Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-10

I am here tonight to do some
plain talking.
There is one thing that is not
an issue in this campaign. 1t
is this: The longing of all Amer
leans for peace. prosperity and
progress. No one in this country
of any political party = is
against peace. No one is against
prosperity-or progress.
What. then, is the real is
sue? 1t is this: What principles
what policies and programs
can best help our people to gain
and to guard these blessings?
How shall we debate this
issue? I do it with this convic-
ton: What matters in a democ-
racy is not how loudly our
leaders speak - but how re-
sponsibly not how big their
promises are-but how honest.
And for one-am tired Of
too much talk about high
roads" and low roads" There
Is only one road worthy Of
American intelligence-and that
is the road of truth.
Our Great Goals
Our great concerns, obviously,
are: The prosperity of our Ma
ton, the progress Of our people
the peace Of the world, and our
prayer. as a people. is that we
may know these blessings-all
at the same time.
For a whole generation, this
has rarely been true.
In the 1930s We knew peace
a troubled peace-but few Of us
knew prosperity: so there could
be little progress.
In the 1940s most of us knew
prosperity-but there was little
peace: so again our progress
stalled. And no sooner was Nazi-
ism destroyed-than the Com
munist aggression was on the
march.
Now-after the events of the
last four years. believe a new
hope rises in all of us: We can,
in the years just ahead, know
the blessings of peace and pros
perity and progress at the same
time. But one thing is plain: it
will not come by happy accident
or lucky coincidence 1t can only
come by firm and true principles
and policies-by hard work
and. as the times may demand it,
by sacrifice
This. then, is the way demo-
cracy in our republic tests and
proves itself. 1t faces-and it
anSwers-the real issue. This
issue is-not how we dream
about meeting the future-but
how we plan to master it.
Record Before People
The record of this administra-
ton is now before the American
people. 1t consists of almost four
years of clear accomplishments.
There is also before the peo-
pie a second record-the record
Of what our political opponents
have been saying over these re-
cent weeks.
I must refer briefly to this
verbal record Of theirs. Frankly,
I dislike wasting time in taking
notice Of political charge and
countercharge. but when partisan
oratory has concealed or twisted
the facts. l owe it to you to call
this to your attention.
Let me give you few specifics.
On Small Business Aid
They say that your Govern
ment cares only for big bust
ness-nothing for small bust
ness"
What are the facts? The fact
the testing facts that the en-
forcement Of antitrust laws has
never been more strict and effec-
tive than in these last four
years. In the year 1855, a total
of 81 new antitrust actions were
begun by your Government.
The fact IS that we-not they
created the Small Business Ad-
ministration as an independent
peacetime agency of Govern
ment. The fact is that the share
Of defense contracts going to
small business during the last
three fiscal years has been well
above the three preceding years.
On Checking Imitation
They say that your Govern
ment has done nothing to check
imitation.
What are the facts? The cost
Of living scared almost so per
cent in the last 7 years of their
administration-and has risen
less than per cent under this
administration. With the record
Of this contrast before the peo-
ple--I should think that the OPP
position would be the last ones
to talk about imitation.
On Education Program
They say that your Govern
ment has ignored our children's
need for education.
What are the facts? Not once,
but twice, in may state-of -the-
Union messages-in 1855 and
again in 1861 urged swift
action--the first time in our his
tory the Federal Government
called a great assembly Of edu-
Gators from all the Nation to
help develop a school program:
the plan I submitted to Congress
reflected their wisdom and ex-
perience. That Swear program
was rejected by the opposition.
I refuse TO repeat anything so
extravagant as the opposition s
implied charge that one party in
this country is for education,
another against it. But one fact
is quite clear and simple This
administration urged action
and the opposition controlling
the Congress produced nothing