Evening star., 1951-04-02
Text Of Aurio Speech to Joint Session of Congress

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The tert Of the address OF
President Auriol OF France be-
fore a Joint session OF Congress
today tolloios::
i Mr.. President, Mr.. Speaker,
Senators and Members Of Con-
Igress,
! I am deeply moved by the ex-
ceptional honor you are render
ing me in allowing me to appear
before this assembly and to ad-
ildress you from this glorious ros-
'Itrum. 1t will touch the heart OF
i the people of France to whom,
Through me, this homage and this
i warm welcome are directed.
! I am the more deeply moved
THAT my visit is the first one made
Iby a President of the French Re-
public, in the name of France to
the Republic of the United States
!. land that it recalls to me two his
/ toric visits to our country made
by two of your illustrious states
men: Benjamin Franklin in 1776,
land, a century and a half later.
) after the first World War, Presi-
dent Wilson.
It gives me an opportunity to
pay tribute to your heroic young
men who under the command of
lltheir glorious leaders twice rushed
Ito our ravaged country to share
with our own sons in the fight.
\ These memories illustrate our
common history, and this history
Ialready long and always friendly
is a history of freedom.
Pays Tribute to War Dead.
In recalling these memories in
the presence of the Congress of
1.-THE great American democracy, ]
want to express our constant and
heartfelt sympathy to all the fam
lilies whose sons have died for our
common ideal and are resting for
ever in French soil, side by side
with the sons of France and of
the other Allied nations. Through
you, representing the 48 States of
the Union, wish to tell the Amer
lean people of our grateful and
loyal friendship and of our un-
shakable attachment to the great
human principles France has al
ways proclaimed-principles en-
bodied both in your Declaration
of independence and in our dec
laration of the Rights of Man and
of the Citizen, principles which,
three years ago, after SO many
trials and contests, have received
the unanimous conservation Of the
United Nations.
These sacred achievements of
man which are not only the most
precious values in our civilization
but also the conditions for all fu-
Iture improvement, for all indi-
Ividual and social progress, are
today threatened-we are sorrow
fully obliged to admit this-only
'Isix years after our two peoples
made sacrifices never before
equaled in history, for the attain
ment and organization of a just
and tranquil peace.
Confronted with this situation,
far different from what we had
wanted and expected, with our
security threatened, any nation
worthy of her freedom must face
reality and take stock of her own
responsibilities. Today I have
come to tell you what France
thinks and what France seeks.
Answers Determination Question.
Gentlemen, you are the repre-
sentatiyes of a people who insist
upon truth. Your opinions are
based on facts and your judg-
ments on acts and not on words.
| This is why I will ask you this
question: When in the defense of
her independence and the sacred
cause of liberty a nation has lost
l 1,357 900 men from 1914 to 1918.
$4,000 dead from 1889 to 1916
(240,00 perished in uniform in
the first and the last battles for
freedom-112,000 were shot or
were killed by bombing-1S2 900
died deported to Germany for
belonging to the underground and
40, 900 died in enemy labor camps) :;
when, for the same. cause, the
same nation, fighting at the door
to Southeastern Asia, in Indo-
China, a war which has lasted
more than four years, does not
hesitate to reaffirm her faith in
international law by sending to
Korea officers and men whose
Iheroism makes them the worthy
comrades of your officers and
!, men; then I ask you, who could
5 seriously question her determine
tion? In fact, what nation has
ever proven better her love for
tlindependence and for peace and
her will to defend both?
The attitude which has been
, given the barbarous name OF
"neutralism" has always beer
foreign to the French soul, not
only because it is a moral absur-
dity-can any one be neutral be-
tween servitude and liberty, be-
tween good and evil?-but be-
:. cause it is geographical and his
torical nonsense. Our people have
, experienced the frailty of their
exposed land and sea frontiers
: Almost alone in 1914 and again
in 1889 they have met the first
shock of armies so powerful that
each time it has taken four years
OF ceaseless effort and a coali-
ton of the worlds forces to de-
feat them. Therefore they know
; that right without might is
powerless. They know that isola-
:. ton is death. They know that
, neutrality, whether declared
, armed or disarmed, has protected
neither Belgium, the Netherlands
Norway or Denmark and that an
IaggreSSor would never Ston Of a