US Presidency
1960

But the enmities it will incur, the isolation into which it will descend, and the internal moral and physical softness that will be engendered, will, in the long term, bring it to disaster. America did not become great through softness and self-indulgence. Her miraculous progress and achievements flow from other qualities far more worthy and substantial: adherence to principles and methods consonant with our religious philosophy a satisfaction in hard work the readiness to sacrifice for worthwhile causes the courage to meet every challenge to her progress the intellectual honesty and capacity to recognize the true path of her own best interests. To us and to every nation of the Free World, rich or poor, these qualities are necessary today as never before if we are to march together to greater security, prosperity and peace. I believe the industrial countries are ready to participate actively in supplementing the efforts of the developing countries to achieve progress. The immediate need for this kind of cooperation is underscored by the strain in our international balance of payments.