Evening star., 1946-10-02
Text of Hull Statement
Tert Of statement By Cordell

Tert OF statement BY CordeH
Hull, former Secretary OF State:
Many old friends have been ask
ing from time to time for my views
on the trend Of world affairs. To-
day, my 18th birthday, presents me
with q rather unusual occasion for
complying with these requests. It
also offers me good vantage point
from which to look ahead.
As I reflect on the course of inter-
national developments, I am more
impressed than ever by the extraor-
dinary growth and progress of our
country. In my own lifetime, I have
seen the influence of ou Nation
steadily expand. Today 1t is a
potent, world force in the cause of
peace and humanity. The immense
power and success which our coun-
try has now attained have brought
us the opportunity for greatness and
with it new responsibilities in the
community of nations. The heaviest
OF these responsibilities, which our
country has accepted, is that Of pro-
viding our full share of world leader
ship for the attainment Of interna-
tional unity and cooperation in the
service Of peace, justice, freedom,
and progress.
The acceptance of responsibility
for such leadership is the duty OF
every peace Loving nation. But this
Is especially true for each of the
large nations, into whose keeping
the facts Of geography and history
have placed great agglomerations OF
political, economic, and military
power.
Soul-Searing Moments.
In that desperate struggle for the
preservation of human freedom,
which we call the Second World
War, there were soul-searing mo-
ments when the very survival OF
free nations and free institutions
hung by a thread. It was then that
the nations fighting for freedom
achieved. in the face Of mortal dan
ger, an unparalleled unity Of pur-
pose and action both within and
among themselves. It was then that
they fully realized that mortal dam
ger would always hang over the free
world unless the peace-loving ma
tions. before it. was too late, estab-
lished among themselves an effec-
tive system Of relations based upon
principles and rules of international
behavior under which the appalling
tragedy of another world war could
be avoided.
Since the end of the war, the
world has been passing through
troublesome and hazardous times.
Victors and vanquished alike have
suffered untold hardships and In
describable miseries. Internal polit-
ical and economic instability and
social unrest have harassed the peo-
pie and statesmen Of many nations
As a consequence of these and other
difficulties of the transition from
war to peace, great strains have
been placed upon that unity Of pur-
pose and action which was SO su-
perbly maintained in the critical
years Of the war. Points of differ
ence among nations have tended to
loom far larger than the incom-
parably broader areas of their COM
mon interest.
These are dangerous conditions
and tendencies. If unchecked, they
would undermine the international
unity and cooperation so essential
to the restoration and maintenance
Of world peace and security and to
the advancement of human welfare.
Yet their existence Is no reason for
any one to have hesitation or doubt
as to the true course to peace and
security.
Victors Must Meet Issues.
All Of this was not unforeseen.
The victor nations In the Second
World War knew all along that
the end Of the conflict would bring