Evening star., 1955-11-20

tees $I00-d- plate dinner.
Our business tonight is poll
tics and I propose to get right
down to business.
We mean by politics" the
peoples business - the most
important business there is.
We mean the conduct Of the
peoples business by all the peo-
pie. in open meetings where we
can say what we think, and what
we think should be done about
what we think!
For the past three days leaders
of the Democratic Party have
met here in Chicago TO discuss
plans for the coming year. The
discussion has been of policies
and principles mot Of men. The
happy truth is that the Demo
cratic Party maintains an es-
sential unity Of purpose which
does not depend upon the in
dividuals who may carry Its
standard. And no other political
party. I might add. can make
that statement
In these three days we have
heard Democratic leaders re-
port from all parts of the coun-
try. The reports add up to this:
We are going TO win in 1856!
Recent Victories Cited
We are going to win next year
Just as we won the special con-
gressional elections in 1858, both
Houses Of Congress in 1854. and
last weeks municipal elections.
These victories demonstrate
again that what the Democratic
Party stands for is what most
Americans stand for-the prin-
cipleS individual men and women
in this country believe in and
are proud of.
ThiS is what want to talk
about tonight--what we Demo-
Gratis are for. and. yes. what we
are against. / shall be speaking
not so much to you as for you
trying TO say some of the
things I know are in all our
hearts and minds, the things
that give US the right to cali
ourselves Democrats-and Amer
leans.
We propose not to make issues
where there are none. nor to be
critical without being construc-
tive. Our disagreement with the
central principles Of Republican
policy runs deep, but it does not
diminish our respect for those
who sincerely hold that political
faith. We respect the leader of
the Republican Party, President
Eisenhower, who is President for
Democrats as well as Repuhli-
cans. and we rejoice alike in the
progress Of his recovery.
Our first, our greatest. our
most relentless purpose is peace.
For without peace. there is MOTH
tng.
Security System Deteriorating
Now that the mists OF illusion
have risen from last summers
meeting at the summit" we
must again face the fact that
the cold war still is in the deep
freeze, that our security system
Is deteriorating and that d safe
and orderly world still is d dis
tant goal. Certainly We must
have learned by now that peace
and security cannot be had FOR
the asking. or by slogans and
tough talk. or by blowing alter
nately hot and cold, rash and
prudent. Certainly we must
have learned that sound foreign
policies cannot be devised with
one eye fixed only on the budget
and the other on the divisions
In the Republican Party. Ger
tainly we must have learned that
In the fluctuating market Of
world affairs there is no bargain
basement where peace Is for sale
cheap.
But let US be very clear that
Republicans want a safe-and-
sane world every bit as much as
Democrats. And in this day,
when our position is more peril
Gus than 1t has been since Korea,
let us also profit from our past
mistakes, while we deplore them.
and let US think Of foreign pol
icy not as partisans but as Amer
leans. Let us, indeed. remember
that who plays politics with
peace will lose at both.
Our world is dominated by two
facts-expansive Communist inn
perialism with the hydrogen
bomb in It's arsenal. and the
great revolutionary upsurge Of
the less privileged peoples who
long for peace and q share in
the better things Of life.
Challenge L Complex
These facts present a complex
challenge. We and our allies