Remarks Commemorating the 175th Anniversary of the Inauguration of George Washington

Ladies and gentlemen:

This house is honored by the presence of such distinguished guests. I am personally very grateful to you, Dr. Goldman, and the others who have come at your invitation for your presence here today.

This is a proud day for the Republic. One hundred and seventy-five years ago George Washington entered this office, and now, today, we have some of the most distinguished students and scholars of our time here for this occasion.

In the group are Richard Neustadt, Sidney Hyman, Clinton Rossiter, all of whom have done outstanding works on the Presidency. We have also some distinguished authors of Presidential biographies, Mrs. Catherine Drinker Bowen, author of a notable work on John Adams; Mrs. Margaret Leech Pulitzer, who wrote "In the Days of McKinley," which is the name of her book, not a report on the period of her writing; Roy Nichols, who has written many books on Presidents between Jackson and Lincoln; David Donald, noted for his writings about Lincoln, Samuel Flagg Bemis, the Pulitzer Prize winner for his work on John Quincy Adams; George Danger field, author of the valuable study, "The Era of Good Tidings;" and James MacGregor Burns, known to us for his work on President Kennedy; Arthur Walworth, noted for his Wilson biography.

Since the press is temporarily with us, I might explain in the words of Oscar Wilde, "In America the President reigns for four years and journalism governs forever and ever."

I wanted to be a teacher, and was until the pay scale pushed me into the line of work that I am now in. I never went as far as Teddy Roosevelt, who said of the Vice Presidency that he would greatly rather be anything else, even a professor of history. Also, I can assure you that at times, especially after I read the newspapers, I have strong urges to be a writer. In fact, if I may turn the tables, I sometimes think some of my friends in the press need some new writers.

But, more seriously, I have shared with you a lifelong interest in and study of the American Presidency. Over the past several months I have been deeply conscious of and I have been deeply grateful for the very unique experience that I was privileged to have had when these duties were thrust upon me. FDR brought me into this house and this room when I was only 27. I was privileged to know very well and work very closely with President Truman and President Eisenhower, as well as the late, beloved President Kennedy.

I also count as a very special treasure my friendship with President Hoover in later years.

The Nation has been blessed with strong and popular and successful Presidents. But with the emphasis upon individuals, perhaps some of our understanding of the office itself has gone neglected. If the Presidency is to serve the people in these times as they want to be served, we need the fuller appreciation of the concepts and the powers and the limitations of the office.

Those of you present here have rendered invaluable service to the Republic through your studies of the Presidency as well as individual Presidents. I congratulate you, and more, I thank you.

Admiral Dewey could say back in 1900 that the office of the President is not such a difficult one to fill. I doubt that that was even true in 1900. I know it is not true today. This office is a difficult office, and any who occupy it must be a humble man before the task that he faces. This office is also a great institution of freedom. No man could be more aware than I of how the office towers above the man who occupies it and gives to him strength that is much greater than his own.

I would hope that during the ensuing year, irrespective of political campaigns, we might make a constructive effort to focus more of our study and more of our discussion and more of our talent upon understanding this office and adding to the strength of this office. I hope that each of you and all of you will use your considerable influence to lead such an effort throughout this land.

I, for one, feel that there is a genuine need to restudy, reevaluate, reassess many aspects of this office and its functioning as an office in these times. I won't go into that now, because I am saving those views either for next year or perhaps for my own memoirs, but if I may quote President Hoover, he once enumerated the valuable privileges of this office as being "the duty and the right to terminate all interviews, conferences, social parties, and all receptions." Regretfully, I must conclude this session, since we are going on to lunch.

I do want to read a proclamation which I hope will not be branded as too long. I hope you will not compare the time unfavorably with the time spent with the United States Chamber of Commerce early this week. I would like it understood, particularly by the press, that I was doing missionary work then, and I feel like this is my home congregation.

[At this point the President read a proclamation commemorating the 175th Anniversary of the Inauguration of George Washington (see Item 304).He then concluded his remarks.]

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and now if you will join me, we will go to lunch over in the Mansion.