Evening star., 1946-04-07
Truman Says U. S. Must Preserve
Military Power to Insure Peace;
Points to Danger in Middle East
Draft Extension,
Universal Truinino
Urged in Address
Tert OF Presidents Address
on Page A-4,)
By Joseph A. Fox
Stor StoH Correspondent

SI11CACO, april o.-PreSlQenC
Truman declared today that this
Nation must preserve it's military
power, warned of international
rivalries that might spawn an
other war, and pointed to the
Near and Middle East as the
danger spot.
Standing bareheaded in wind
swept Soldier Field before an esti-
mated crowd of $4,000 at an Army
Day celebration, the President as
serted that no nation is stronger
than the United States, and added:
I'VE must remain strong, because
only so long as we remain strong
can we insure the peace of the
world. Peace has to be built on
the power for good. Justice and
good deeds are not enough. We
can not on one hand proclaim our
intention to prevent unjust ag-
gression and oppression in the world.
and on the next day call for i'm
mediate scrapping of our military
might
Obligation To Stay Strong.
We must remain strong, not
because we plan or want to impose
our views upon the world by force.
or do battle with any nation. We
must remain strong in order to
retain our leadership, and, with all
our resources, exercise that leader
ship on behalf of a world of peace
and harmony among all nations
and all peoples. That is not only
our moral duty; it is a firm obliga-
ton we have undertaken as a mem
Der OF the United Nations"
With his demand that the coun-
try's strength be unimpaired, the
President coupled a call on Con-
gress once more to enact the legis-
lation he has advocated to insure
that Observation-Disclosures of the
armed services, temporary extern
sion of the Selective Service Act
and universal training.
These are the foundation stones
which hold the promise of a strong
Nation, he said. They are essen
tlal If we are to maintain our lead
ersmp on the road to peace and
freedom"
The crowd burst into applause
for the first time when the Presi-
dent departed from the text Of his
prepared speech to add:
And now, in an election year
like this, nobody should play politics
with national safety"
Not Pessimistic About Future.
While the President asserted that
he was not "pessimistic about the
future" he made plain his belief
that the eventuality of war always
must be considered. Bluntly he
spoke of the grave problems" pre-
sented in the Near East and the
Middle East, where the Russo
1ranlan breach-now reported by
the disputants to be composed salts
factorily-has been the source Of
bitter debate in the United Ne tions
Security Council.
This area contains vast natural
resources" the President said. 1T
lies across the most convenient
routes of land, air and water COM
municationS. 1t is consequently an
area OF great economic and strategic
Importance, the nations of which are
not strong enough individually or
collectively to withstand powerful
aggression.
ut is easy to see therefore, how
the Near and Middle East might be-
come an arena of iEtense rivalry be-
tween outside powers and how such
rivalry might suddenly erupt into
conflict"
Reiterating his faith in the United
Nations, Mr.. Truman declared that
the immediate objective" of this
country's foreign policy is support
the U. N. ito the utmost"
American foreign policy" he said,
must be universal" and must guide
our relations with every country in
every part of the world"
Amplifying, he pointed to the
obscure origins of the two great
wars-Serbia, Manchuria and Po-
land and again departed from text
to add:
who knows what may happen
in the future"
The President went to some
lengths to define American policy in
the Far East-Japan, Korea, China,
the Philippines, asserting that "in
the Far East, as elsewhere, we shall
encourage the growth and spread
of Democracy and civil liberties.
Truman stressed the intention