Evening star., 1951-07-29

people have rejected both of them
lone is to start a world war now
with all it's horrible and unfore-
seeable consequences. The other is
to withdraw and isolate ourselves
That means surrendering the rest
of the world to Soviet Commu-
nism. Neither of these alterna-
tives could possibly lead to peace.
Peace Is the Purpose.
Peace is the purpose Of our de-
IfenSe program. Peace is what this
great production job is all about.
We have the resources, the mo-
rale, the economic strength, to
do this job.
We have this great strength be-
cause the people and the Govern
ment have been working together
for the welfare of all Americans.
/ We have this strength because
we have been working for equal
Ilty of opportunity and economic
security for all our citizens. We
have helped our farmers and our
workers to reach higher and
higher living standards; we have
developed our natural resources
for everybody's benefit. And be-
cause the welfare of the people
has been our first concern, our
business and industry have grown
and expanded tremendously.
That is our record. That is
why we stand before the world
as the strongest of the free ma
tions. That is why We have the
opportunity to lead mankind to
peace.
There are a lot Of people ir
this country, however, who are
trying to shake our confidence ir
ourselves. They want us to see
ourselves not as we really are, but
as they see us through their oWr
dark glasses of fear and lack 0!
faith. They say that we cannot
do the job we have set out to do
These people tell us we can't
afford to build up our defenseS
because it will cost too much. They
say we will go bankrupt if we
carry out our program. They
say we will ruin our economy.
Howls Are Old Stuff.
Of course, all these howls about
bankruptcy are old stuff. We
have heard them time and time
again. Those who are saying We
cannot afford our peace program
and aid to our Allies abroad, are
the very same ones who have
been saying all along that we
couldn't afford to do anything
for the American people at home
They said we couldn't afford
social security and unemployment
compensation. They said We
couldn't afford aid to agriculture
that we couldn't afford IVA, and
the Grand Coulee Dam and rural
electrification.
They say. today, that We can't
afford housing for low-income
families and veterans and defense
workers.
They say we can't afford dams
and reservoirs to produce cleo
trio power for defense and to pre-
vent flood disasters. They say
we can't afford the ST. Lawrence
seaway to open the Great Lakes
to ocean shipping and bring new
iron ore to the steel mills OF
the Middle West. There never
was a project in the history OF
the country more badly needed
than the st. Lawrence seaWay.
You all know what this sort
of false economizing means. II
means economic stagnation and
depression and ruin. 1t means
suffering and loss for thousands
of families.
Those people who are forever
saying we can't do anything be-
cause it will bankrupt US, are
looking at the future through the
wrong end OF the telescope. II
we had listened to them in the
past we would never have devel-
oped the strong America we have
today
If we listen to them now, and
cramp our defense program. we
will not be able to defend our
country, or have peace in the
world.
Can Well Afford to Pay.
Strong defenSes are not going
to bankrupt US. any more than
domestic progress has bankrupted
us. We can we'll afford to pay
the price of peace.
/ Our only alternative is to pa!
the terrible cost of war.
The doubters and defeatiStS
have now taken up another battle