Address Delivered by President Roosevelt at Wa****ngton, March 15, 1941
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This dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association is unique. It
is
the first one at which I have made a. speech in all these eight years. It
differs from the press conferences that you and I hold twice a week. You
cannot ask me any questions; and everything I have to say is word for word
"on the record".
For eight years you and I have been helping each other. I have been trying
to keep you informed of the news of Wa****ngton and of the nation and of
the
world from the point of view of the Presidency. You, more than you realize
it, have been giving me a great deal of information about what the people
of
this country are thinking.
In our press conferences, as at this dinner tonight, we include re****ters
representing papers and news agencies of many other lands. To most of them
it is a matter of constant amazement that press conferences such as ours
can
exist in any nation in the world.
That is especially true in those lands where freedoms do not exist-where
the
purposes of our democracy and the characteristics of our country and of
our
people have been seriously distorted.
Such misunderstandings are not new. I remember that in the early days of
the
first World War the German Government received solemn assurances from
their
representatives in the United States that the people of America were
disunited; that they cared more for peace at any price than for the
preservation of ideals and freedom; that there would even be riots and
revolutions in the United States if this Nation ever asserted its own
interests.
Let not dictators of Europe and Asia doubt our unanimity now.
Before the present war broke out on September 1, 1939, I was more worried
about the future than many people-most people. The record shows I was not
worried enough.
That, however, is water over the dam. Do not let us waste time reviewing
the
past or fixing or dodging the blame for it. History cannot be rewritten by
wishful thinking. We, the American people, are writing new history today.
The big news story of this week is this: The world has been told that we,
as
a united nation, realize the danger which confronts us-and that to meet
that
danger our democracy has gone into action.
We know that although Prussian autocracy was bad enough, Naziism is far
worse.
Nazi forces are not seeking mere modifications in colonial maps or in
minor
European boundaries. They openly seek the destruction of all elective
systems of government on every continent-including our own; they seek to
establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human
beings by a handful of individual rulers who have seized power by force.
These men and their hypnotized followers call this a new order. It is not
new. It is not order. For order among nations presupposes something
enduring-some system of justice under which individuals, over a long
period
of time, are willing to live. Humanity will never permanently accept a
system imposed by conquest and based on slavery.
These modern tyrants find it necessary to their plans to eliminate all
democracies-eliminate them one by one. The nations of Europe, and indeed
we
ourselves, did not appreciate that purpose. We do now. The process of the
elimination of the European nations proceeded according to plan through
1939
and 1940, until the schedule was shot to pieces by the unbeatable
defenders
of Britain.
The enemies of democracy were wrong in their calculations for a very
simple
reason. They were wrong because they believed that democracy could not
adjust itself to the terrible reality of a world at war.
They believed that democracy, because of its profound respect for the
rights
of men, would never arm itself to fight.
They believed that democracy, because of its will to live at peace with
its
neighbors, could not mobilize its energies even in its own defense.
They know now that democracy can still remain democracy, and speak, and
reach conclusions, and arm itself adequately for defense.
From the bureaus of propaganda of the Axis powers came the confident
prophecy that the conquest of our country would be "an inside job"-a job
accomplished not by overpowering invasion from without, but by disrupting
confusion and disunion and moral disintegration from within.
Those who believed that knew little of our history. America is not a
country
which can be confounded by the appeasers, the defeatists, the backstairs
manufacturers of panic. It is a country, which talks out its problems in
the
open, where any man can hear them.
We have just now engaged in a great debate. It was not limited to the
halls
of Congress. It was argued in every newspaper, on every wave length-over
every cracker barrel in the land. It was finally settled and decided by
the
American people themselves.
The decisions of our democracy may be slowly arrived at. But when that
decision is made, it is proclaimed not with the voice of any one man but
with the voice of 130 millions. It is binding on all of us. And the world
is
no longer left in doubt.
This decision is the end of any attempts at appeasement in our land; the
end
of urging us to get along with the dictators; the end of compromise with
tyranny and the forces of oppression.
The urgency is now.
We believe firmly that when our production output is in full swing, the
democracies of the world will be able to prove that dictator****ps cannot
win.
But, now, the time element is of supreme im****tance. Every plane, every
other instrument of war; old and new, which we can spare now; we will send
overseas. . That is commonsense strategy.
The great task of this day, the deep duty which rests upon us is to move
products from the assembly lines of our factories to the battle lines of
democracy-Now!
We can have speed and effectiveness if we maintain our existing unity. We
do
not have and never will have the false unity of a people browbeaten by
threats and misled by propaganda. Ours is a unity which is possible only
among free men and women who recognize the truth and face reality with
intelligence and courage.
Today, at last, ours is not a partial effort. It is a total effort and
that
is the only way to guarantee ultimate safety..
Beginning a year ago, we started the erection of hundreds of plants and we
started the training of millions of men.
Then, at the moment the aid-to-democracies bill was passed we were ready
to
recommend the seven billion dollar appropriation on the basis of capacity
production as now planned.
The articles themselves cover the whole range of munitions of war and of
the
facilities for trans****ting them.
The aid-to-democracies bill was agreed to by both Houses of the Congress
last Tuesday afternoon. I signed it one half hour later. Five minutes
later
I approved a list of articles for immediate ****pment. Many of them are on
their way. On Wednesday, I recommended an appropriation for new material
to
the extent of seven billion dollars; and the Congress is making patriotic
speed in making the appropriation available.
Here in Wa****ngton, we are thinking in terms of speed, and speed now. And
I
hope that that watchword will find its way into every home in the Nation.
We shall have to make sacrifices-every one of us. The final extent of
those
sacrifices will depend upon the speed with which we act-Now!
I must tell you tonight in plain language what this undertaking means to
you--to your daily life.
Whether you are in the armed services; whether you are a steel worker or a
stevedore; a machinist or a housewife; a farmer or a banker; a storekeeper
or a manufacturer-to all of you it will mean sacrifice in behalf of
country
and your liberties. You will feel the impact of this gigantic effort in
your
daily lives. You will feel it in a way which will cause many
inconveniences.
You will have to be content with lower profits from business because
obviously your taxes will be higher.
You will have to work longer at your bench or your plow or your machine.
Let me make it clear that the Nation is calling for the sacrifice of some
privileges but not for the sacrifice of fundamental rights. Most of us
will
do that willingly. That kind of sacrifice is for the common national
protection and welfare; for our defense against the most ruthless
brutality
in history; for the ultimate victory of a way of life now so violently
menaced.
A half-hearted effort on our part will lead to failure. This is no
part-time
job. The concepts of "business as usual" and "normalcy" must be forgotten
until the task is finished. This is an all-out effort-nothing short of
all-out effort will win.
We are now dedicated, from here on, to a constantly, increasing tempo of
production-a production greater than we now know or have ever known
before-a
production that does not stop and should not pause.
And so, tonight, I am appealing to the heart and to the mind of every man
and every woman within our borders who loves liberty. I ask you to
consider
the needs of our Nation at this hour and to put aside all personal
differences until our victory is won.
The light of democracy must be kept burning. To the perpetuation bf this
light, each must do his own share. The single effort of one individual may
seem very small. But there are 130 million individuals over here. There
are
many more millions in Britain and elsewhere bravely ****elding the great
flame of democracy from the blackout of barbarism. It is not enough for us
merely to trim the wick or polish the glass. The time has come when we
must
provide the fuel in ever-increasing amounts to keep the flame alight.
There will be no divisions of party or section or race or nationality or
religion. There is not one among us who does not have a stake in the
outcome
of the effort in which we are now engaged.
A few weeks ago I spoke of four freedoms-freedom of speech and expression,
freedom of every person to wor****p God in his own way, freedom from want,
freedom from fear. They are the ultimate stake. They may not be
immediately
attainable throughout the world but humanity does move toward those ideals
through democratic processes. If we fail-if democracy is superseded by
slavery-then those four freedoms or even the mention of them will become
forbidden things. Centuries will pass before they can be revived.
By winning now, we strengthen their meaning, we increase the stature of
mankind and the dignity of human life.
There is a vast difference between the word "loyalty" and the word
"obedience". Obedience can be obtained and enforced in a dictator****p by
the
use of threat and extortion or it can be obtained by a failure on the part
of government to tell the truth to its citizens.
Loyalty is different. It springs from the mind that is given the facts,
that
retains ancient ideals and proceeds without coercion to give sup****t to
its
own government.
That is true in England and in Greece and in China and in the United
States
today. And in many other countries millions of men and women are praying
for
the return of a day when they can give that kind of loyalty.
Loyalty cannot be bought. Dollars alone will not win this war. Let us not
delude ourselves as to that.
Today, nearly a million and a half American citizens are hard at work in
our
armed forces. The spirit and the determination of these men of our Army
and
Navy are worthy of the highest traditions of our country. No better men
ever
served under Wa****ngton, or John Paul Jones, or Grant, or Lee, or
Per****ng.
That is a boast, I admit-but it is not an idle one.
Upon the national will to sacrifice and to work depends the output of our
industry and our agriculture.
Upon that will depends the survival of the vital bridge across the
ocean-the
bridge of ****ps which carry the arms and food for those who are fighting
the
good fight.
Upon that will depends our ability to aid other nations which may
determine
to offer resistance.
Upon that will may depend practical assistance to people now living in
nations which have been overrun, should they find the op****tunity to
strike
back in an effort to regain their liberties.
This will of the American people will not be frustrated either by threats
from powerful enemies abroad or by small, selfish groups or individuals at
home.
The determination of America must not be obstructed by war profiteering.
It must not be obstructed by unnecessary strikes of workers, by
short?sighted management, or by deliberate sabotage.
For, unless we win, there will be no freedom for either management or
labor.
Wise labor leaders and wise business managers will realize, how necessary
it
is to their own existence to make common sacrifice for this great common
cause.
There is no longer the slightest question or doubt that the American
people
recognize the extreme seriousness of the present situation. That is why
they
have demanded, and got, a policy of unqualified, immediate, all?out aid
for
Britain, Greece, China, and for all the governments in exile whose
homelands
are tem****arily occupied by the aggressors.
From now on that aid will be increased-and yet again increased-until total
victory has been won.
The British are stronger than ever in the magnificent morale which has
enabled them to endure all the dark days and the shattered nights of the
past 10 months. They have the full sup****t and help of Canada, and the
other
dominions, of the rest of their Empire, and non-British people throughout
the world who still think in terms of the great freedoms.
The British people are braced for invasion whenever the attempt may
come-tomorrow-next week-next month.
In this historic crisis, Britain is blessed with a brilliant and great
leader in Winston Churchill. But, no one knows better than Mr. Churchill
himself, that it is not alone his stirring words and valiant deeds which
give the British their superb morale. The essence of that morale is in the
m***** of plain people who are completely clear in their minds about the
one
essential fact-that they would rather die as free men than live as slaves.
These plain people-civilians as well as soldiers and sailors and
Airmen-women and girls as well as men and boys-are fighting in the front
line of civilization, and they are holding that line with a fortitude
which
will forever be the pride and the inspiration of all free men on every
continent and on every island of the sea.
The British people and their Grecian allies need ****ps. From America, they
will get ****ps.
They need planes. From America, they will get planes.
They need food. From America, they will get food.
They need tanks and guns and ammunition and supplies of all kinds. From
America, they will get tanks and guns and ammunition and supplies of all
kinds.
China likewise expresses the magnificent will of millions of plain people
to
resist the dismemberment of their Nation. China, through the
Generalissimo,
Chiang Kai-shek, asks our help. America has said that China shall have our
help.
Our country is going to be what our people have proclaimed it must be-the
arsenal of democracy.
Our country is going to play its full part.
And when dictator****ps disintegrate-and pray God that will be sooner than
any of us now dares to hope-then our country must continue to play its
great
part in the period of world reconstruction.
We believe that the rallying cry of the dictators, their boasting about a
master-race, will prove to be pure stuff and nonsense. There never has
been,
there isn't now, and there never will be, any race of people fit to serve
as
masters over their fellowmen.
The world has no use for any nation which, because of size or because of
military might, asserts the right to goose-step to world power over other
nations or other races. We believe that any nationality, no matter how
small, has the inherent right to its own nationhood.
We believe that the men and women of such nations, no matter what size,
can,
through the processes of peace, serve themselves and serve the world by
protecting the common man's security; improve the standards of healthful
living; provide markets for manufacture and for agriculture. Through that
kind of peaceful service every nation can increase its happiness, banish
the
terrors of war, and abandon man's inhumanity to man.
Never, in all our history, have Americans faced a job so well worthwhile.
May it be said of, us in the days to come that our children and our
children's children rise up and call us blessed.
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Source: U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, Peace and War: United
States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941 (Wa****ngton, D.C.: U.S., Government
Printing Office, 1943), pp. 631-637
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