Letter from C. J. Howard of Dorena, Oregon, Regarding President Hoover’s Valley Forge Address

add C. J. Howard, Dorena, Oregon. 6-10 11Lm Dorena, Oregon, June 4, 1931. To The President of The United State, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: Believing that, no matter how exalted the position an American may hold by virtue of his capabilities and appraisement of his country- men, particularly at a time when clouds of depression fall heavily upon the safe conduct of perplexities of National affairs, he is never with- out at least, a faint hope that his true values may be appreciated by the masses of humble countrymen who proved their aggregated faith in the spread of ballot, representitive of my entire family, Itake the liberty to write you, thanking you for your recent Valley Forge address, which was carefully read, re-read and analyzed for its plain eloquence and log- ic last night in a far-off Oregon home. No man who is sincere and who has acted in good faith in whatsoever his undertaking may have been, now passing into ripening years, can doubt the weight of grave responsibility that you not only feel but know rests upon you in this darkened hour of National business and financial misadventure. No man as great in intricate affairs of National importance as are you can be so poor of thought that he can side-step a desire to be appreciated for efforts made, e'en by the humble. It is understood that the masses look to the Chief Executiveto doctor and overcome all ills; and many, who know there is a limit of asministra- tive power to divert National and sectional calamity in such times as these, are eternally out with edged tools, sharpened betimes, on the grindstone of calumny, to break down rather than reenforce the bulwork of National so- lidity, always at the expense of sincere officials, struggling under load of breaking weight. So it seems to us, away from the throes of executive strife, all but lost in mountain fastness--but listening to noise (?) of silence, secure, humble, comfortably though rudely housed, that those of position andapower, of station great, may take no exception to the appreciation of the humble. May I thank you for my family and myself for your Valley Forge utter- ances, born of the spirit of loyalty to the American people? Sincerely, June 10, 1931 P.P.F. Sasley My dear Mr. Howard: goo Your letter of June 4th has been received and I shall place it before the Presi- dent. He will be very glad, you may be sure, to learn that you think so well of his recent address at Valley Forge. Sincerely yours, LAWRENCE RICHEY Secretary to the President Mr. C. J. Howard, Dorena, Oregon. wlm