United States Must Be Strong

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 134, 18 March 1948, Page 5

United States Must Be Strong

Continuing, President Truman said. “I regard it as my duty, therefore, to recommend to Congress:

“(1) That Congress speedily complete its action on the European recov ery programme. “(2) Prompt enactment of universal training legislation. Until Europe s free nations have regained then strength, and as long as Communism threatens the very existence of democracy, the United States must .remain strong enough to support those European countries which are threatened with Communist control and 1 cilice State rule. The adoption of universal training by the United States at this time would be unmistakable evidence to all the world of our determination to back the will to peace with the strength for peace. “(3) I recommend the temporary ieenactment of selective service legislation in order to maintain our armeu forces at their authorised strength. Such strength has been reduced to tne very minimum necessary to meet our obligation® abroad. We cannot meet our'international responsibilities unless we maintain our armed forces, it is of vital importance, for example, that we keep our occupation forces in

Germany until European peace is se cure.

“The recommendations I have made represent the most urgent steps toward securing peace and preventing war. We must be ready to take every wise ©tep to carry out their great purpose. This will require assistance to other nations, and will require an adequate and balanced military strength.

“We in the United States remain determined to seek by every possible means a just and honourable basis for the settlement of international issues. We shall continue to give our strong allegiance to the United Nations as the principal means for international security based on law and not force.

“We shall remain ready and anxious to join with all nations—l repeat, with all nations—in every possible effort to reach international understanding and agreement. The door has never been closed, nor will it ever be closed, to the Soviet Union, or any other nation, which will genuinely co-operate in preserving peace. The time has come when the world’s free men and women must face the threat

to their liberty squarely and courageously. “The United States has a tremendous responsibility to act according to the measure of our power for good in the world. We have learned that we must earn the peace we seek just as we earned victory in war, not by wishful thinking, but by realistic effort. At no time in our history lias the unity of our people been so vital vis at present. Unity of purpose, unity of effort and unity of spirit are essential to accomplish the task before us. Each of us here in this chamber today has a special responsibility. The world stiuation is too critical, and the responsibilities of this country are too vast to permit of party struggles to weaken our influence for maintaining peace.” “The American people have the right to assume that political considerations will not affect our working together. They have the right to assume that we will join hands whole-heartedly and without reservation in our efforts to preserve peace in the world. With God’s help, we shall succeed.”