Imperial Valley press., 1945-06-27
Full Text Of President Trumun's
Address on World Peace Charter

! A0 00kSSS
4 SAN FRANCISCO, June 26. CUP
Following is the text of Presiden
Truman's address before the fina
plenary session of the United Ma
tiOns conference:
Mr.. Chairman and delegates tt
the United Nations conference or
international organization:
/ deeply regret that the press Of
circumstances when this conference
opened made it impossible for me to
/ be here to greet you in person. ]
have asked for the privilege of COM
ing today, to express on behalf OF
the people of the United States our
thanks for what you have done here
and to wish you Godspeed on your
journeys home
WORLDWIDE KIN
Somewhere in this broad country
every one of you can find some OF
cur citizens who are sons and daugh-
tiers, or descendants in some degree,
OF your own native land. AL our
people are glad and proud that this
historic meeting and its accomplish
ments have taken place in our
country. And that includes the mil
lions of loyal and patriotic Ameri-
cans who stem from the countries
not represented at this conference.
We are grateful to you for COM
ing. We hope you have enjoyed your
stay and that you will come again.
You assembled in San Francisco
nine weeks ago with the high
hope and confidence of peace
loving people the world over.
Their confidence in you has been
fulfilled.
The charter of the United Nations
which you have just signed is solid
structure upon which we can build
better world History will honor
you for it. Between the victory in
Europe and the final victory in Jap
an, in this most destructive of all
wars, you have Won victory against
war itself.
SUSTAINING FORCE
1t was the hope of such charter
that helped sustain the courage Of
stricken peoples throughout the
darkest days of the war. For it is a
declaration of great faith by the ma
tions of the earth-faith that war
is not inevitable, faith that peace
can be maintained.
If we had had this charter few
years agO-and above all, the will
to use it-millions now dead would
be alive. If we should falter i'm
the future in our will to use IT,,
millions now living will surely
die.
1t already has been said by many
that this. is only first step to a
lasting peace That is true. The i'm
portant thing is that all our think
ing and all our actions be based on
the realization that it is in fact only
a first step. Let us all have it firmly
IN mind that we start today from
a good beginning and, with our eye
always on the final objective, let'us
march forward
u. S. CONSTITUTION
The constitution of my own coun-
try came from a convention which
like this one-waS made up Of
delegates with many different views.
Like this charter, our constitution
came from a free and sometimes
bitter exchange of conflicting opin-
ions. When it was adopted, no one
regarded it as perfect document.
But it grew and developed and ex-
panded. And upon it there was built
bigger, a better, a more perfect
union.
This charter, like our own con-
stitution, will be expanded and i'm
proved as time goes on. No one
claims that it is now final or a
perfect instrument. It has not been
poured into any fixed mold Chang
ing world conditions will require
1eadjustments-but they will be the
readjustments of peace and not of
war
That we now have this charter
at all is a great wonder. 1t is also
a cause for profound thanksgiv-
ing to Almighty God, who has
brought us so far in our search
for peace through world organiza-
/ tion.
There were man, who doubted
that agreement could ever be reach
ed by these fifty countries differing
SO much in race and religion, in
language and culture. But these
differences were all forgotten in one
unshakable unity of determination
to find way to end war
WAY TO AGREE
Out of all the arguments and dis
putes, and different points of view
a way was found to agree Here in
the spotlight of full publicity, in
the tradition of liberty loving peo-
pie, opinions were expressed openly
and freely. The faith and the hope
| Of fifty peaceful nations were laid
before this world forum. Differences
were overcome. This charter was
not the work of any single nation
or group of nations, large or small.
1t was the result of a spirit of give
and-take, of tolerance for the views
and interests of others.
1t was proof that nations, like
men. can state their differences
can face them, and then can find
common ground on which to stand