at 8:30 p.m. over an 11-Western State network. His opening words referred to Charles Jones, chairman of the political rally, Goodwin J. Knight, Governor of California, and William F. Knowland, U. S. Senator from California.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Radio and Television Address Delivered at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/234134

Filed Under

Categories

Attributes

Location

California

Simple Search of Our Archives