Evening star., 1947-04-06
TEXT Of Truman Speech at jefferson Day Dinner

ext d rum
The teri ot President Turner's
speech last nigh at Democratic
Jeferson Day dinner at the May-
fotuer Hotel follotcs'
NY Fellow Democrats:
Our meeting together this evening
carries forward an old party custom
In this annual tribute to the memory
OF Thomas Jefferson. We, who are
members Of the party he founded
the Democratic Party-take great
pride and feel deep satisfaction.
We know that as long as we re-
main free, the spirit OF Thomas
jefferson lives in America. His
spirit is the spirit of freedom. WI
are heartened by the knowledge
that the light he kindled q century
and half ago shines today, In the
United States. It shines even mort
strongly and steadily than in his
time. What was then an untriec
faith Is now 4 living reality.
But we know that no class, nj
party, no nation, has monopoly or
Jefferson's principles. Out OF ths
silence Of oppressed peoples. out ol
despair Of those who have lost free
dom, there comes to us an expression
OF longing. Repeated again ane
again. in many tongues, from many
directions, It Is a plea Of men
women and children for the freedom
that Thomas Jefreson proclaimed
as an ipalienahle right.
When we hear the cry for freedom
arising from shores beyond our own
we can take heart from the words OF
Thomas Jefferson. In his letter to
President Monroe, urging the adop-
ton OF what we now know as the
Monroe Doctrine, he wrote:
Nor is the occasion to be slighted
which this proposition offers Of de-
claring our protest against the
atrocious violations Of the rights OF
nations by the interference of any
one in the internal affairs Of an
other"
Must Make Protest Effective.
We, like jefferson, have witnessed
atrocious violations Of the rights OF
nations.
We, too, have regarded them as
occasions not to be slighted.
We, too, have declared our pro-
test.
We must make that protest effec-
tive by aiding those peoples whose
freedoms are endangered by foreign
pressures.
We must take a positive stand.
1t is no longer enough merely to
say I'VE don't want war" We must
act in time-ahead of time-to
stamp out the smoldering begin
nings Iof any conflict that may
threaten to spread over the world.
We know how the fire starts. We
have seen 1t before-aggression by
the strong against the weak. openly
by the use of armed force and Sc
cretly by infiltration. We know
how the fire sperads. And we know
hsw it ends.
Let us not underestimate the task
before us. The burden OF our re-
sponsibility today is greater, even
considering the size and resources
of our expanded Nation, than it
was in the time of jefferson and
Monroe, For the peril to mans
freedom that existed then exists
now on a much smaller earth-an
earth whose broad oceans have
shrunk and whose natural protec-
tions have been taken away by new
weapons of destruction
What is the responsibility that
we must assume.
Edifice Of Lasting Peace a y
Our responsibility is to stand
guard before the ledifice of lasting
peace which. after so long a time,
is at last being built.
That edifice is the United Ma
tions.
The function OF the United Ma
tions is to quench the flames wher-
ever they may break out; to watch
throughout the world and extin-
guish every spark that comes from
ference between govefnunents;
TO do this, II possible, through the
machinery Of peaceful arbitration,
but to do it In any case. This Is
so, even II armed conflict must be
prevented by the use OF an inter-
national police force.
We believe that formula Is sound
and workable. Our faith in it is
strong and resolute. The United
is mans hope OF putting out,
and keeping out, the fires of war
for all time. In supporting the
United Nations we must, when nee
essary. supplement its activities. BY
aiding free nations to maintain
their freedom we strengthen the
United Nations in the performance
Of it's functions.
The foreign policy of this country
transcends in importance any other
question confronting us. 1t would
be fatal if it were to become the
subject of narrow political consid-
Grafton.
Our foreign policy must not be
on the rocks of PARTISAN
ship.
United, support of a policy that
serves the interests of the Nation
as whole must be our aim.
Bipartisan Effort Praised.
I wish to commend the efforts OF
those members of both parties who
have worked, side by side, to achieve
this goal
To meet the responsibilities placed
completely lost his temper and
ended by apologizing to Ambassador