The chronicle., 1963-12-03

and freedom. We have shown
that we can also be a formida-
BILE foe to those who reject the
path Of peace and who seek to
impose upon us or our allies
the yoke of tyranny.
This nation will keep its COM
mitmentS from South Vietnam
to West Berlin. We will be I'M
ceasing in the search for peace;
resourceful in our pursuit Of
areas of agreement even with
those with whom we differ; and
generous and loyal to those who
join with us in common cause.
In this age where there can
be no losers in peace and no
victors in War-We must recog-
nize the obligation to match ma
tional strength with national
restraint-we must be prepared
at one and the same time for
both the conformation Of power
and the limitation Of power -
we must be ready to defend the
national interest and to nego-
tate the common interest. This
is the path that we shall con-
tinue to pursue. Those who test
our courage will find it strong
and those who seek our friend
ship will find it honorable. We
will demonstrate anew that the
strong can be just in the use of
strengthened the just can be
strong in the defense of justice.
We will carry on the fight
against poverty and misery, ig-
norance and disease-in other
lands and in our own.
Our American unity does not
depend upon unanimity. We
have differences; but now, as
in the past, we can derive from
those differences strength, not
weakness; wisdom, not despair.
Both as a people and as a gov
eminent can unite upon a pro-
gram which is wise, just and
constructive.
For 80 years, Capitol Hill has
been my home. l have shared
many moments of pride with
you-pride in the ability of the
Congress of the United States
to act; to meet any crisis; to
diStill from our differences
strong programs Of national &C
ton.
An aSSasSin'S bullet has
thrust upon me the aweSome
burden of the presidency. | am
here today to say that | need
your help; | cannot bear this
burden alone. / need the h e p
of all Americans. This nation
This nation has experienced a
profound shock and in this criti-
cal moment it is our duty 80
yours and mine - as the gov
eminent Of the United States
to do away with uncertainty
and to show that we are capa-
BILE of decisive action = that
from the brutal loss Of our
leader we will derive not weak
ness but strength-that we can
and will act and act now.
From the chamber of repre-
sentative government let all the
world know, and none misun-
derStand, that l rededicate this
government to the answering
support of the United Nations
to the honorable and deter
mined execution of our commit
mentS to our allies - to the
m aintenance of military
strength second to none-to the
defense Of the strength and sta
bility Of the dollar-to the eX-
pansion Of our foreign trade 80
to the reinforcement Of our
programs Of mutual assistance
and cooperation in Asia and At
rica-and to our Alliance for
Progress in this hemisphere.
On the 10th of January, in
1861, John F. Kennedy told his
countrymen that our national
work would not be finished "'in
the first one thousand days, nor
in the life of this administra-
ton, nor even perhaps in our
lifetime on this planet. But-he
said-let us begin"
Today in this moment of new
resolve, I would say to my fell
low Americans, let us continue.
This is our challenge-not to
hesitate, not to pause, not to
turn about and linger over this
evil moment but to continue on
our course so that we may full
fill the destiny history has set
for us. Our most immediate
tasks are here on this hill.
First, no memorial Grafton or
eulogy could more %eloquently
honor President Kennedy'S|
memory than the earliest pos
sible passage Of the Civil Rights