Herbert Hoover

This is a period when the ideals and hopes which have made America the envy of the world are being tested.

The first duty of the Government-that is, to secure social tranquillity and to maintain confidence in our institutions--has been performed.

No meeting of this club could assemble at this period without some reference to the hard times which surround us.

These occasions are a contribution to public life.

It is comforting to observe that this terrible and destructive practice has infected the Congress.

To interrupt a man's sleep and jerk him from the realm of real bliss into the cold realities of another day is a greater invasion of human liberty than any yet wrought by the 18th amendment.

If, by the grace of God, we have passed the worst of this storm, the future months will be easy.

That issue is the abuses which have arisen in the land from bells.

I commend the observance of National Boys Week to all our people.

Everything that can be done to encourage home-ownership and to make homelife pleasanter is a distinct contribution not only to social well-being but to the highest spiritual values of life.

The celebration of National Boys Week is a yearly reminder of the priceless qualities of youth, when faith is highest and ambition strongest, with their constant inspiration and encouragement to the fathers and sons.

To the Heads of Departments and Independent Establishments

I CORDIALLY commend to all the people the observance of Better Homes Week beginning April 26.

Interest in boys and comradeship with them is a privilege to their elders and a guiding service to the boys.

The Better Homes movement has done distinguished service in this field and deserves the warmest support of all our people.

Yes, and with the constant striving to reduce expenditures wherever we can, we are going into the necessary aid to unemployment, agriculture, et cetera--we may get it even less than this.

The drought relief is in this year's budget and not in next year's.

There is a decrease of about $10 million in the estimated postal deficit.

The Navy Department shows an increase of about $25 million.

The total of all construction work including these items is now progressing at the rate of over $725 million per annum, being about $500 million per annum in excess of the rate of expenditure for construction previous to the depression.

These are based upon appropriations.

Of course, we are always striving to get below the appropriations where we can do it without injuring the major purpose of the appropriations themselves.

The members of the Cabinet had before them the compilation of the budget on a functional basis, as has been customary during the past 2 years.

Yes, the previous annual payments for the bonus will aggregate about $750 million as I recollect--something about that figure.

Public debt charges are much the same--about $8 million increase.