“DOOR NOT CLOSED TO SOVIET”

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 March 1948, Page 7

“DOOR NOT CLOSED TO SOVIET”

“The adoption of universal training by the United States at this time would be unmistakeable evidence to all the world of our determination to back the will to peace with strength for peace. “Thirdly, I recommend the temporary re-enactment of the selective service legislation'in order to maintain our armed forces at their authorised strength. Such strength has been reduced to the very minimum necessary to meet our obligations 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 secure.

Most Urgent Steps

“The recommendations I have .made represent the most urgent steps toward securing peace and preventing war. We must be ready to take every wise step to carry out this great purpose. This will require assistance to other nations and require an adequate 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 in-

ternational security, based on law, not force. We shall remain ready and anxious to join with all nations I 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”

“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 the 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. . ,•a. • 1 41, “At no time in our history has the unity of our people been so vital as 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 situation is too critical and the responsibilities of this country are too vast to permit party struggles to weaken our influence for maintaining peace. The American people have the right to assume that political considerations will net affect, our' working together.' -They have the right to assume we will join hands wholeheartedly' and without reservation in our efforts to.'preserve peace in the world. With God’s help, we shall succeed.”