82 
MRS.  KNUDSEN’s  ADDRESS. 
Madam  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: — I thank  you  for 
the  opportunity  given  me  to  speak  to  you  on  a subject  which 
of  all  great  questions  is  the  most  important  one  before  the 
American  people  today;  a question  which  deals  not  only  with 
the  present  needs  of  this  great  Nation,  of  which  Hawaii  is  a 
part,  but  more  especially  with  the  needs  of  the  generations  in 
all  time  to  come. 
This  great  movement,  the  Conservation  of  the  National  Re- 
sources of  the  United  States,  the  commencement  of  which  is 
due  to  the  genius  of  the  Hon.  Gifford  Pinchot,  is  of  all  the 
broad  and  progressive  movements  of  the  last  eight  years,  the 
one  that  will  make  President  Roosevelt’s  administration  stand 
out  in  history  as  that  of  lofty  purpose  and  high  ideals,  prac- 
tically realized. 
Surely  the  psalmist  was  right  when  he  sang  in  the  days 
of  old,  “Oh  Lord,  the  earth  is  full  of  thy  riches.”  Because 
we  recognize  more  fully  even  than  David  did,  the  bounty  of 
the  Creator,  have  we  the  right  to  exhaust  nature’s  rich  supply 
of  coal,  oil  and  mineral,  allow  the  soil  to  be  washed  into  the 
mighty  deep,  by  the  swollen  rivers  carrying  death  and  destruc- 
tion in  times  of  flood,  leaving  this  fair  land  impoverished,  a 
miserable  heritage  to  our  children’s  children? 
From  the  depths  of  the  darkest  coal  mine  to  the  loftiest 
height  of  the  brilliant  snow  capped  mountain,  from  the  tiniest 
stream  in  the  forest  to  the  mouth  of  the  greatest  river,  comes 
a voice  to  those  who  have  ears  to  hear,  “Conserve  the  vast 
riches  within  the  earth,  preserve  the  forests,  control  the  rivers, 
so  that  in  all  time  to  come,  you  the  people  of  this  great 
nation  can  sing,  T will  lift  up  mine  eyes  to  the  Hills  whence 
cometh  my  help.  Oh  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works,  the 
earth  is  full  of  thy  riches.’  ” 
This  nation,  through  the  inspiring  influence  of  our  great 
national  leaders,  is  thoroughly  aroused  to  the  absolute  necess- 
ity of  preserving  and  conserving  the  natural  resources,  for 
upon  that  depend  the  promotion  and  perpetuation  of  our 
national  prosperity. 
To  consider  this  far-reaching  question  there  convened  in 
Washington  last  May,  at  the  White  House,  a body  of  the 
strongest  executives  this  country  has  ever  known. 
Before  adjourning,  this  Conference  of  Governors  drew  up  a 
Declaration  of  Principles,  signed  by  each  Governor,  from 
which  I quote  the  following: 
DECLARATION  OF  PRINCIPLES. 
“We,  the  governors  of  the  States  and  Territories  of  the 
United  States  of  America  in  conference  assembled,  do  hereby 
