Evening star., 1949-08-22
Nv the Assoeiofsd Press

BY the Asseeiotsd Press
MIAMI, Fla. Aug. 22.-Fol-
lo,uing is the tert OF President
Truman's address today at the
golden jubilee convention OF the
Veterans of Foreign Wars:
MIR. Commander-in-C Chief, dis.
tinguished guests, fellow members
of the Veterans of Foreign Wars:
I am happy to be in Miami today
to help celebrate the golden jubilee
anniversary of our organization.
I ann proud to be a member OF the
oldest active veterans organization
in the Nation. For SO years the WV
has been serving not only the In
terests of the men who have fought
for our country in foreign lands, but
also the interests of our whole Ma
ton.
have watched the splendid hu.
manitarian work which our organi-
zation carries on I have also been
gratified by the record OF VFW In
other fields, and particularly IN the
field of international policy. I re-
call the United Nations rally In
1912, at our 43d national encamp-
ment in Cincinnati, to which IA
Allied nations sent representatives
remember the victory conference
in 1945 at our Chicago encampment
where representatives from 2l Allied
nations met to discuss the value OF
cooperation in war and the i'm
portance of continuing international
cooperation in time of peace. The
VFW has continued this fine record
by its strong support OF the North
Atlantic Treaty.
am particularly pleased that you
have asked me to be here on the
day the VFW is honoring distin-
guished representatives from other
countries which have Joined in the
North Atlantic Treaty. The presence
of veterans from most OF the treaty
countries, meeting with our own vet
Grams, is deeply symbolic OF the
spirit that binds together the free
nations of the world.
Adjustment Difficult.
All the countries that signed the
treaty have learned the tragic cost
of war. All of us have learned how
weakness invited aggression - how
democratic countries, unless they
stand together, can be taken over
one by one. And now, all OF us are
determined that, by joint efforts
and a common defense, we shall be-
come strong enough to prevent an
other terrible conflict.
-Four years ago, when the war
ended, the world entered q new
phase Of human history. There were
many who believed that the world
would quickly return to its old ways.
Many believed that the countries of
the world would work their way,
peacefully and in cooperation, back
to conditions Of stability and pros
perity.
But the effects Of this last war
were too far-reaching to permit
such an easy adjustment. The de-
struction had been too great to
allow a quick recovery. The accu-
mulated wealth Of generations had
been poured out and lost in the
conflict. Conditions Of world trade
had been fundamentally altered.
AS a result Of the upheaval, many
peoples demanded new rights and
new responsibilities. Men who h. d
lived for centuries In econc
servitude asked for independence
land a fair share Of the good things
fofr life |-
The war against Tyranny Was-sus-
tanned by belief In the -Four Free
doms. Men refused to yield to die
tatorship because they desired and
believed they could secure condi-
tions of material and spiritual
freedom. When the war ended,
they demanded TO Abe treated as
Tree men. They demanded world
in which they could attain Sc
curity and liberty.
This demand cannot be suppress
ed. It must not be frustrated. 1t
presents a challenge to us and to
the values of our civilization which
will require all our energies and
wisdom to satisfy.
One pretended answer to this de-
mand of mankind is offered by Or
ganized Communism. But that
answer is 6 false one. Communism
claims to satisfy the universal de-
sire for a better life. But, in fact,
it lures men by false promises back
to tyranny and slavery-and more
and more people, all over the world,
are learning that fact.
Alternative to Communism.
The free nations of the world
offer a different answer to the de-
mand of mankind for security and
liberty. Our answer Is based upon
voluntary association among free
nations, mutual adjustment of our
common problems, and combined
economic effort. We are convinced
that through these means the world
can achieve economic progress and
at the same time maintain and ex-
pand democratic freedoms. We are
convinced that our answer will pre-
vail.
The people of the United States
have been meeting this challenge
In four short years they have done
more in the cause of world peace
and world recovery than any nation
has ever before been called upon to
do.
We are not alone in this effort.
Many nations which share our
democratic values and our tradi-
tions are working with us. With
out these Allies in the cause OF
peace, our task would be hopeless.
We can win q permanent peace
only through the joint efforts Of
Lane Sets 0ct.., 81,
To Complete Bridge