Evening star., 1949-10-24
7run,on's Address at u. NJ Cornerstone Laying
By the Associated Press

NG w O3t3A1 WV IL Wv
) lo1Ding is the tert OF President
Truman's address at the
United Nations cornerstone
laying ceremonials today:
President Romulo, Mr.. Lie, dis
tinguished representatives and fell
low guests:
We have come together today to
lay the cornerstone of the perma-
nent headquarters of the United
Nations. These are the most i'm
portant buildings in the world.
for they are the center Of mans
hope for peace and a better life.
This is the place where the ma
tions of the world will work to-
gether to make that hope a re-
ality.
This occasion is a source of
special pride to the people of the
United States. We are deeply
conscious of the honor of having
the permanent headquarters of
the United Nations in this coun-
try. At the same time, we know
how important it is that the
people of other nations should
come to know at first hand the
work of this world organization.
We consider it appropriate, there
fore, that the United Nations
should hold meetings from time
to time in other countries when
that can be done. For the United
Nations must draw it's inspiration
from the people of every land: it
must be truly representative of
and responsive to the peoples of
the world whom it was created to
serve.
This ceremony marks a new
stage in the growth of the United
Nations. 1t is fitting that it
should take place on United Ma
tions Day, the fourth anniversary
of the day the Charter entered
into effect. During the four years
of its existence, this organization
has become a powerful force for
promoting peace and friendship
among the peoples of the world.
The construction of this new
headquarters is tangible proof of
the steadfast faith of the mem
bers in the vitality and strength
of the organization, and of our
determination that it shall be-
come more and more effective in
the years ahead.
Further Evolution Seen.
The Charter embodies the hopes
and ideals of men everywhere.
Hopes and ideals are not static.
They are dynamic, and they give
life and vigor to the United Ma
tions. We look forward to a con-
tinuing growth and evolution of
the organization to meet the
changing needs of the worlds
peoples. We hope that eventually
every nation on earth will be a
fully qualified and loyal member.
We who are close to the United
Nations somestimes forget that it
is more than the procedures, the
Councils and the debates, through
which it operates. We tend to
overlook the fact that the organi-
zation is the living embodiment
of the principles of the Charter -
the remuneration of aggression and
the joint determination to build
better life.
But if we overlook this fact, we
will fail to realize the strength and
power OF the United Nations. We
will fail to understand the true
nature of this new force that has
been created in the affairs of our
time.
The United Nations is essen
TALLY an expression of the moral
nature of mans aspirations. The
charter clearly shows our deter
mination that international prob
lens must be settled on a basis
acceptable to the conscience of
mankind.
Because the United Nations Is
the dynamic expression of what
all the peoples of the world de-
sire. because it sets UP standard
of right and justice for all ma
tions, it is greater than any of IT'S
members. The compact that un-
derlies the United Nations cannot
be ignored-and it cannot be in
fringed or dissolved.
Peoples Will Prevailed in U. S.
We in the United States, in the
course of our own history, have
learned what it means to set up
an organization to give expression
to the common desire for peace
and unity. Our Constitution ex-
pressed the will of the people that
there should be a United States.
And through toll and struggle the
people made their will prevail.
In the same way, think, the
Charter and the organization
served by these buildings express
the will of the people of the world
that there shall be a United Ma
tionS.
This does not mean that all the
member countries are of one mind
on all issues. The controversies
which divide us go very deep. We
should understand that these
buildings are not monument to
the unanimous agreement of ma
tions on all things. But they sig
nifty one new and important fact.
They signify that the peoples of
the world are of one mind in their
determination to solve their COM
mon problems by working to-
gether.
Our success in the United Ma
tions will be measured not only in
terms of our ability to meet and
master political controversies. We
have learned that political contro-
versies grow out of social and eco
nomic problems. If the people OF
the world are to live together in
peace, we must work together to