Reagan Calls for a ‘New Economic Emancipation’ : Sees Nation ‘Poised for Greatness’

President Reagan launched his second term today by calling for a new American economic “emancipation” as an arctic freeze forced cancellation of all outdoor Inauguration Day activities for the first time in history.

Reagan and Vice President George Bush, sworn in privately in the White House on Sunday, repeated the oath publicly in the Capitol Rotunda--out of sight of tens of thousands of loyal Republicans who came to Washington to celebrate four more years in control of the White House.

Reagan, the America’s oldest President at 73, called on the nation to use the progress of his first term to “build an American opportunity society, in which all of us--white and black, rich and poor, young and old--will go forward together, arm in arm.”

The conservative President, who kept his first inaugural vows of cutting taxes, reducing the size of government and restoring the nation’s economic health, again made the economy the cornerstone of his inaugural address.

Time for ‘Dynamic Economy’

“The time has come for a new American emancipation--a great national drive to tear down economic barriers and liberate the spirit of enterprise in the most distressed areas of our country,” Reagan said. “A dynamic economy, with more citizens working and paying taxes, will be our strongest tool to bring down budget deficits.”

Leaving the specifics to his State of the Union address early next month, Reagan--the nation’s 40th chief executive--called for a freeze on government spending, lower deficits, tax reform, a strong national defense and arms reduction.

While he expressed hope that arms talks with the Soviet Union would one day lead to elimination of nuclear weapons, Reagan renewed his call for development of a “Star Wars” defense system that would destroy nuclear weapons before they reach their targets.

“Today we utter no prayer more fervently than the ancient prayer for peace on Earth,” Reagan said. “Yet history has shown that peace does not come, nor will our freedom be preserved, by good will alone.”

Much to Be Done

Reagan’s second address was upbeat and confident as he saw the nation “poised for greatness” and ready for “years of American renewal.” Yet, he said, there is much to be done.

“We are creating a new America, a rising nation once again vibrant, robust and alive,” Reagan said. “There are many mountains yet to climb. We will not rest until every American, from countryside to inner city, enjoys the fullness of freedom, dignity, and opportunity, which is our birthright as citizens of this great republic.”

Besides moving the swearing-in ceremony indoors, dangerous cold that sent the thermometer plunging to 7 degrees above zero canceled a splendid parade to the White House.

And instead of 140,000 witnessing the inauguration ceremony outside at the west front of the Capitol, hundreds ringed the walls of the Great Rotunda, an immense circular hall 95 feet in diameter under the building’s towering dome.

Beamed to Soviet Union Among those relative few were the senators, representatives and government officials on whom Reagan counts to continue his conservative economic program and create “a nation once again vibrant, robust and alive.”

The ceremony was carried live, in English, around the world by the Voice of America. It was beamed to the Soviet Union, with simultaneous translation. It also was broadcast in Arabic and Portuguese.

But the traditional pomp and pageantry were mostly missing today as more than 10,000 people--112 units, from as far away as Alaska--who had planned to take part in the parade and the 25,000 who had bought bleacher seats at prices ranging from $12.50 to $100 were forced to watch on television, if at all.

The inaugural committee promised refunds, which could amount to $843,750.

Only once before, at the 1833 second inauguration of Andrew Jackson, had an inaugural parade been canceled because of weather. This too was the coldest inauguration day, with the temperature nine degrees lower than when Ulysses S. Grant took the oath in 1873.

As consolation to the thousands of disappointed young people who had expected to strut their stuff for the President, an indoor “parade” was arranged at the Capital Center--a sports and entertainment arena in suburban Maryland--with the Reagans and a scattering of dignitaries present. The public was barred, however.

Nine Inaugural Balls

In the evening, the Reagans were to visit all nine of the lavish inaugural balls being held in their honor.

Before he took the oath of office, Reagan’s eyes swept across the Capitol dome 183 feet above and he told Deputy Press Secretary Larry Speakes afterward, “I just had a great sense of history sitting there.”

Reagan put his left hand on the Bible held by his wife, Nancy, and repeated phrase-by-phrase the oath administered by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger. A few minutes before, Bush recited the vice presidential oath, his hand on a Bible held by his wife, Barbara. The oath was administered by retired Justice Potter Stewart.

The center of the Rotunda, where the ceremony took place, is steeped in history. Many Presidents and national heroes, beginning with Abraham Lincoln, have lain in state there.

The acoustics in the Rotunda were so poor that lawmakers complained of not being able to hear the speech and one said he had to read the President’s lips.

40th President

Reagan is the 39th man to be President, but he is counted as No. 40 because Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms. When Reagan, whose nearly 74 years have spanned a third of the nation’s history, completes his term in 1989, the third century of the American presidency will begin.

The President began his speech by welcoming back Sen. John Stennis (D-Miss.), who recently had a leg amputated for cancer. And he asked for a moment of silent prayer for Rep. Gillis W. Long (D-La.), who died Sunday night after a heart attack. (Story on Page 2.)

“When I took this oath four years ago, I did so in a time of economic stress,” Reagan said. “Voices were raised saying we had to look to our past for the greatness and glory that had marked our two centuries as a nation.

“But we, the present-day Americans, are not given to looking backward. In this blessed land, there is always a better tomorrow.”

America, Reagan said, had fallen into the habit of asking things of the federal government that it was not equipped to give.

“By 1980,” he said, “we knew it was time to embrace again the great promise of our American revolution; time to renew our faith; to dream heroic dreams; to strive with all our strength toward the ultimate in individual freedom, consistent with an orderly society.