Evening star., 1942-09-03
Text of Roosevelt Address
Students Are Told They Will Shape
World When Axis Is Defeated

Chinese know that this only means
"All of creation easlaved by the Jap
anese."
We exult in the thought that it is
the young, free men and women Of
the United Nations. and not the
wound-up robots of the slave states
who will mold the shape of the rev
world.
Represent 20 Nations.
The delegates to this Interna-
tional Student Assembly represent
the 20 United Nations They also
represent, in spirit a. least, the
younger generation of many other
nations who, though they are not
now actively at war on our side, are
with us heart and soul in aspiration
for a secure and peaceful world.
Before the First World War. very
few people in any country believed
that youth had the right to speak
for itself as group or to partici-
pate in councils of state.
We have learned much since then.
We know that wisdom does not
come necessarily with years; that
odd raAn Ma ybe FOOLISH ant dxplng
men may 'ebes wise. But in every
war it is the younger generation
which bears the burden of combat
and inherits all the ills that war
leaves in its wake. ,.4. ,.4..,......ss..z ..ss.
Essssrssss, " !, a - 2- HI
lowed the false prosperity after the
First World War, many young mer
and women suffered even more than
did their elders. For they were de-
MED the primary opportunities for
education, for training, for work, or
even for food enough to build up
healthy bodies. AS a result, they
were tempted to seek some simple
remedy not only for their own in
dividual problems, but for all the
problems that beset the world. Some
listened to alien, siren voices which
offered glib answers to all the ques-
tions. Democracy is dead" saio
these voices. Follow us, and we viii
teach you efficiency. We will leao
you to world conquest. We will give
you power over inferior races. Ant
all that we ask you to give in return
is--your freedom"
Theory Gives Way to Fact.
Other young people in the democ
racies listened to gospels of despair
They took refuge in cynicism ant
bitterness.
However, the day finally cam
when all theory had to give way t.
fact-the terrible, tangible fact o
dive bombers, panzer divisions, tn
actual threat to the security of ever,
home and every family in every fre
country in the world. And whel
that fact became clear to our you'll
they answered the call to arms
many millions Of them, and, today
they are determined to fight unit
the forces of aggression have beel
utterly destroyed
What I am saying here in Wash
ington is being heard by several mil
lion American soldiers, sailors an,
marines, not only within the con
tinental limits of the United State:
but in far distant points-in Cen
tral and South America, in the is
lands OF the Atlantic, in Britain an,
Ireland, on the coasts of Africa il
Egypt, in 1raq and Iran, in Russia
in India, in China, in Australia, il
New Zealand, in many islands of tn
Pacific and on all the seas of tn
world. Therein all those places
are our fighting men.
And to them / should like to de
liver a special message, from thei
Commander in Chief, and from tn
very hearts of their countrymen.
You young Americans today ar
conducting yourselves in a manne
that is worthy of the highes
proudest traditions of our Nation.
No pilgrims who landed on tn
uncharted New England coast n
pioneers who forced their wa
through the trackless wilderness
, showed greater fortitude, create
determination. than you are show
ing now.
7 Gailantry Praised.
Neither your own fathers. In l91
nor your fathers fathers, in 18t
or 1776, fought with greater ga
= lantry or more selfiess devotio
to duty and country than you al
now displaying on battlefields fl
! from home
S And what is more, you know VII
D you are fighting. You know thu
l the road which has led you to IL
1 Solomon Islands, or to the Red Sc
or to the coast of France, is in fa
: an extension OF Main street. ar
: that when you fight, anywhel
t along that road, you are fighting
:. the defense of your own home
your own free schools, your oH
S churches, your own ideals.
e We here at home are supreme
v conscious of our obligations to yo
= now and in the future. We will NJ
/, let you down.
=, We know that in the minds
I many of YOU are thoughts OF ii
terrupted education, interrupts
4 careers, delayed opportunities fl
r getting Job. The solution OF sue
problems cannot ba left. "A Il v,