Remarks at a President Ford Committee Volunteers Reception in Birmingham

Let me thank, at the outset, Mildred Lee and Charles Chapman for the wonderful job that they have done and, in the finance area, Hall Thompson and Bill Acker. But let me also express just as emphatically, just as gratefully, my appreciation for what each and every one of you have done. Betty and I thank you very, very much.

Quite a few years ago, I had my own indoctrination in trying to work in a Presidential campaign. I hate to mention it--it's so far back--but I campaigned actively in 1940 for Wendell Willkie. And I volunteered and spent the whole summer in New York City trying to do whatever I could in whatever way I could, much as all of you are doing here.

But it was so encouraging for me to hear what Mildred said about the possibility of us doing very well and the possibility that if we do whatever we can, we might win in Alabama. Believe me, that's good news.

I know from time to time as you talk on the telephones or as you speak to your neighbors or you talk to others--wherever you might be in the great State of Alabama--people ask, "Why should I vote for President Ford?" Well, let me give you a few examples of what I think are good, sound arguments with anybody who will listen and have an open mind, an objective point of view.

First, let's go back and take a quick look at what the situation was in our country in August of 1974 when I became President.

There had been a great loss of faith in the Government of the United States. There had been a loss of confidence. Number two, we were experiencing at that time over 12 percent inflation. We were literally on the brink of the worst economic recession that this country has had for 40 years with unemployment about to go up and employment about to go down. We were still engaged in a conflict in Vietnam, some 8,000 miles away. I was faced with a Congress which was very hostile. I was faced with--well, many, many problems both at home and abroad.

And I think we can say with all honesty and sincerity that this country has made a lot of progress in the last 20 months. Let's take each item.

I think the American people know that honesty, integrity, faith in Government has been restored in the White House. The facts and figures tell you what has happened in the economy. Instead of inflation of over 12 percent per year, for the first 3 months of 1976, the rate of inflation on an annual basis is under 3 percent. That's a 75-percent reduction in the rate of inflation. I said we were literally on the brink of the worst economic condition in this country in 40 years. Shortly thereafter, unemployment went up, employment went down, and just a year ago, we were in the depths of this recession. But what has happened in the last 12 months?

We have gained 2,600,000 jobs. We are now employing in the private sector, in the public sector, more people today than any other time in the history of the United States--86,700,000.

Wherever you look throughout our economy, whether it's the automobile industry, whether it is in industrial production, whether it's in spendable income, everything that ought to be going down is going down, and everything that ought to be going up is going up.

So, we're doing darn well. Yes, we had a sad and tragic development in the Pacific--South Vietnam. But let me say this: We have strengthened our alliances with our friends in Western Europe, with Japan. But what is the judgment as to whether or not a policy of international relations has been successful? We haven't given up a thing. We're at peace, and we're going to keep the peace, because we have the strength to do it.

Now, we've had a few emotional issues raised in this campaign, and as Jack Edwards said this afternoon--Jack is on the Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations. He knows it. He has lived with it as a member of that committee. Incidentally, I served on that committee 14 years before I became the minority leader. So my background and information on our national security program is not just a campaign rhetoric operation, but it's predicated on some background and knowledge over a long period of time.

But take the words of Jack Edwards, one of our outstanding Members of the Congress. Jack Edwards said the charge is a phony that this country is not fully capable, fully able to meet any challenge. And what is our mission? Our mission is to deter aggression, to maintain the peace, and to protect our national security. Jack Edwards says the challenge of that is a phony issue, and I agree with him.

And then we have had the problem raised by our good friend, who says something about the Panama Canal. You know his words, but did any of you happen to hear Barry Goldwater yesterday on "Meet the Press"? Well, I unfortunately don't have in my possession the text of Barry Goldwater's interrogation on "Meet the Press." But he was asked this question: "Who is right, the President or ex-Governor Reagan on the Panama Canal?" Barry Goldwater said, "On this I have to agree with President Ford, and I think that the Governor would agree with him, if he knew anything about the question."

Just so there's no misunderstanding, let me give you the exact words. Here is the question from Miss Mackin [Catherine Mackin, NBC News]: "On the Panama Canal, who is right on that? Whose position do you support, Ford's or Reagan's?" Senator Goldwater--and I quote precisely--"I have to support Ford's position on it, and I think Reagan would, too, if he knew more about it."

So, let me just conclude with this observation: We have a record that's good, of taking our country from a very serious crisis and making this country prosperous-on the road to prosperity of a greater and more stable basis than this country has had in a long, long time. We are meeting our challenges abroad effectively. We strengthened our alliances.

And let me just add this: We are keeping the peace with an all-volunteer army, and we aren't calling on the draft for the support of our Military Establishment.

Let me thank each and every one of you for what you have done and what--as one of your good statewide chairmen has said--what you are going to do in the next 28 hours. What time do the polls close tomorrow--7:00? We would hope to have some good news about what time--8:00? 10:00, all right. [Laughter]

I thank you, and I thank both of these two fine cochairmen of the State. I thank each and every one of you. Let me assure you we haven't promised anything we can't perform, and we'll perform everything we promised.

And finally, you've made a big effort, you have been loyal, you've been dedicated, I know you will be effective. Betty and I won't let you down for the next 4 years.

Thank you very, very much.