Law can not rise above its source in good citizenship--in what right-minded men most earnestly believe and desire.
Herbert Hoover
The Public Record
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1929, to March 4, 1933. A member of the Republican Party, Hoover was born in Iowa but later moved to California. Before his presidency, he served as the Secretary of Commerce from 1921 to 1928, where he focused on promoting economic growth and efficiency. Hoover was also known for his humanitarian efforts during World War I, leading relief efforts in Europe and earning a reputation as a skilled administrator.
gutenberg.org
His attitude may obscure, but it can not conceal, the ugly truth that the lawbreaker, whoever he may be, is the enemy of society.
However much we may perfect the mechanism, still if the citizen who is himself dependent upon some laws for the protection of all that he has and all that he holds dear, shall insist on selecting the particular laws which he will obey, he…
It is the most serious issue before our people.
That we shall effect improvement is vital to the preservation of our institutions.
We need to reestablish faith that the highest interests of our country are served by insistence upon the swift and even-handed administration of justice to all offenders, whether they be rich or poor.
We have pressing need so to organize our system of administering criminal justice as to establish full vigor and effectiveness.
No one will look with satisfaction upon the volume of crime of all kinds and the growth of organized crime in our country.
The first duty of the President under his oath of office is to secure the enforcement of the laws.
Indeed, these are the fundamental principles upon which our Government was founded, and they are the principles which have been adhered to in the whole development of our business structure, and they are the distillation of the common…
The conclusions of these investigations have been unanimous that reorganization is a necessity of sound administration; of economy; of more effective governmental policies and of relief to the citizen from unnecessary harassment in his…
The administration of all laws concerning the veterans and their dependents has been upon the basis of dealing generously, humanely, and justly.
The doors of the Government's hospitals have been opened to all veterans, even though their diseases or injuries were not the result of their war service.
Veterans whose diseases or injuries have become apparent within a brief period after the war are now receiving compensation; insurance benefits have been liberalized.
It has been the policy of our Government almost from its inception to make provision for the men who have been disabled in defense of our country.
I have been opposed to the basis of the quotas now in force and I have hoped that we could find some practical method to secure what I believe should be our real national objective; that is, fitness of the immigrant as to physique…
Our pressing problem is to formulate a method by which the limited number of immigrants whom we do welcome shall be adapted to our national setting and our national needs.
Restriction of immigration has from every aspect proved a sound national policy.
We need some new Federal prisons and a reorganization of our probation and parole systems; and there should be established in the Department of Justice a Bureau of Prisons with a sufficient force to deal adequately with the growing…
These conditions make it impossible to perform the work of personal reconstruction of prisoners so as to prepare them for return to the duties of citizenship.
It should be based upon local and State responsibility, but I consider that the Federal Government has an obligation of contribution to the establishment of such agencies.
The Nation as a whole is vitally interested in the health of all the people; in protection from spread of contagious disease; in the relation of physical and mental disabilities to criminality; and in the economic and moral advancement…
Federal officials can, however, make a further and most important contribution by leadership in stimulation of the community and voluntary agencies, and by extending Federal assistance in organization of these forces and bringing about…
Any other attitude by the Federal Government will undermine one of the most precious possessions of the American people; that is, local and individual responsibility.
The Federal Government provides for an extensive and valuable program of constructive social service, in education, home building, protection to women and children, employment, public health, recreation, and many other directions.
Politicians like Herbert Hoover
