Mr.
Vice President, Mr. Chief Justice, and fellow citizens, I
accept with humility the honor which the American people
have conferred upon me. I accept it with a deep resolve to
do all that I can for the welfare of this Nation and for
the peace of the world.
In
performing the duties of my office, I need the help and
prayers of every one of you. I ask for your encouragement
and your support. The tasks we face are difficult, and we
can accomplish them only if we work together.
Each
period of our national history has had its special
challenges. Those that confront us now are as momentous as
any in the past. Today marks the beginning not only of a
new administration, but of a period that will be eventful,
perhaps decisive, for us and for the world.
It
may be our lot to experience, and in large measure to
bring about, a major turning point in the long history of
the human race. The first half of this century has been
marked by unprecedented and brutal attacks on the rights
of man, and by the two most frightful wars in history. The
supreme need of our time is for men to learn to live
together in peace and harmony.
The
peoples of the earth face the future with grave
uncertainty, composed almost equally of great hopes and
great fears. In this time of doubt, they look to the
United States as never before for good will, strength, and
wise leadership.
It
is fitting, therefore, that we take this occasion to
proclaim to the world the essential principles of the
faith by which we live, and to declare our aims to all
peoples.
The
American people stand firm in the faith which has inspired
this Nation from the beginning. We believe that all men
have a right to equal justice under law and equal
opportunity to share in the common good. We believe that
all men have the right to freedom of thought and
expression. We believe that all men are created equal
because they are created in the image of God.
From
this faith we will not be moved.
The
American people desire, and are determined to work for, a
world in which all nations and all peoples are free to
govern themselves as they see fit, and to achieve a decent
and satisfying life. Above all else, our people desire,
and are determined to work for, peace on earth a just
and lasting peace based on genuine agreement freely
arrived at by equals.
In
the pursuit of these aims, the United States and other
like-minded nations find themselves directly opposed by a
regime with contrary aims and a totally different concept
of life.
That
regime adheres to a false philosophy which purports to
offer freedom, security, and greater opportunity to
mankind. Misled by this philosophy, many peoples have
sacrificed their liberties only to learn to their sorrow
that deceit and mockery, poverty and tyranny, are their
reward.
That
false philosophy is communism.
Communism
is based on the belief that man is so weak and inadequate
that he is unable to govern himself, and therefore
requires the rule of strong masters.
Democracy
is based on the conviction that man has the moral and
intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right,
to govern himself with reason and justice.
Communism
subjects the individual to arrest without lawful cause,
punishment without trial, and forced labor as the chattel
of the state. It decrees what information he shall
receive, what art he shall produce, what leaders he shall
follow, and what thoughts he shall think.
Democracy
maintains that government is established for the benefit
of the individual, and is charged with the responsibility
of protecting the rights of the individual and his freedom
in the exercise of his abilities.
Communism
maintains that social wrongs can be corrected only by
violence.
Democracy
has proved that social justice can be achieved through
peaceful change.
Communism
holds that the world is so deeply divided into opposing
classes that war is inevitable.
Democracy
holds that free nations can settle differences justly and
maintain lasting peace.
These
differences between communism and democracy do not concern
the United States alone. People everywhere are coming to
realize that what is involved is material well-being,
human dignity, and the right to believe in and worship
God.
I
state these differences, not to draw issues of belief as
such, but because the actions resulting from the Communist
philosophy are a threat to the efforts of free nations to
bring about world recovery and lasting peace.
Since
the end of hostilities, the United States has invested its
substance and its energy in a great constructive effort to
restore peace, stability, and freedom to the world.
We
have sought no territory and we have imposed our will on
none. We have asked for no privileges we would not extend
to others.
We
have constantly and vigorously supported the United
Nations and related agencies as a means of applying
democratic principles to international relations. We have
consistently advocated and relied upon peaceful settlement
of disputes among nations.
We
have made every effort to secure agreement on effective
international control of our most powerful weapon, and we
have worked steadily for the limitation and control of all
armaments.
We
have encouraged, by precept and example, the expansion of
world trade on a sound and fair basis.
Almost
a year ago, in company with 16 free nations of Europe, we
launched the greatest cooperative economic program in
history. The purpose of that unprecedented effort is to
invigorate and strengthen democracy in Europe, so that the
free people of that continent can resume their rightful
place in the forefront of civilization and can contribute
once more to the security and welfare of the world.
Our
efforts have brought new hope to all mankind. We have
beaten back despair and defeatism. We have saved a number
of countries from losing their liberty. Hundreds of
millions of people all over the world now agree with us,
that we need not have war that we can have peace.
The
initiative is ours.
We
are moving on with other nations to build an even stronger
structure of international order and justice. We shall
have as our partners countries which, no longer solely
concerned with the problem of national survival, are now
working to improve the standards of living of all their
people. We are ready to undertake new projects to
strengthen the free world.
In
the coming years, our program for peace and freedom will
emphasize four major courses of action.
First,
we will continue to give unfaltering support to the United
Nations and related agencies, and we will continue to
search for ways to strengthen their authority and increase
their effectiveness. We believe that the United Nations
will be strengthened by the new nations which are being
formed in lands now advancing toward self-government under
democratic principles.
Second,
we will continue our programs for world economic recovery.
This
means, first of all, that we must keep our full weight
behind the European recovery program. We are confident of
the success of this major venture in world recovery. We
believe that our partners in this effort will achieve the
status of self-supporting nations once again.
In
addition, we must carry out our plans for reducing the
barriers to world trade and increasing its volume.
Economic recovery and peace itself depend on increased
world trade.
Third,
we will strengthen freedom-loving nations against the
dangers of aggression.
We
are now working out with a number of countries a joint
agreement designed to strengthen the security of the North
Atlantic area. Such an agreement would take the form of a
collective defense arrangement within the terms of the
United Nations Charter.
We
have already established such a defense pact for the
Western Hemisphere by the treaty of Rio de Janeiro.
The
primary purpose of these agreements is to provide
unmistakable proof of the joint determination of the free
countries to resist armed attack from any quarter. Each
country participating in these arrangements must
contribute all it can to the common defense.
If
we can make it sufficiently clear, in advance, that any
armed attack affecting our national security would be met
with overwhelming force, the armed attack might never
occur.
I
hope soon to send to the Senate a treaty respecting the
North Atlantic security plan.
In
addition, we will provide military advice and equipment to
free nations which will cooperate with us in the
maintenance of peace and security.
Fourth,
we must embark on a bold new program for making the
benefits of our scientific advances and industrial
progress available for the improvement and growth of
underdeveloped areas.
More
than half the people of the world are living in conditions
approaching misery. Their food is inadequate. They are
victims of disease. Their economic life is primitive and
stagnant. Their poverty is a handicap and a threat both to
them and to more prosperous areas.
For
the first time in history, humanity possesses the
knowledge and the skill to relieve the suffering of these
people.
The
United States is pre-eminent among nations in the
development of industrial and scientific techniques. The
material resources which we can afford to use for the
assistance of other peoples are limited. But our
imponderable resources in technical knowledge are
constantly growing and are inexhaustible.
I
believe that we should make available to peace-loving
peoples the benefits of our store of technical knowledge
in order to help them realize their aspirations for a
better life. And, in cooperation with other nations, we
should foster capital investment in areas needing
development.
Our
aim should be to help the free peoples of the world,
through their own efforts, to produce more food, more
clothing, more materials for housing, and more mechanical
power to lighten their burdens.
We
invite other countries to pool their technological
resources in this undertaking. Their contributions will be
warmly welcomed. This should be a cooperative enterprise
in which all nations work together through the United
Nations and its specialized agencies wherever practicable.
It must be a worldwide effort for the achievement of
peace, plenty, and freedom.
With
the cooperation of business, private capital, agriculture,
and labor in this country, this program can greatly
increase the industrial activity in other nations and can
raise substantially their standards of living.
Such
new economic developments must be devised and controlled
to benefit the peoples of the areas in which they are
established. Guarantees to the investor must be balanced
by guarantees in the interest of the people whose
resources and whose labor go into these developments.
The
old imperialism exploitation for foreign profit has no
place in our plans. What we envisage is a program of
development based on the concepts of democratic
fair-dealing.
All
countries, including our own, will greatly benefit from a
constructive program for the better use of the world's
human and natural resources. Experience shows that our
commerce with other countries expands as they progress
industrially and economically.
Greater
production is the key to prosperity and peace. And the key
to greater production is a wider and more vigorous
application of modern scientific and technical knowledge.
Only
by helping the least fortunate of its members to help
themselves can the human family achieve the decent,
satisfying life that is the right of all people.
Democracy
alone can supply the vitalizing force to stir the peoples
of the world into triumphant action, not only against
their human oppressors, but also against their ancient
enemies hunger, misery, and despair.
On
the basis of these four major courses of action we hope to
help create the conditions that will lead eventually to
personal freedom and happiness for all mankind.
If
we are to be successful in carrying out these policies, it
is clear that we must have continued prosperity in this
country and we must keep ourselves strong.
Slowly
but surely we are weaving a world fabric of international
security and growing prosperity.
We
are aided by all who wish to live in freedom from
fear even by those who live today in fear under their
own governments.
We
are aided by all who want relief from the lies of
propaganda who desire truth and sincerity.
We
are aided by all who desire self-government and a voice in
deciding their own affairs.
We
are aided by all who long for economic security for the
security and abundance that men in free societies can
enjoy.
We
are aided by all who desire freedom of speech, freedom of
religion, and freedom to live their own lives for useful
ends.
Our
allies are the millions who hunger and thirst after
righteousness.
In
due time, as our stability becomes manifest, as more and
more nations come to know the benefits of democracy and to
participate in growing abundance, I believe that those
countries which now oppose us will abandon their delusions
and join with the free nations of the world in a just
settlement of international differences.
Events
have brought our American democracy to new influence and
new responsibilities. They will test our courage, our
devotion to duty, and our concept of liberty.
But
I say to all men, what we have achieved in liberty, we
will surpass in greater liberty.
Steadfast
in our faith in the Almighty, we will advance toward a
world where man's freedom is secure.
To
that end we will devote our strength, our resources, and
our firmness of resolve. With God's help, the future of
mankind will be assured in a world of justice, harmony,
and peace.
|