Evening star., 1945-06-27
By the Associated Press.

PreStdent ITnmQnS address to
the United Nations Conference
last night follo,os::
Mr.. Chairman and delegates to
the United Nations Conference on
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
coming 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.
Somewhere in this broad country
every one of you can find some OF
our citizens who are sons and
daughters, or descendants in some
degree, of your native land. All oul
people are glad and proud that this
historic meeting and its accomplish
ments have taken place in our coun-
try. And that includes the millions
of loyal and patriotic Americans
who stem from the countries not
represented at this conference.
We are grateful to you for coming
We hope you have enjoyed your
stay and that you will come again.
Confidence Justified.
Yo,A assembled in San Francisco
nine weeks ago with the high hope
and confidence of peace-loving peo-
pie the world over.
Their confidence in you has been
justified.
Their hope for your success has
been fulfilled,
The charter of the United Nations
which you have just signed is solid
structure upon which we can build
a better world History will honor
you foA it. Between the victory in
EuropA land the final victory in
Japan in this most destructive Of
all wars, you have won a victory
against war itself.
1t was the hope of such a charter
that helped sustain the courage of
stricken peoples through the dark
est days of the war. For it is a
declaration of great faith by the
nations of the earth-faith that war
is not inevitable, faith that peace
can be maintained.
II we had had this charter few
years Rgo-and, above all, the will
to useAt-millions now dead would
be alive. If we should falter in the
future in our will to use it, millions
now living will surely die.
Only a First Step.
1t has already been said by many
that Nis is only a first step to a
lasting peace. That is true. The
important thing is that all our
thinking and all our actions be
based on the realization that it is
in fact only first step. Let us all
have it firmly in mind that we start
today from good beginning and
with our eye always on the final
objective, let us march forward.
The Constitution of my own coun-
try came from convention which
like this one-was made up of dele
gates with many different views.
Like this charter, our Constitution
came from free and sometimes
bitter exchange of conflicting opin-
ions, When it was adopted no one
regarded it as a perfect document.
but it grew and developed and ex-
panded, and upon it there was built
a bigger, a better, more perfect
Union.
This charter like our own Consti-
tuition, will be expanded and i'm
proved as time goes on. No one
claims that it is now a final or a
perfect instrument. 1t has not been
poured into any fixed mold. Chang
ing world conditions will require
readJustments-but they will be the
readJustments of peace and not of
war.
That we now have this charter
at all is a great wonder. It is also
cause for profound THANKSGIVING
to Almighty God, who has brought
us so far in our search for peace
through world organization.
Unity Of Determination.
There are many who doubted that
agreement could ever be reached bv
these so countries differing so much
IN race and religion, in language
and culture. But these differences
were all forgotten in one unshak-
9 Bile unity of determination-to
lind a way to end war.
Out OF all the arguments and dis
putes, and different points of view
way was found to agree. Here in
the spotlight of full publicity, in the
tradition of liberty-loving people.
opinions were expressed openly and
freely. The faith and the hope of
so peaceful nations were laid be-
lore 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 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 COM
mon ground on which to stand.
That is the essence of democracy:
that is the essence of keeping the
peace in the future BY your agree
ment, the way was shown toward
future agreement in the years to
come
This conference owes it's success
largely to the fact that you have
kept your minds firmly on the main
objective. You had the single Job
of writing a constitutions charter
for peace. And you stayed on that
job.
Problems Difficult.
In spite of the many distractions
which came to you in the form OF
daily problems and disputes about
such matters as new boundaries
control of Germany, peace settle
ments, reparations, war criminals
the form of government of some OF
the European countries-in spite OF
all these, you continued in the task
of framing this document.
These problems and scores OF
others. which will arise, are all
difficult. They are complicated
They are controversial and danger
Gus.