Labor Secy. Dole Sworn In; Bush Sees Abundant Jobs

President Bush today welcomed Elizabeth Hanford Dole into his Cabinet as Labor secretary by predicting “jobs in abundance” in the years ahead and calling for a new spirit of volunteerism in America.

“John Kennedy challenged us to ask ourselves what we could do for our country,” Bush said at a swearing-in ceremony for Dole. “And let us each day ask, ‘What can I do for another person? How can I make someone else’s load a little lighter?’ ”

Bush told the gathering, largely made up of Labor Department employees, that government service “plays a vital role, but it must complement individual service.”

” . . . I think of the secretary who after a day at the office takes the time to volunteer and help a child in the neighborhood learn how to read,” he said.

With her husband, Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) at her side, Elizabeth Dole picked up on Bush’s theme of volunteerism and budget restraint.

“We don’t have unlimited funds, which means we must make the funds we do have work for us,” said Dole, who was Transportation secretary in the Ronald Reagan Administration.

Dole said she is committed to a goal of moving beyond full employment to “fulfilling employment” for all who seek a job.