JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY IN HIS OWN WORDSIndependence Day Speech 1946"'Some Elements of the American Character,' Independence Day Oration y !ohn "it#$erald %ennedy, Candidate for Con$ress from the 11th Con$ressional District"

&r' &ayor( Distin$)ished *)ests, +adies and *entlemen' ,e stand today in the shado- of history' ,e $ather here in the .ery Cradle of +i erty' It is an honor and a pleas)re to e the spea/er of the day00an honor eca)se of the lon$ and distin$)ished list of noted orators -ho ha.e preceded me on this platform, a pleas)re eca)se one of that honored list -ho stood here fifty years a$o, and -ho is -ith )s here today, is my $randfather' It has een the c)stom for the spea/er of the day to lin/ his tho)$hts across the years to certain classic ideals of the early American tradition' I shall do the same' I propose today to disc)ss certain elements of the American character -hich ha.e made this nation $reat' It is -ell for )s to recall them today, for this is a day of recollection

and a day of hope' A nation's character, li/e that of an indi.id)al, is el)si.e' It is prod)ced partly y thin$s -e ha.e done and partly y -hat has een done to )s' It is the res)lt of physical factors, intellect)al factors, spirit)al factors' It is -ell for )s to consider o)r American character, for in peace, as in -ar, -e -ill s)r.i.e or fail accordin$ to its meas)re' 1E+I*IO2S E+E&E34 O)r deep reli$io)s sense is the first element of the American character -hich I -o)ld disc)ss this mornin$' 4he informin$ spirit of the American character has al-ays een a deep reli$io)s sense' 4hro)$ho)t the years, do-n to the present, a de.otion to f)ndamental reli$io)s principles has characteri#ed American tho)$ht and action' O)r $o.ernment -as fo)nded on the essential reli$io)s idea of inte$rity of the indi.id)al' It -as this reli$io)s sense -hich inspired the a)thors of the Declaration of Independence5 ",e hold these tr)ths to e self0e.ident5 that all men are created e6)al( that they are endo-ed y their Creator -ith certain inaliena le ri$hts'" O)r earliest le$islation -as inspired y this deep reli$io)s sense5 "Con$ress shall ma/e no la- prohi itin$ the free e7ercise of reli$ion'" O)r first leader, ,ashin$ton, -as inspired y this deep reli$io)s sense5 "Of all of the dispositions and ha its -hich lead to political prosperity, reli$ion and morality are indispensa le s)pports'" +incoln -as inspired y this deep reli$io)s sense5 "4hat this nation, )nder *od, shall ha.e a ne- irth of freedom, and that $o.ernment of the people, y the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth'" O)r late, lamented 8resident -as inspired y this deep reli$io)s sense5 ",e shall -in this -ar, and in .ictory -e shall see/ not .en$eance, )t the esta lishment of an international order in -hich the spirit of Christ shall r)le the hearts of men and nations'" 4h)s -e see that this nation has e.er een inspired y essential reli$io)s ideas' 4he doctrine of sla.ery -hich challen$ed these ideas -ithin o)r o-n co)ntry -as destroyed' 1ecently, the philosophy of racism, -hich threatened to o.er-helm them y attac/s from a road, -as also met and destroyed' 4oday these asic reli$io)s ideas are challen$ed y atheism and materialism5 at home in the cynical philosophy of many of o)r intellect)als, a road in the doctrine of collecti.ism, -hich sets )p the t-in pillars of atheism and materialism as the official philosophical esta lishment of the State'

Inspired y a deeply reli$io)s sense, this co)ntry, -hich has e.er een de.oted to the di$nity of man, -hich has e.er fostered the $ro-th of the h)man spirit, has al-ays met and h)rled ac/ the challen$e of those deathly philosophies of hate and despair' ,e ha.e defeated them in the past( -e -ill al-ays defeat them' 9o- -ell, then, has De4oc6)e.ille said5 ":o) may tal/ of the people and their ma;esty, )t -here there is no respect for *od can there e m)ch for man< :o) may tal/ of the s)premacy of the allot, respect for order, deno)nce riot, secession00)nless reli$ion is the first lin/, all is .ain'" IDEA+IS4IC E+E&E34 Another element in the American character that I -o)ld rin$ to yo)r attention this mornin$ is the idealism of o)r nati.e people00stemmin$ from the stron$ reli$io)s eliefs of the first colonists, de.eloped as they -or/ed the land' 4his idealism, this fi7ed re$ard for principle, has een an element of the American character from the irth of this nation to the present day' In recent years, the e7istence of this element in the American character has een challen$ed y those -ho see/ to $i.e an economic interpretation to American history' 4hey see/ to destroy o)r faith in o)r past so that they may $)ide o)r f)t)re' 4hese cynics are -ron$, for, -hile there may e some tr)th in their interpretation, it does remain a fact, and a most important one, that the moti.atin$ force of the American people has een their elief that they ha.e al-ays stood at the arricades y the side of *od' In 1e.ol)tionary times, the cry "3o ta7ation -itho)t representation" -as not an economic complaint' 1ather, it -as directly tracea le to the eminently fair and ;)st principle that no so.erei$n po-er has the ri$ht to $o.ern -itho)t the consent of the $o.erned' Anythin$ short of that -as tyranny' It -as a$ainst this tyranny that the colonists "fired the shot heard 'ro)nd the -orld'" 4his elief in principle -as e7pressed most impressi.ely y *eor$e ,ashin$ton at the Constit)tional Con.ention in 1=>?' "It is pro a le that no plan -e propose -ill e adopted' 8erhaps another dreadf)l conflict is to e s)stained' If, to please the people, -e offer -hat -e o)rsel.es disappro.e, ho- can -e after-ards defend o)r -or/< +et )s raise a standard to -hich the -ise and honest can repair, the e.ent is in the hands of *od'" 4his idealism, this con.iction that o)r eyes had seen the $lory of the +ord 0that ri$ht -as ri$ht and -ron$ -as -ron$0finally led to the )ltimate clash at @)ll 1)n and the lon$ red years of the -ar et-een the States' A$ain, the cynics may apply the economic interpretation to this conflict5 the ind)strial 3orth a$ainst the a$ric)lt)ral So)th( the str)$$le of the t-o economies' Say -hat they -ill, it is an )ndenia le fact that the 3orthern Army of Air$inia and the Army of the 8otomac -ere inspired y de.otion to principle5 on the one hand, the ri$ht of secession( on the other, the elief that the "2nion m)st e preser.ed'" In 191=, this element of the American character -as stim)lated y the slo$ans ",ar to End ,ar" and "A ,ar to Sa.e Democracy," and a$ain the American people had as their leader a man, ,oodro- ,ilson, -hose idealism -as the traditional idealism of America' 4o s)ch a de$ree -as this tr)e that he -as a le to say, "Some people call me an idealist' ,ell, that is the -ay I /no- I am an American' America is the only idealistic nation in the -orld'" It is perhaps tr)e that the American inter.ention in 191= mi$ht ha.e een more effecti.e if the case for American inter.ention had een represented on less moralistic terms' As it -as, the American people e.ent)ally came to

loo/ )pon themsel.es as $i.in$ food and $)ns to a $eneral ca)se in -hich all other people had material ends and in -hich they alone had moral ends' 4he idealism -ith -hich -e had entered the attle made the s) se6)ent disill)sionment all the more itter and re.ealed a dan$ero)s facet to this element of the American character, for this itterness, a direct res)lt of o)r inflated hopes, ro)$ht a radical chan$e in o)r forei$n policy and a res)ltin$ -ithdra-al from E)rope' ,e failed to ma/e the ad;)stment et-een -hat -e had hoped to -in and -hat -e act)ally co)ld -in' O)r idealism -as too stron$' ,e -o)ld not compromise' And th)s -e ro)$ht to o)r sho)lders m)ch of the )rden of the responsi ility for ,orld ,ar II00a )rden -hich -e -o)ld not then ac/no-led$e )t for -hich -e ha.e paid f)ll price in recent years on distant shores, on fara-ay fields and .alleys and hills, on pieces of forei$n soil -hich -ill e fore.er o)rs' It -as perhaps eca)se of this fail)re that the second -orld -ar ne.er did ecome a cr)sade as did the first' O)r idealism had ecome tarnished, )t e7traordinary efforts -ere made to e.o/e it, and it is ind) ita ly tr)e that the $reat ma;ority of Americans had stron$ con.ictions as to -hich side spo/e for the ri$ht efore o)r entry into the -ar' It is no- in the post-ar -orld that this idealism00this de.otion to principle00this elief in the nat)ral la-00this deep reli$io)s con.iction that this is tr)ly *od's co)ntry and -e are tr)ly *od's people00-ill meet its $reatest trial' O)r American idealism finds itself faced y the old0-orld doctrine of po-er politics' It is meetin$ -ith s)ccessi.e re )ffs, and all this may res)lt in a ne- and e.en more itter disill)sionment, in another i$nominio)s retreat from o)r -orld destiny' @)t, if -e remain faithf)l to the American tradition, o)r idealism -ill e a steadfast thin$, a constant flame, a torch held aloft for the $)idance of other nations' It -ill ta/e $reat faith' O)r idealism, the second element of the American character, is ein$ se.erely tested' 3o-, only time -ill tell -hether this element of the American character -ill e tr)e to its historic tradition' 8A41IO4IC E+E&E34 4he third element of the American character that I -o)ld rin$ to yo)r attention this mornin$ is the $reat patriotic instinct of o)r people' "rom o)r pioneer days, perhaps eca)se -e -ere a people -ho de.eloped from a eachhead on a tremendo)s continent, this American patriotism has al-ays had as its core a stran$e and almost mystical lo.e of the land' Early in o)r history -e ac6)ired, as !ames 4r)slo- Adams has pointed o)t, "a sense of )nlimited ener$y face to face -ith )nlimited reso)rces'" +and, land, land, stretchin$ -ith incredi le richness across half a -orld' Its sheer .astness has made it a challen$e to the American spirit' 4he endless land stretchin$ to, the -estern s)n ca)$ht the ima$ination of men -ho fo)nded this nation and a-a/ened the patriotic spirit that has ecome a characteristic of the American people'

In the -ords of America's poet, ,alt ,hitman, -e note this deep sense of the land5 "+and of the pastoral plains, the $rass0field of the -orld, land of those s-eet0air'd intermina le platea)sB +and of the herd, the $arden, the healthy ho)se of ado eB +and -here the north-est Col)m ia -inds, and -here the so)th-est Colorado -indsB +and of the eastern Chesapea/eB +and of the Dela-areB +and of Ontario, Erie, 9)ron, &ichi$anB +and of the Old 4hirteenB &assach)setts landB +and of Aermont and Connectic)tB +and of the ocean shoresB +and of sierras and pea/sB +and of oatmen and sailorsB "ishermen's landB" 4his preocc)pation -ith the land records itself in the catalo$)e of the colonists' $rie.ances a$ainst *eor$e III' It has al-ays een reflected in the hi$hest moments of o)r patriotism, for, thro)$ho)t the years, in the early days here at home and in recent years a road, Americans ha.e een e.er ready to defend this nati.e land' "rom the irth of the nation to the present day, from the 9ei$hts of Dorchester to the road meado-s of Air$inia, from @)n/er 9ill to the atteries of Sarato$a, from @er$en's 3ec/, -here ,ayne and &aylan's troops achie.ed s)ch martial -onders, to :or/to-n, -here @ritain's troops s)rrendered, Americans ha.e heroically em raced the soldier's alternati.e of .ictory or the $ra.e' American patriotism -as sho-n at the 9alls of &onte#)ma' It -as sho-n -ith &eade at *ettys )r$, -ith Sheridan at ,inchester, -ith 8hil Carney at "air Oa/s, -ith +on$street in the ,ilderness, and it -as sho-n y the flo-er of the Air$inia Army -hen 8ic/ett char$ed at *ettys )r$' It -as sho-n y Captain 1o-an, -ho pl)n$ed into the ;)n$les of C) a and deli.ered the famo)s messa$e to *arcia, sym ol no- of tenacity and determination' It -as sho-n y the "ifth and Si7th &arines at @ellea) ,ood, y the :an/ee Di.ision at Aerd)n, y Captain +eahy, -hose last order as he lay dyin$ -as "4he command is for-ard'" And in recent years it -as sho-n y those -ho stood at @ataan -ith ,ain-ri$ht, y those -ho fo)$ht at ,a/e Island -ith De.erea)7, -ho fle- in the air -ith Don *entile' It -as sho-n y those -ho ;)mped -ith *a.in, y those -ho stormed the loody eaches at Salerno -ith Commando %elly( it -as sho-n y the "irst Di.ision at Omaha @each, y the Second 1an$er @attalion as it crossed the 8)rple 9eart Aalley, y the 1C1st as it stood at @asto$ne( it -as sho-n at the @)l$e, at the 1hine, and at .ictory' ,here.er freedom has een in dan$er, Americans -ith a deep sense of patriotism ha.e e.er een -illin$ to stand at Arma$eddon and stri/e a lo- for li erty and the +ord' I3DIAID2A+IS4IC E+E&E34 4he American character has een not only reli$io)s, idealistic, and patriotic, )t eca)se of these it has een essentially indi.id)al' 4he ri$ht of the indi.id)al a$ainst the State has e.er een one of o)r most cherished political principles' 4he American Constit)tion has set do-n for all men to see the essentially Christian and American principle that there are certain ri$hts held y e.ery man -hich no $o.ernment and no ma;ority, ho-e.er po-erf)l, can deny' Concei.ed in *recian tho)$ht, stren$thened y Christian morality, and stamped indeli ly into American political philosophy, the ri$ht of the indi.id)al a$ainst the State is the /eystone of o)r Constit)tion' Each man is free' 9e is free in tho)$ht'

9e is free in e7pression' 9e is free in -orship' 4o )s, -ho ha.e een reared in the American tradition, these ri$hts ha.e ecome part of o)r .ery ein$' 4hey ha.e ecome so m)ch a part of o)r ein$ that most of )s are prone to feel that they are ri$hts )ni.ersally reco$ni#ed and )ni.ersally e7ercised' @)t the sad fact is that this is not tr)e' 4hey -ere dearly -on for )s only a fe- short cent)ries a$o and they -ere dearly preser.ed for )s in the days ;)st past' And there are lar$e sections of the -orld today -here these ri$hts are denied as a matter of philosophy and as a matter of $o.ernment' ,e cannot ass)me that the str)$$le is ended' It is ne.er0endin$' Eternal .i$ilance is the price of li erty' It -as the price yesterday' It is the price today, and it -ill e.er e the price' 4he characteristics of the American people ha.e e.er een a deep sense of reli$ion, a deep sense of idealism, a deep sense of patriotism, and a deep sense of indi.id)alism' +et )s not lin/ the fact that the days -hich lie ahead of )s are itter ones' &ay *od $rant that, at some distant date, on this day, and on this platform, the orator may e a le to say that these are still the $reat 6)alities of the American character and that they ha.e pre.ailed'

1emar/s of Senator !ohn "' %ennedy at @oston Colle$e, Chestn)t 9ill, &assach)setts, "e r)ary 1, 19D?This is a redaction of this speech made for the convenience of readers and researchers. One draft of the speech exists in the Senate Speech file of the John F. Kennedy Pre-Presidential Papers here at the John F. Kennedy Library. This draft has handwritten chan es. ! lin" to pa e ima es of the draft is iven at the bottom of this pa e.

:o) $entlemen toni$ht are sho-in$ yo)r )s)al tolerance in in.itin$ to a @oston Colle$e dinner a $rad)ate of that theolo$ical school across the Charles, )t then, @oston Colle$e has al-ays een that -ay' In fact, so tolerant has @oston Colle$e een to o)tsiders that in all its >9 years of history, @oston Colle$e has yet to ha.e a @oston Colle$e $rad)ate as a 8resident 0 in fact, some feel that @oston Colle$e is $ettin$ intolera ly tolerant, as its last t-o 8residents -ere $rad)ates of 9oly Cross' I am especially $lad to e here eca)se yo)r .arsity men represent a $reat athletic tradition' &en li/e !ac/ 1yder, the trac/ coach for o.er ?9 years, )t recently retired 0 !ohn %elly of Cam rid$e, -ho coached @oston Colle$e inter0colle$iate championship, and all other coaches -ho de.oted their li.es to @oston Colle$e' Another reason -hy I am $lad to e here is eca)se -e ha.e as the $)est of honor &i/e 9olo.a/' I ha.e /no-n &i/e for a lon$ time' 9e is not only a @oston Colle$e immortal, )t has made for himself as a coach a $reat place in the hearts of all those -ho follo- the $ames' One of the $reatest tri )tes I ha.e e.er heard -as $i.en to &i/e y "ran/ +eahy of 3otre Dame 00000

I am especially pleased to e here for -hile I -as no $reat sha/es as an athlete, I had one of the est spectator records e.er achie.ed at that foot all factory across the ri.er' Someone as/ed me once -hat senators tal/ed a o)t in the cloa/0room' ,hile it co.ers e.erythin$, I remem er a recent con.ersation I had -ith *eor$e Smathers, the Senator from "lorida, -ho played end for "lorida 2ni.ersity' ,e disc)ssed the $reatest teams, plays and players that -e had seen, and -hen Senator ,ayne &orse -as spea/in$ -e co.ered a $ood deal of $ro)nd' 4he est foot all player I e.er sa- 0 -ho dominated his team and the entire field, -as Clint "ran/ 0 sa- him score fo)r to)chdo-ns in less than t-o 6)arters, a$ainst a pretty $ood 8rinceton team' I -o)ld p)t Al &arsters or 4om 9armon of &ichi$an in class second' I sa- 9armon score E1 points on his E1st irthday in the first half of the $ame a$ainst California' Con$ressman Carrol %ean, -ho played three years for Chica$o in the early EC's 0 he sat across from me on the +a or Committee 0 once told me that *eor$e *itt -as easily the est' 4he fact that %earn's nose -as ro/en tac/lin$ *itt may ha.e had somethin$ to do -ith it' 4he est play I e.er sa- occ)rred in the $ame et-een the Army and 3otre Dame in the EC's -hen Chris Ca$le -as starrin$ for Army' 4he most e7citin$ team -as Stamford 0 -on only one $ame the year efore -ith Dartmo)th 0 -hich did not do m)ch for Eastern foot all 0 and that -as )ndefeated and -ent to the 1ose @o-l the ne7t year, the first year of the "4"' 4he most interestin$ foot all player I /no- of -as ,isard ,hite, -ith -hom I ser.ed in the 3a.y, -ho -as All America for Col)m ia' After $rad)atin$ from colle$e he -ent to :ale +a- School' In 1941 he led his class at +aSchool y a point and a half' 4he $reatest $ame easily, of co)rse, -as the *eor$eto-n0@oston Colle$e $ame' 3o less an a)thority than *rantland 1ice called it the *reatest *ame E.er 8layed and the @i$$est 2p0set, 0 )t -hy $o on' All of these reminiscences are rather one0sided and I /no- that yo) each co)ld match them all, )t it does demonstrate the .i.id memories that foot all has prod)ced for those of )s -ho ha.e follo-ed it thro)$h the years' It is a $reat $ame 0 it, as -ell as all athletics, 0 means m)ch in indin$ to$ether all mem ers of a colle$e 0 in creatin$ a common identity and p)rpose' Athletics help maintain the interest of the al)mni in the life of a colle$e, and -itho)t a loyal and interestin$ al)mni a colle$e cannot hope to s)r.i.e' @y this an6)et toni$ht honorin$ these yo)n$ men, yo) are $i.in$ rene-ed e.idence of yo)r de.otion to @oston Colle$e and the thin$s for -hich it stands' @oston Colle$e has lon$ reco$ni#ed this 0 and it has also reco$ni#ed that foot all, and other sports, sho)ld not e merely spectator sports, 0 all sho)ld participate in them on one le.el or another' +ife in the 2nited States can e ener.atin$ and soft, )t in school and colle$e American oys ac6)ire 6)alities of .i$or and stamina' I thin/ that Catholic colle$es, concerned as they are primarily -ith preparin$ their $rad)ates for the life hereafter 0 reco$ni#e the connection et-een sports and the $ood life' 4hey ha.e concentrated attention on it, and

all of )s ha.e enefited from it' 4here is another reason for this emphasis on sports' Do)$las &acArth)r -as ri$ht -hen he -rote these -ords -hich no- stand efore the playin$ fields in ,est 8oint5 "2pon the fields of friendly strife are so-n the seeds, that )pon other fields, in other days, -ill ear the fr)its of .ictory"' 4hese are diffic)lt and dan$ero)s days' 4he str)ct)re of containment in many areas is crac/in$, and o)r hori#ons are lit y the li$htnin$ flash of distant conflict' :o)n$ American soldiers no- occ)py a h)ndred different $arrisons stretchin$ from the 1hine in a $reat half circle to the ?>th 8arallel' If the free -orld is to s)r.i.e in this type of trial and tro) le, if the line is to e held a$ainst the ad.ancin$ hordes, then in the final analysis, and this -e m)st /no-, it -ill depend on )s' 4he leadership has een ine7ora ly thr)st )pon the 2nited States 0 for only America has the po-er and reso)rces, oth physically and spirit)ally, to pro.ide that leadership' ,e are in tr)th the last est hope on earth' If -e do not stand it no- 0 if -e do not stand firm amid the conflictin$ tides of ne)tralism, resi$nation, isolation and indifference, then all -ill e lost, and one y one the free co)ntries of the earth -ill fall )ntil finally the direct assa)lt -ill e$in on the $reat citadel 0 the 2nited States' In o)r efforts to rally those -ho -o)ld remain free 0 one of o)r asic diffic)lties has een that all too fre6)ently the thin$s -hich di.ide )s seem stron$er than those -hich )nite )s' In many -ays, for e7ample, the free people of So)th East Asia feel closer to their nei$h ors, the Chinese, than they do to )s' &any of the thin$s for -hich -e fi$ht seem to mean almost nothin$ to those -hose common s)pport -e see/' 4he preser.ation of the pri.ate enterprise system means little as a rallyin$ cry to the s)llen half0star.ed masses of teemin$ Asia' 8ossession and the collecti.i#ation of pri.ate property does not stir the ima$ination of that $reat proportion of the -orld's pop)lation -hose personal reso)rces are almost non0e7istent' And e.en to those -ho mi$ht possess a fe- sterile s)n0 a/ed feet of d)sty earth, collecti.i#ation may seem a lo$ical method of attac/in$ a$ric)lt)ral pro lems -hich lea.e them -itho)t hope or e.en life' Democracy e.en, the r)le of the ma;ority, may mean little to the illiterate millions -ho ha.e een dominated y nati.e and forei$n a)tocracies eyond the reach of their memories' ,hat then does )nite )s< Certainly the common desire to e free and independent, )t there is somethin$ more .ital a o.e and eyond that, and that is the common lin/ that )nites )s 0 that distin$)ishes )s from o)r enemies 0 a elief in *od 0 in the life of the spirit as a$ainst the materialism and atheism that ;oins to$ether the primiti.es -ho see/ to destroy )s and the thin$s for -hich -e stand' 4his is the common elief and force that inds )s 0 east and -est 0 free and oppressed' 4his is the po-er that m)st animate o)r tho)$hts and actions' ,hen -e reco$ni#e this more clearly, -hen -e lay the stress on this part of o)r national character and tradition 0 that it deser.es and -arrants 0 then the f)ndamentals of the -orld str)$$le -ill ecome more apparent 0 oth to friend and foe, and then o)r final .ictory -ill e ass)red' 4he Catholic Ch)rch has, of co)rse, reco$ni#ed this from the e$innin$ and the Catholic colle$es in America 0 colle$es li/e @oston Colle$e 0 ha.e een attemptin$ to pro.ide thro)$h their $rad)ates the leadership in this time of crisis, and they are s)cceedin$' 4his is especially tr)e of @oston Colle$e -hose $rad)ates are pro.idin$

leadership in so many important fields -e are all the F)nreada leG' 4he crisis is as $reat today as that of early days -hen 9)n and &on$ol marched East, ,est, 3orth and So)th, li/e an irresisti le force see/in$ the ephemeral $oal of -orld domination' 4heir defeat this time is ine.ita le as it -as then 0 for, in the last analysis and in tr)th, if -e )t see it, *od and the ri$ht are on o)r side and -e cannot fail'

1emar/s of Senator !ohn "' %ennedy at the 3eEn$land +)ncheon of the 3ational Democratic ,omen's Cl) of ,ashin$ton D'C', "e r)ary 1E, 19D?This is a redaction of this speech made for the convenience of readers and researchers. One draft of the speech exists in the Senate Speech file of the John F. Kennedy Pre-Presidential Papers here at the John F. Kennedy Library. ! lin" to pa e ima es of the draft is iven at the bottom of this pa e.

4he 3ational Democratic Committee is to e con$rat)lated for holdin$ this l)ncheon meetin$' I -as partic)larly happy to accept, eca)se o)r Chair-oman today, &rs' *al.in, is from my nati.e city of @oston' She is the -ife of a distin$)ished @ostonian, &ichael *al.in, the former 2nder Secretary of +a or, and she is -ell and hi$hly re$arded in her o-n ri$ht' ,e are met today in the shado- of a $reat defeat' ,hat made this defeat especially diffic)lt for all of )s to s)stain -as that thro)$h it -e -ere denied the ser.ices as Chief E7ec)ti.e of the former *o.ernor of Illinois o)r candidate for 8resident Adlai Ste.enson' Adlai Ste.enson fitted none of the traditional mo)lds from -hich s)ccessf)l political leaders are po)red, altho)$h in his introspection and some-hat melancholy, -ith all his -it and spar/le, reser.e, there is some resem lance of ,oodro- ,ilson' Adlai Ste.enson li/e 9enry Clay -o)ld rather ha.e een ri$ht than 8resident' I -as confident that he -o)ld e oth, for I -as s)re that the time, the party and the man had met' It -as not to e, )t -ho can safely predict -hat the f)t)re, no- so o sc)red, -ill hold for Adlai Ste.enson' In addition the defeat of 3o.em er -as a disappointment eca)se all of )s elie.ed that the Democratic 8arty -ith its pro$ram and the men that ma/e )p its Con$ressional leadership, -as far etter fitted to carry the )rdens and responsi ilities of leadership in these diffic)lt and dan$ero)s days' @)t the defeat that -e s)ffered 0 o)r remo.al from positions of direct responsi ility, m)st not e re$arded as an )nmiti$ated disaster' 4he Democrats had een in po-er for EC years' Altho)$h the personnel and the stream of force had chan$ed some-hat, ne.ertheless that is a lon$ time to ear the )rdens of administrati.e a)thority' 4he -ellsprin$s -hich sho)ld $i.e freshness and .itality to action commence to ecome dry and the mo.ement loses coherence and direction' ,e can not deny ho-e.er partisan -e may e that this had e$)n to happen to the Democratic 8arty' Defeat is not as *o.ernor Ste.enson has so -ell pointed o)t a shot in the arm, )t it does $i.e )s an opport)nity to re$ain perspecti.e, to rene- o)r ener$ies and to find o)t -here -e are $oin$' ,hat co)rse sho)ld -e follo- no-' It is still too early to say and it -o)ld perhaps e a mista/e to chart it -ith too m)ch acc)racy, and I thin/ it important to remem er that the American people are not interested too m)ch

in party disp)tes as s)ch' 8olitical parties are to them a means to a more a )ndant life and are not an end in themsel.es' In addition, the American people ha.e $i.en a mandate to 8resident Eisenho-er and the 1ep) lican 8arty' As Americans -e -ant them to s)cceed' @)t -e ha.e definite responsi ilities as mem ers of the minority party )nder the American political system' ,e m)st $i.e representation not only to the E4 million Americans -ho .oted for Adlai Ste.enson for 8resident, )t also to de.elop a coherent pro$ram of action for the f)t)re -hich -e hope -ill -in the s)pport of a ma;ority of Americans' In so doin$ -e m)st ta/e into acco)nt that -e are a national party, that -e therefore incl)de -ithin o)r mem ership $ro)ps that are m)t)ally antipathetic )t are -illin$ to remain mem ers of the same party eca)se of the $eneral co)rse of its actions' In addition, -e m)st reali#e that eca)se of the s)ccess of o)r social pro$rams of the past EC years, the political comple7ion of the co)ntry has chan$ed, and mo.ed to the ri$ht' A ma;ority of the people today ha.e eno)$h of a sta/e in o)r economy that they ha.e ecome conser.ers, and this has affected their political eha.ior' 4o s)m )p in a most $eneral -ay -hat the Democratic 8arty sho)ld not ecome, I -o)ld say first it sho)ld not ecome a +a or 8arty -ith a capitol "+"' In a co)ntry -ith only t-o ma;or political parties this -o)ld e a fatal mista/e as -e -o)ld e condemned, )nless there -as a ma;or depression or -ar, to ein$ a permanent minority )na le to attract s)fficient stren$th to $ain -idespread appro.al' 3or does the Democratic 8arty ha.e a real f)t)re as a conser.ati.e or a states0ri$hts party' 4he 1ep) licans ha.e a monopoly on that co)rse of action that they -ill not lose, and if -e s-in$ to the ri$ht, -e -o)ld ecome atrophied and die as did the ,hi$s in the 1>DC's -hen they no lon$er ser.ed the needs of the people' ,ithin these t-o channel mar/s, -e m)st steer o)r co)rse 0 fi$htin$ the attle for people's ri$hts, see/in$ to $i.e aid and relief to those on the periphery -ho still li.e on the mar$inal ed$e of e7istence' ,e -ill ha.e an opport)nity in the comin$ months in the Con$ress to car.e o)t a solid pro$ram 0 to demonstrate clearly that the differences et-een the 1ep) licans and o)rsel.es, et-een o)r philosophy of $o.ernment and theirs 0 are f)ndamental and traditional' ,e can th)s sho- the American people a clear alternati.e 0 one that ;)stifies their s)pport in the comin$ elections of 19D4 and 19D6' It is important that -e do not fall into the ha it that often pla$)es political minorities of -a$in$ ceaseless $)erilla -arfare o.er o ;ecti.es of little importance so that o)r opposition appears s)perficial and irresponsi le' O)r opponents ha.e sho-n )s the fallacy for o.er EC years of that co)rse of action' It too/ a s/illed military leader to lead them from the hills of petty resistance to ;oin attle s)ccessf)lly in the plains' O)r opposition sho)ld e confined therefore to serio)s 6)estions of policy' 4here -ill e many and e.en in the early days of the 1ep) lican administration they are ecomin$ apparent' ,e m)st, for e7ample, $i.e clear e.idence that the Democratic 8arty see/s to de.elop and retain o)r national lands, and reso)rces as a treas)re elon$in$ to all the people, to e )sed for their enefit' ,e m)st -or/ to stren$then the minim)m -a$e, to rin$ it )p to date -ith the rise in the national -a$e str)ct)re and e7tend its co.era$e' ,e m)st impro.e and e7tend o)r social sec)rity pro$ram( )ild the 3ation's health( propose -or/a le alternati.es to the 3ational +a or &ana$ement 1elations Act of 194= to restore $o.ernment to a less pre;)dicial role in +a or mana$ement relations( and contin)e o)r ancient attle to see that the infl)ence, and if necessary the a)thority, of the $o.ernment is )sed to sec)re e6)al ri$hts to employment for all people, a ri$ht in f)ll accord -ith the traditions of American democracy'

,e m)st contin)e as efore to protect the people from monopoly, from the irresponsi le e7ercise of economic po-er' In forei$n affairs altho)$h -e ha.e met and -ill meet -ith cr)el and se.ere disappointment, -e m)st contin)e to $)ide o)r policy -ithin the frame-or/ of collecti.e sec)rity )pon -hich o)r o-n domestic -ell ein$ depends' 4o s)m it )p -e m)st set o)r co)rse not, in *eneral @radley's memora le phrase, y the li$hts of each passin$ ship, )t y the fi7ed stars that -e ha.e al-ays follo-ed' If -e are tr)e to o)r historic tradition, -e can not fail 0 -e m)st s)cceed' If -e in short remain close to the people, the people -ill remain close to )s and -e can loo/ for-ard to the f)t)re -ith confidence and hope'

1emar/s of Senator !ohn "' %ennedy efore the :o)n$ Democratic Cl) , @altimore, &aryland, &arch EC, 19D?This is a redaction of this speech made for the convenience of readers and researchers. One draft of the speech exists in the John F. Kennedy Pre-Presidential Papers here at the John F. Kennedy Library. ! lin" to pa e ima es is iven at the bottom of this pa e.

4he :o)n$ Democrats of &aryland are meetin$ in the most critical time in the 3ation's history( a period e.en more critical than the early days of the Ci.il ,ar' 4he str)ct)re of containment in many areas is crac/in$ and o)r hori#ons are lit y li$htnin$ flashes of distant conflict' :o)n$ Americans no- occ)py a h)ndred far0fl)n$ $arrisons stretchin$ from the 1hine in a $reat half circle to the ?>th parallel' 4here is on all sides e.idence of the fierce str)$$le of -orld domination y the Comm)nists -hose do$ma teaches that for them there is no sec)rity in a -orld -hich they do not control' At the same time there is o)r o-n desperate effort to sec)re that alance of po-er in the -orld for those co)ntries -hose national independence still s)r.i.es' 4his is a str)$$le of ma;or political philosophies and systems of moral .al)es, of men at arms 0 of stoc/piles of strate$ic materials and atomic -eapons 0 of air ases and om ers 0 of ind)strial potentials and, most important, of military realities' 4his is the physical, r)tal omino)s -ar )pon -hich -e ha.e esto-ed the name "cold"' It is a$ainst this .ast dar/ panorama that this dinner is held' It is not al-ays easy in a national tension and crisis li/e this to tal/ of politics, and political 6)arrels pale to the a-esome str)$$le of ri.al states, )t -e ha.e a most solemn constit)tional o li$ation to assem le, to maintain and /eep ali.e the political party to -hich -e o-e fealty( to infl)ence its policies, to $)ide its actions for the national $ood d)rin$ these days of o)r minority, to -or/ for the time -hen -e shall once a$ain hold responsi ility and a)thority' It is therefore a $reat pri.ile$e for me to ;oin -ith yo) toni$ht in ehalf of o)r common ca)se' ,e are met toni$ht in the shado- of a $reat defeat' ,hat made this defeat especially diffic)lt for all of )s to s)stain -as that thro)$h it -e -ere denied the ser.ices as Chief E7ec)ti.e of the former *o.ernor of Illinois o)r candidate for 8resident Adlai Ste.enson' Adlai Ste.enson fitted none of the traditional mo)lds from -hich s)ccessf)l political leaders are po)red, altho)$h in his introspection and some-hat melancholy, -ith all his -it and spar/le, reser.e, there is some resem lance to ,oodro- ,ilson' Altho)$h *o.ernor Ste.enson lost 3e- :or/ and &assach)setts, it -as in these t-o states that he sec)red some of his most de.oted adherents' :o) reali#ed as -e did in 3e- En$land that there are no $ains -itho)t pains( no easy sol)tions to diffic)lt pro lems and that in the final analysis more important to a 3ation's s)r.i.al than

deposits of copper and $old in the $ro)nd are the deposits of character and co)ra$e in the h)man heart' 4h)s -e nat)rally responded to his challen$e and appeal' Adlai Ste.enson li/e 9enry Clay -o)ld rather ha.e een ri$ht than 8resident' I -as confident that he -o)ld e oth, for I -as s)re that the time, the party and the man had met' It -as not to e, )t -ho can safely predict -hat the f)t)re, no- so o sc)red, -ill hold for Adlai Ste.enson' In addition the defeat of 3o.em er -as a disappointment eca)se all of )s elie.ed that the Democratic 8arty -ith its pro$ram and the men that ma/e )p its Con$ressional leadership, -as far etter fitted to carry the )rdens and responsi ilities of leadership in these diffic)lt and dan$ero)s days' Certainly on its record, it deser.ed p) lic s)pport -ith its record of social le$islation, le$islation -hich has recei.ed s)ch -idespread pop)lar acceptance that e.en the 1ep) licans finally -ere for it' It had impressi.e claims on p) lic appro.al' @)t the defeat that -e s)ffered 0 o)r remo.al from positions of direct responsi ility, altho)$h )nder the American system o)r indirect responsi ility is still considera le, m)st not e re$arded as an )nmiti$ated disaster' 4he Democrats had een in po-er for EC years' Altho)$h the personnel and the stream of force had chan$ed some-hat, ne.ertheless that is a lon$ time to ear the )rdens of administrati.e a)thority' 4he -ellsprin$s -hich sho)ld $i.e freshness and .itality to action commence to ecome dry and the mo.ement loses coherence and direction' ,e can not deny ho-e.er partisan -e may e that this had e$)n to happen to the Democratic 8arty' Defeat is not as *o.ernor Ste.enson has so -ell pointed o)t a shot in the arm, )t it does $i.e )s an opport)nity to re$ain perspecti.e, to rene- o)r ener$ies and to find o)t -here -e are $oin$' ,hat co)rse sho)ld -e follo- no-' It is still too early to say and it -o)ld perhaps e a mista/e to chart it -ith too m)ch acc)racy, and I thin/ it important to remem er that the American people are not interested in party disp)tes as s)ch' 8olitical parties are to them a means to a more a )ndant life and are not an end in themsel.es' In addition, the American people ha.e $i.en a mandate to 8resident Eisenho-er and the 1ep) lican 8arty' As Americans -e -ant them to s)cceed' @)t -e ha.e definite responsi ilities as mem ers of a minority party )nder the American constit)tional system' ,e m)st $i.e representation not only to the E4 million Americans -ho .oted for Adlai Ste.enson for 8resident, )t also to de.elop a coherent pro$ram of action for the f)t)re -hich -e hope -ill -in the s)pport of a ma;ority of Americans' In so doin$ -e m)st ta/e into acco)nt that -e are a national party, that -e therefore incl)de -ithin o)r mem ership $ro)ps that are m)t)ally antipathetic )t are -illin$ to remain mem ers of the same party eca)se of the $eneral co)rse of its actions' In addition, -e m)st reali#e that eca)se of the s)ccess of o)r social pro$rams of the past EC years, the political comple7ion of the co)ntry has chan$ed, and mo.ed to the ri$ht' A ma;ority of the people today ha.e eno)$h of a sta/e in o)r economy that they ha.e ecome conser.ers, and this has affected their political eha.ior' 4o s)m )p in a most $eneral -ay -hat the Democratic 8arty sho)ld not ecome, I -o)ld say first it sho)ld not ecome a hostile party' In a co)ntry -ith only t-o ma;or political parties this -o)ld e a fatal mista/e as -e -o)ld e condemned, )nless there -as a ma;or depression or -ar, to e a permanent minority )na le to attract s)fficient stren$th to $ain -idespread appro.al' 3or does the Democratic 8arty ha.e a real f)t)re as a conser.ati.e or a states0ri$ht party' 4he 1ep) licans ha.e a monopoly on that co)rse of action that they -ill not lose, and if -e s-in$ to the ri$ht, -e -o)ld ecome atrophied and die as did the ,hi$s in the 1>DC's' ,ithin these t-o channel mar/s, -e m)st steer o)r co)rse 0 fi$htin$ the attle for people's ri$hts, see/in$ to $i.e

aid and relief to those on the periphery -ho still li.e on the mar$inal ed$e of e7istence' ,e m)st contin)e o)r historic mission of e7tendin$ the hori#ons of social le$islation' ,e -ill ha.e an opport)nity in the comin$ months in the Con$ress to car.e o)t a solid pro$ram 0 to demonstrate clearly that the differences et-een the 1ep) licans and o)rsel.es, et-een o)r philosophy of $o.ernment and theirs 0 are f)ndamental and traditional' ,e can th)s sho- the American people a clear alternati.e 0 one that ;)stifies their s)pport in the comin$ elections of 19D4 and 19D6' It is important that -e do not fall into the ha it that often pla$)es political minorities of -a$in$ ceaseless $)erilla -arfare o.er o ;ecti.es of little importance 0 so that o)r opposition appears s)perficial and irresponsi le' O)r opponents ha.e sho-n )s the fallacy of that co)rse of action' And it too/ a s/illed military leader to lead them from the hills of petty resistance to ;oin attle in the plains' O)r opposition sho)ld e confined therefore to serio)s 6)estions of policy' 4here -ill e many and e.en in the early days of the 1ep) lican administration they are ecomin$ apparent' It has een ;)st si7ty days since the ne- administration too/ office' D)rin$ those si7ty days, the administration has e.idenced the desire to carry o)t campai$n pled$es re$ardless of their effect on national policies 0 and to carry o)t policies re$ardless of campai$n pled$es' ,orse yet the t-o heads of the 1ep) lican elephant, each -ith separate campai$n promises and platforms ha.e een en$a$ed in a constant str)$$le for control' In @oston fo)r days efore his election *eneral Eisenho-er said "I pled$e that the f)ll reso)rces of o)r neadministration -ill e thro-n into the attle a$ainst inflation'" 4he f)ll reso)rces of the administration ha.e consisted in liftin$ all price controls, res)ltin$ in hi$her prices on essential military $oods made of copper, as -ell as the price of $roceries to the ho)se-ife' In 8itts )r$h *eneral Eisenho-er said ",e m)st ha.e etter ho)sin$ for those Americans -ho are no- forced to li.e in sl)ms and s) 0standard d-ellin$s'" 4o impro.e the ho)sin$ pro$ram, he appointed its arch enemy, former 1epresentati.e Al ert Cole as Administrator' 4o li erali#e o)r national immi$ration la-s, all reference to the necessity of re.isin$ the &cCarran Immi$ration Act a o)t -hich -e heard so m)ch d)rin$ the campai$n has een omitted from all lists of le$islati.e "m)st"' 4o raise the morale of $o.ernment employees their )d$et director has ordered all employees to report on other employees in a manner in -hich Senator &ar$aret Chase Smith has compared to "comm)nist tho)$ht police"' 4o aid small )sinessmen they tal/ of a olishin$ the 1"C, -hich ma/es 9CH of its loans to small )sinessmen -ho can not o tain capital else-here' "or the 1ep) lican position on offshore oil, do -e elie.e &r' Eisenho-er, &r' @ro-nell, &r' &c%ay, or the State Department representati.e, all of -hom said somethin$ different< "or the 1ep) lican position on red)ction of ta7es do -e listen to &r' Eisenho-er, the 1ep) lican platform or 1epresentati.e 1eed< "or the 1ep) lican position on stand y controls, do -e listen to &r' Eisenho-er or Senator Capehart< "or the 1ep) lican position re$ardin$ 1)ssia's .iolation of the :alta and other -artime pacts, do -e listen to &r' Eisenho-er, &r' D)lles, or &r' 4aft, all of -hom say somethin$ different< "or the 1ep) lican .ie- on the 8resident's po-ers of reor$ani#ation, sho)ld -e ha.e listened to @)d$et Director Dod$e, 1ep) licans in Con$ress or the 8resident, all of -hom made conflictin$ statements< ,e -ere promised that the est minds of mana$ement and la or -o)ld draft amendments to the 4aft09artley +a-( )t the 8resident's hi$h0po-ered committee co)ld not e.en a$ree on their r)les of proced)re, and the 8resident no- indicates he has nothin$ to say on the 4aft09artley la-' ,e are e7pected to $rant statehood to s)pposedly 1ep) lican 9a-aii, )t not to s)pposedly Democratic Alas/a' ,e are $i.en a reor$ani#ation plan for the "ederal Sec)rity A$ency, after it has een appro.ed y the A'&'A', -hich is practically the identical plan

re;ected y 1ep) licans in earlier years as the first step to-ards sociali#ed medicine' 4his conf)sion and inconsistency e7plains the rise in tide of hope and confidence of the Democrats, oth in and o)t of ,ashin$ton' @)t the role of an effecti.e opposition is not limited to e7posin$ inade6)acies alone( -e m)st propose effecti.e alternati.es of o)r o-n' ,e m)st for e7ample $i.e clear e.idence that the Democratic 8arty see/s to retain the s) mer$ed lands, or tidelands, as a national preser.e elon$in$ to all the people and )sed for their enefit' O)r position m)st e clear0c)t and 8resident 4r)man, Senator 9ill and others ha.e mar/ed the co)rse for )s' ,e m)st -or/ to stren$then the minim)m -a$e to rin$ it )p to date -ith the rise in the national -a$e str)ct)re and e.en more important e7tend its co.era$e' ,e m)st pro.ide for an increase in social sec)rity payments and old a$e and s)r.i.or's ins)rance, the payments of -hich ha.e een almost completely o)tmoded y the inflationary forces of the past fe- years' ,e m)st -or/ to )ild the 3ation's health' 4he recent report of the 8resident's Commission has sho-n )s ho$reat are the opport)nities, therefore the responsi ilities in this .ital field' ,e m)st propose -or/a le alternati.es to the 3ational +a or &ana$ement 1elations Act of 194= to restore $o.ernment to a less pre;)dicial role in la or0mana$ement relations' ,e m)st de.elop o)r nat)ral reso)rces of all /inds in all parts of the co)ntry and maintain the people's e6)ity in them' ,e m)st contin)e o)r ancient attle to see that the infl)ence and if necessary the a)thority of the $o.ernment is )sed to sec)re e6)al ri$hts to employment for all people, a ri$ht in f)ll accord -ith the traditions of American democracy' ,e m)st contin)e as efore to protect the people from monopoly, from the irresponsi le e7ercise of economic po-er' In forei$n affairs altho)$h -e ha.e met and -ill meet -ith cr)el and se.ere disappointment -e m)st contin)e to $)ide o)r policy -ithin the frame-or/ of collecti.e sec)rity )pon -hich o)r o-n domestic -ell ein$ depends' Certainly ho-e.er impatient or dissatisfied -e may feel -ith the actions of o)r Allies, one does not -ish to see the 2nited States a ro$ate its present position of leadership of the "ree ,orld y )nilateral action, action -hich may not pro.e decisi.e' 4his is a lon$ str)$$le in -hich -e are en$a$ed 0 one re6)irin$ constancy and perse.erance as -ell as action and mo.ement' 4o s)m it )p -e m)st set o)r co)rse not as in *eneral @radley's memora le phrase, y the li$ht of each passin$ ship, )t y the fi7ed stars that -e ha.e al-ays follo-ed' If -e are tr)e to o)r historic tradition, -e can not fail 0 -e m)st s)cceed' If -e in short remain close to the people, the people -ill remain close to )s and -e can loo/ for-ard to the f)t)re -ith confidence and hope'

1emar/s y Senator !ohn "' %ennedy at 3e- :or/ Co)nty Democratic Dinner, 3e- :or/, 3e- :or/, April 1D, 19D?This is a redaction of this speech made for the convenience of readers and researchers. One draft of the speech exists in the Senate Speech file of the John F. Kennedy Pre-Presidential Papers here at the John F. Kennedy Library. ! lin" to the pa e is iven at the bottom of this pa e.

&r' 4oastmaster5 It is a pleas)re to rela7 toni$ht in this Democratic stron$hold o)t of the #one of fire of the 8otomac attle0$ro)nd -here the 1ep) licans in Con$ress and the 1ep) licans in the administration ha.e ;)st -heeled o)t their hea.y artillery to )se a$ainst each other' After en;oyin$ s)ch a pleasant dinner, I am no lon$er concerned as to -ho is s)pposed to ne$otiate treaties, -ho is s)pposed to anno)nce o)r terms for peace in %orea, or -ho is s)pposed to thro- o)t the first all' It is also a pleas)re to e in this Democratic city eca)se of its fame for positi.e leadership' 4he State that has prod)ced "ran/lin D' 1oose.elt, Al Smith, 9er ert 9' +ehman, 1o ert "' ,a$ner, Sr' 0 and no- ma/in$ a rilliant record of his o-n 1o ert "' ,a$ner, !r' 0 A.erill 9arriman, and my distin$)ished friends from the other 9o)se from 3e- :or/ City, Arth)r %lein, Adam 8o-ell, "ran/lin 1oose.elt, and !im Dono.an 0 the state that has prod)ced these men can stand as a eacon of hope to Democrats meetin$ in dar/ened asements and attics all o.er the co)ntry' ,e are met toni$ht in the aftermath of a $reat defeat' ,hat made this defeat especially diffic)lt for all of )s to s)stain, -as that thro)$h it -e -ere denied the ser.ices as Chief E7ec)ti.e of the former *o.ernor of Illinois, o)r candidate for 8resident, Adlai Ste.enson' @)t the defeat that -e s)ffered 0 o)r remo.al from positions of direct responsi ility, m)st not e re$arded as an )nmiti$ated disaster' 4he Democrats had een in po-er for EC years' Altho)$h the personnel and the stream of force had chan$ed some-hat, ne.ertheless that is a lon$ time to ear the )rdens of administrati.e a)thority' 4he -ellsprin$s -hich sho)ld $i.e freshness and .itality to action commence to ecome dry, and the mo.ement loses coherence and direction' ,e cannot deny, ho-e.er partisan -e may e, that this had e$)n to happen to the Democratic 8arty' Defeat is not, as *o.ernor Ste.enson has so -ell pointed o)t, a shot in the arm, )t it does $i.e )s an opport)nity to re$ain perspecti.e, to rene- o)r ener$ies and to find o)t -here -e are $oin$' ,e ha.e lon$ elie.ed that the Democratic 8arty is not the party of any one $ro)p, )t of all $ro)ps5 3ot of some of the people, )t all of the people' In o)r party may e fo)nd mem ers of all races 0 all reli$ions all -al/s of life all income $ro)ps in all parts of the co)ntry' It m)st e o .io)s that -hile, on the one hand, the Democratic 8arty m)st not e an e7tremist party, on the other it has no real f)t)re as a conser.ati.e or states0ri$ht party' 4he 1ep) licans ha.e a monopoly on that co)rse of action that they -ill not lose, and if -e s-in$ to the ri$ht, -e -o)ld ecome atrophied and die as did the ,hi$s in the 1>DC's' ,e ha.e een -elded to$ether y a philosophy of pro$ress, -hich is emphasi#ed y the yo)n$ people that I see here toni$ht' ,hether they e yo)n$ in spirit, s)ch as 9er ert +ehman, or yo)n$ in a$e, the mem ers of the Democratic 8arty m)st ne.er lose that yo)thf)l #est for -hich !im "arley is ;)stly cele rated, a #est for ne- ideas and for a etter -orld, -hich has made )s $reat' 8artic)larly here in 3e- :or/ City the meetin$ place of the -orld does the Democratic party need to e the yo)thf)l, .i$oro)s party -ith pro$ressi.e ideas that can attract all of the di.erse elements of the pop)lation' All of o)r associates may not elon$ to the same or$ani#ation' :o) -ill recall that ,ill 1o$ers once said 0 "I am not a mem er of any or$ani#ed political party I am a Democrat"' @)t the or$ani#ation of the Democratic 8arty in the minority, -ith all of its conflictin$ $ro)ps, is a model of consistency and )niformity, -hen compared -ith o)r 1ep) lican friends in ,ashin$ton' "ort)nately for 8resident Eisenho-er, the Democratic 8arty, if not in po-er, is still a po-er' ,ith o)r help the Chief E7ec)ti.e has een a le to call his relations -ith Con$ress "e7cellent"' ,ith o)r help he has defeated the 1ep) licans -ho -anted to -ea/en his reor$ani#ation po-ers' 9e has defeated the 1ep) licans -ho -anted to red)ce ta7es efore alancin$ the )d$et' ,e thin/ -e can help him defeat the 1ep) licans sponsorin$ the @ric/er amendment, altho)$h &r' D)lles has made a shoc/in$ concession to those forces of isolationism, y re;ectin$ the $enocide con.ention and o)r -or/ on international h)man ri$hts'

,e thin/ -e can help him defeat those 1ep) licans -ho -ant to rep)diate his campai$n promises, to impro.e the 4aft09artley +a-, to stren$then the Social Sec)rity Act, and to repeal the &cCarran Act' Indeed, I e7pect to hear any day that the president can m)ster a ma;ority in the Senate 0 all he needs is t-o more Democratic seats' It has een nearly 9C days since the ne- administration too/ office' D)rin$ these 9C days, the administration has e.idenced the desire to carry o)t campai$n pled$es re$ardless of their effect on national policies, and to carry o)t policies re$ardless of campai$n pled$es' "or the 1ep) lican position on off0shore oil, do -e elie.e &r' Eisenho-er, &r' @ro-nell, &r' &c%ay, or the State Department representati.e, all of -hom said somethin$ different' "or the 1ep) lican position on the red)ction of ta7es, do -e listen to &r' Eisenho-er, the 1ep) lican platform, or 1epresentati.e 1eed< "or the 1ep) lican position on stand0 y controls sho)ld -e listen to &r' Eisenho-er or Senator Capehart< "or the 1ep) lican position re$ardin$ 1)ssia's .iolation of the :alta and other -ar time pacts, sho)ld -e listen to &r' Eisenho-er, to &r' D)lles or to &r' 4aft, each of -hom says somethin$ different' 4his conf)sion and inconsistency e7plains the risin$ tide of hope and confidence of the Democrats, oth in and o)t of ,ashin$ton' @)t the role of an effecti.e opposition is not limited to e7posin$ inade6)acies alone, -e m)st propose effecti.e alternati.es of o)r o-n' ,e m)st on o)r part contin)e the attle for people's ri$hts, to $i.e aid and relief to those on the periphery, -ho still li.e on the mar$inal ed$e of e7istence, and contin)e o)r historic mission of e7tendin$ the hori#ons of social le$islation' 4he Democratic 8arty -ill ha.e many opport)nities for important p) lic ser.ice in the comin$ months, )t already it is ecomin$ apparent, as Senators !ohnson and Symin$ton ha.e pointed o)t, that it may e in the field of national sec)rity that this ser.ice -ill ha.e its most end)rin$ si$nificance' 4here is, of co)rse, $ood reason to elie.e that the )ltimate reliance of the So.iet 2nion -ill e on the -eapons of s) .ersion, economic disinte$ration and $)erilla -arfare to accomplish o)r destr)ction, rather than )pon the direct assa)lt of all0o)t -ar' @)t -e cannot co)nt on it' So lon$ as the So.iet 2nion and her satellites contin)e to dedicate the lar$e percenta$e of their national prod)ction to the preparation for -ar 0 so lon$ m)st the 2nited States reco$ni#e the peril to -hich -e are no- s) ;ected in increasin$ 6)antities' 4ime is only a friend so lon$ as it is fa.ora ly )sed, and there are $ro-in$ indications that in many cate$ories of defense, the years since %orea ha.e ena led the Comm)nists to o.ercome some of their deficiencies in atomic po-er, and at the same time contin)e to -iden the $ap that separates )s on the $ro)nd, in the air, and )nder the sea' 4he e.idence is o .io)s' 4he Armies that the So.iet 2nion and her satellites ha.e a.aila le for an all o)t attac/ on the continent of E)rope are still se.eral times the si#e of the force that no- $)ard ,estern E)rope from in.asion 0 and -e are not closin$ the $ap' 4he So.iet 2nion has a $reat many more ocean $oin$ s) marines than do -e' 4hey ha.e in fact fi.e times the s) marine fleet -ith -hich the *ermans nearly s)cceeded in isolatin$ the @ritish in the early days of the last -ar, and their s) marines are infinitely more effecti.e' Altho)$h the e7act fi$)res are classified, it is no- /no-n that the So.iets ha.e many tho)sands more first class ;ets than the 2nited States and its com ined allies, and also that their est plane has pro.ed in %orea certainly the e6)al 0 if not s)perior 0 to any of o)r fi$hters at normal com at altit)de' It may e ar$)ed that this is )nderstanda le, as the 2nited States has concentrated its attention on a strate$ic

force of lon$ ran$e om ers, )t at least as startlin$ is their rapid de.elopment in this field' It is no- /no-n that, if and -hen they feel they ha.e eno)$h atomic om s to ris/ an all o)t attac/ on this co)ntry, they already ha.e the planes -ith -hich to deli.er those om s' It has no- een estimated that the So.iets and its allies ha.e s) stantially more ;et om ers than the 2nited States and the other nations of the free -orld5 and altho)$h most of the So.iet om ers ha.e not the ran$e of the lon$est ran$e om ers of this co)ntry, there is no reason to elie.e that, especially -ith the tremendo)s fire po-er of atomic -eapons, they -o)ld not e -illin$ to ris/ one -ay fli$hts to destroy American cities' &any people for$et that a 1)ssian plane -ith a 1)ssian cre- fle- from &osco- to So)thern California non0stop some 16 years a$o' 4he Secretary of Defense in response to this se.ere threat has si$nally failed to emphasi#e in his p) lic statements the clear and present dan$er to -hich -e are no- s) ;ected' 4he 2nited States has -itnessed in recent years, tho)$h a stretch0o)t, the dil)tion of the stren$th the Chiefs of Staff considered to e the minim)m for o)r national sec)rity' Any f)rther e7tension of the tar$et date for o)r defense $oals -o)ld e a$ainst the national interest and m)st e opposed' 1ather it is o .io)s that it is o)r o li$ation, an o li$ation of the most pressin$ sort, to inform the American people of the se.erity of the threat to o)r sec)rity, and of the sacrifices that m)st e made to meet it' 4his is not an iss)e, I thin/, on -hich the Democrats can -in elections, for only disaster co)ld pro.e )s correct, )t -e intend to fi$ht for -hat is ri$ht and oppose -hat is -ron$, for the $ood of the people' If the 1ep) licans fail to /eep their pled$es, neither that fact nor the fact that -e are in the minority sho)ld pre.ent )s from /eepin$ o)rs' D)rin$ the ne7t fo)r years, -e shall -or/ in the Con$ress, in the state le$islat)res, in the city co)ncils and in the meetin$ halls of o)r nation' ,e shall contin)e to -or/ as -e ha.e in the past for the -elfare of o)r people, and for a etter co)ntry and a etter -orld' ,e are not en$a$ed in a partisan str)$$le -ith the 1ep) licans in -hich -e -o)ld ta/e deli$ht in seein$ the co)ntry s)ffer )nder their mana$ement' ,e are instead their fello- -or/ers in the str)$$le for peace and prosperity at home and a road' 4he election placed the responsi ility of $o.ernment in the hands of the 1ep) licans, )t it did not remo.e responsi ility from the hearts of the Democrats' ,ith ima$ination and co)ra$e, -e shall demonstrate to the nation that promises can mean performance 0 that responsi le opposition can mean constr)cti.e le$islation 0 and that the Democratic 8arty has not for$otten the people' If -e remain close to the people, the people -ill s)rely remain close to )s and -e can loo/ for-ard to the f)t)re -ith confidence and hope'

1emar/s y Senator !ohn "' %ennedy at @rid$eport Democratic 4o-n Committee Dinner, @rid$eport, Connectic)t, April E4, 19D?This is a redaction of this speech made for the convenience of readers and researchers. One draft of the speech exists in the Senate Speech file of the John F. Kennedy Pre-Presidential Papers here at the John F. Kennedy Library. !lso in the Senate Speech file were notes relatin to this speech. Lin"s to pa e ima es for both the draft and the notes are iven at the bottom of this pa e.

It is a $reat pleas)re to e here in Connectic)t -ith so many Democratic friends and the Democrats -ho la ored lon$ and hard to )ild and stren$then the party here in this State' Altho)$h 19DE -as the year in -hich Democratic hopes and am itions recei.ed a serio)s set ac/ yet yo)r presence here toni$ht indicates the .itality in the party here and $i.es promise of ri$hter days' Connectic)t has een, I elie.e, )n)s)ally fort)nate in the 6)ality of its leadership 0 men li/e Senator &c&ahon, -hose memory -ill li.e lon$ in the records of the Senate of the 2nited States 0 and Senator @enton -ho $a.e many e.idences of his political co)ra$e in his ser.ice in ,ashin$ton 0 men li/e former *o.ernor @o-les -ho has recently concl)ded an e7actin$ tas/ in Asia and added ne- la)rels to his rep)tation' And then there is an old friend and collea$)e of mine in the 9o)se of 1epresentati.es, former Con$ressman 1i icoff -ho came to ,ashin$ton the same year that I did in 194=' It is a so)rce of $reat re$ret to me that he is not in the 2nited States Senate, for -e ha.e need for his type of intelli$ent leadership' 4he Democratic 8arty is today represented in the 2nited States Con$ress y )t one man 0 )t in 4om Dodd the traditions of this $reat state are maintained and indeed enhanced' 9e is )t only at the e$innin$ of a lon$ and rilliant career' ,e are met toni$ht in the aftermath of a $reat defeat' ,hat made this defeat especially diffic)lt for all of )s to s)stain -as that thro)$h it -e -ere denied the ser.ices as Chief E7ec)ti.e of the former *o.ernor of Illinois, o)r candidate for 8resident, Adlai Ste.enson' @)t the defeat that -e s)ffered 0 o)r remo.al from positions of direct responsi ility, m)st not e re$arded as an )nmiti$ated disaster' 4he Democrats had een in po-er for EC years' Altho)$h the personnel and the stream of force had chan$ed some-hat, ne.ertheless that is a lon$ time to ear the )rdens of administrati.e a)thority' Defeat is not, as *o.ernor Ste.enson has so -ell pointed o)t, a shot in the arm, )t it does $i.e )s an opport)nity to re$ain perspecti.e, to rene- o)r ener$ies and to find o)t -here -e are $oin$' ,hat co)rse sho)ld -e nofollo-< It is still too early to say' It m)st e o .io)s that -hile the Democratic 8arty m)st not e an e7tremist party, it has no real f)t)re on the other hand as a conser.ati.e or states ri$hts party' 4he 1ep) licans ha.e a monopoly on that co)rse of action that they -ill not lose and if -e s-in$ to the ri$ht -e -o)ld ecome atrophied and die as did the ,hi$s in the 1>DC's' ,e ha.e een -elded to$ether y a philosophy of pro$ress -hich is emphasi#ed y the yo)n$ people that I see here toni$ht' ,hether they e yo)n$ in spirit, or yo)n$ in a$e, the mem ers of the Democratic 8arty m)st ne.er lose that yo)thf)l #est for ne- ideas and for a etter -orld, -hich has made )s $reat' 8artic)larly here in @rid$eport does the Democratic 8arty need to e the yo)thf)l, .i$oro)s party -ith pro$ressi.e ideas that can attract all $ro)ps in the pop)lation' All of o)r associates may not elon$ to 6)ite the same or$ani#ation' @)t the or$ani#ation of the Democratic 8arty in the minority -ith all of its conflictin$ $ro)ps, is a model of consistency and )niformity -hen compared -ith o)r rep) lican friends in ,ashin$ton' "ort)nately for 8resident Eisenho-er the Democratic 8arty if not in po-er, is still a po-er' ,ith o)r help the Chief E7ec)ti.e has een a le to call his relations -ith Con$ress "e7cellent"' ,ith o)r help he has defeated the 1ep) licans -ho -anted to -ea/en his reor$ani#ation po-ers' 9e has defeated the 1ep) licans -ho -anted to red)ce ta7es efore alancin$ the )d$et' ,e thin/ -e can help him defeat those 1ep) licans -ho -ant to rep)diate his campai$n promises, to impro.e the 4aft09artley +a-, to stren$then the Social Sec)rity Act and to repeal the &cCarran Act' Indeed, I e7pect to hear any day that the 8resident can m)ster a ma;ority in the Senate 0 all he needs is t-o more Democratic seats'

It has een nearly 9C days since the ne- administration too/ office' D)rin$ these 9C days, the administration has e.idenced the desire to carry o)t campai$n pled$es re$ardless of their effect on national policies, and to carry o)t policies re$ardless of campai$n pled$es' 4o impro.e o)r ho)sin$ pro$ram, they ha.e ta led the entire p) lic ho)sin$ pro$ram for ne7t year in the ho)se' 4o aid small )sinessmen they tal/ of a olishin$ the 1'"'C', -hich ma/es 9CH of its loans to small )sinessmen, many here in the 2nited States -ho cannot o tain capital else-here' "or the 1ep) lican position of off0shore oil, do -e elie.e &r' Eisenho-er, &r' @ro-nell, &r' &c%ay, or the State Department representati.e, all of -hom said somethin$ different, )t all of -hom -ant to $i.e to three states the illions of dollars -orth of reso)rces elon$in$ to all the people' "or the 1ep) lican position on stand0 y controls, sho)ld -e listen to &r' Eisenho-er or Senator Capehart< "or the 1ep) lican position re$ardin$ 1)ssia's .iolation of the :alta and other -ar time pacts, sho)ld -e listen to &r' Eisenho-er, to &r' D)lles or to &r' 4aft, each of -hom says somethin$ different' ,e -ere promised "4he est minds of the co)ntry" to sol.e o)r serio)s national pro lems and yet too fre6)ently those " est minds" ha.e consisted of 1ep) lican Con$ressmen defeated y the people in the past election' 4his conf)sion and inconsistency e7plains the risin$ tide of hope and confidence of the Democrat, oth in and o)t of ,ashin$ton' @)t the role of an effecti.e opposition is not limited to e7posin$ inade6)acies alone, -e m)st propose effecti.e alternati.e of o)r o-n' ,e m)st on o)r part contin)e the attle for people's ri$hts, to $i.e aid and relief to those on the periphery -ho still li.e on the mar$inal ed$e of e7istence and contin)e o)r historic mission of e7tendin$ the hori#ons of social le$islation' 4he Democratic 8arty -ill ha.e many opport)nities for important p) lic ser.ice in the comin$ months, )t already it is ecomin$ apparent that it may e in the field of national sec)rity that this ser.ice -ill ha.e its most end)rin$ si$nificance' 4here is, of co)rse, $ood reason to elie.e that the )ltimate reliance of the So.iet 2nion -ill e on the -eapons of s) .ersion, economic disinte$ration and $)erilla -arfare to accomplish o)r destr)ction, rather than )pon the direct assa)lt of all0o)t -ar' @)t -e cannot co)nt on it' So lon$ as the So.iet 2nion and her satellites contin)e to dedicate the lar$e percenta$e of their national prod)ction to the preparation for -ar 0 so lon$ m)st the 2nited States reco$ni#e the peril to -hich -e are no- s) ;ected to in increasin$ 6)antities' 4ime is only a friend as lon$ as it is fa.ora ly )sed, and there are $ro-in$ indications that in many cate$ories of defense, the years since %orea ha.e ena led the comm)nists to o.ercome some of their deficiencies in atomic po-er, and at the same time contin)e to -iden the $ap that separates )s on the $ro)nd, in the air and )nder the sea' 4he e.idence is o .io)s' 4he armies that the So.iet 2nion and her satellites ha.e a.aila le for an all0o)t attac/ on the continent of E)rope are se.eral times the si#e of the force that no- $)ardFsG ,estern E)rope from in.asion' 4he So.iet 2nion has a $reat many more ocean0$oin$ s) marines than -e do' 4hey ha.e in fact fi.e times the s) marine fleet -ith -hich the *ermans nearly s)cceeded in isolatin$ the @ritish in the early days of the last -ar, and their s) marines are infinitely more effecti.e' Altho)$h the e7act fi$)res are not classified, it is no- /no-n that the So.iets ha.e many tho)sands more first0 class ;ets than the 2nited States and its com ined allies, and also that their est plane has pro.ed in %orea certainly the e6)al, if not s)perior, to any of o)r fi$hters at normal com at altit)de' It may e ar$)ed that this is )nderstanda le, as the 2nited States has concentrated its attention on a strate$ic

force of lon$0ran$e om ers, )t at least as startlin$ is their rapid de.elopment in this field' It is no- /no-n that, if and -hen they feel that they ha.e eno)$h atomic om s to ris/ an all0o)t attac/ on this co)ntry, they already ha.e the planes -ith -hich to deli.er those om s' It has een estimated that the So.iets and its allies no- ha.e more ;et om ers than the 2nited States and the other nations of the free -orld( and altho)$h most of the So.iet om ers ha.e not the ran$e of the lon$est0ran$e om ers of this Co)ntry, there is no reason to elie.e that, especially -ith the tremendo)s fire po-er of atomic -eapons, they -o)ld not e -illin$ to ris/ one0-ay fli$hts to destroy American cities' &any people for$et that a 1)ssian plane -ith a 1)ssian cre- fle- from &osco- to So)thern California non0stop some 16 years a$o' 4he Secretary of Defense in response to this se.ere threat has si$nally failed to emphasi#e in his p) lic statements the clear and present dan$er to -hich -e are no- s) ;ected' 4his is especially tr)e -hen -e recall the recent statement of Senator Symin$ton, a mem er of the Armed Ser.ices Committee, that the So.iets are each day -idenin$ the $ap that separates )s' I, therefore, .ie- -ith m)ch alarm the emphasis $i.en y Secretary D)lles in his statement on 4h)rsday from E)rope that the 3ato Alliance has ceased to )ild )p its stren$th to prepare for an attac/ in 19D4 -hich has )s)ally een held to e the "critical year", -hen the So.iet stren$th -o)ld e relati.ely at a ma7im)m' 1ather he placed his emphasis on a "lon$ term pro$ram consistent -ith economic health"' 4he 2nited States has -itnessed in recent years, thro)$h a stretch0o)t, the dil)tion of the stren$th the chiefs of staff considered to e the minim)m for o)r national sec)rity' Any f)rther e7tension of the tar$et date for o)r defense $oals -o)ld e a$ainst the national interest and m)st e opposed' It is o .io)s that it is o)r o li$ation, an o li$ation of the most pressin$ sort, to inform the American people of the se.erity of the threat to o)r sec)rity and of the sacrifices that m)st e made to meet it' 4his is not an iss)e, I thin/, on -hich the Democrats can -in elections, for only disaster co)ld pro.e that correct' @)t -e shall contin)e to -or/ as -e ha.e in the past for the -elfare of o)r people and for a etter co)ntry and a etter -orld' ,e are not en$a$ed in a partisan str)$$le -ith the 1ep) licans in -hich -e -o)ld ta/e deli$ht in seein$ a co)ntry $o to r)in )nder their mana$ement' ,e are instead their fello- -or/ers in the str)$$le for peace and prosperity at home and a road' 4he election placed the responsi ility of *o.ernment in the hands of the 1ep) licans, )t it did not remo.e responsi ility from the hearts of the democrats' ,ith yo)thf)l ima$ination and co)ra$e, -e shall demonstrate to the nation that promises can mean performance 0 that responsi le opposition can mean constr)cti.e le$islation 0 and that the Democratic 8arty has not for$otten the people' If -e remain close to the people, the people -ill remain close to )s and -e can loo/ for-ard to the f)t)re -ith confidence and hope'

1emar/s of Senator !ohn "' %ennedy at the !efferson0 !ac/son Day Dinner at the 9otel D)pont, ,ilmin$ton, Dela-are, &ay 14, 19D?This is a redaction of this speech made for the convenience of readers and researchers. Two drafts of the speech exist in the Senate Speech file of the John F. Kennedy Pre-Presidential Papers here at the John F. Kennedy Library. This redaction is based on the #eadin $opy of the speech. Lin"s to pa e ima es of the two drafts are iven at the bottom of this pa e.

,e are met toni$ht in the aftermath of a $reat defeat' ,hat made this defeat especially diffic)lt for all of )s to s)stain -as that thro)$h it -e -ere denied the ser.ices as Chief E7ec)ti.e of the former *o.ernor of Illinois, o)r candidate for president, Adlai Ste.enson' @)t the defeat that -e s)ffered 0 o)r remo.al from positions of direct responsi ility, m)st not e re$arded as an )nmiti$ated disaster' 4he Democrats had een in po-er for EC years' Altho)$h the personnel and the stream of force had chan$ed some-hat, ne.ertheless that is a lon$ time to ear the )rdens of administrati.e a)thority' Defeat is not, as *o.ernor Ste.enson has so -ell pointed o)t, a shot in the arm, )t it does $i.e )s an opport)nity to re$ain perspecti.e, to rene- o)r ener$ies and to find o)t -here -e are $oin$' ,hat co)rse sho)ld -e nofollo-< ,e ha.e een -elded to$ether y a philosophy of pro$ress -hich is emphasi#ed y the yo)n$ people that -e see here toni$ht' ,hether they e yo)n$ in spirit, or yo)n$ in a$e, the mem ers of the Democratic 8arty m)st ne.er lose that yo)thf)l #est for ne- ideas and for a etter -orld, -hich has made )s $reat' 8artic)larly here in Dela-are does the Democratic 8arty need to e the yo)thf)l, .i$oro)s party -ith pro$ressi.e ideas that can attract all $ro)ps in the pop)lation' All of o)r associates may not elon$ to 6)ite the same or$ani#ation' @)t the or$ani#ation of the Democratic 8arty in the minority -ith all of its conflictin$ $ro)ps, is a model of consistency and )niformity -hen compared -ith o)r 1ep) lican friends in ,ashin$ton' "ort)nately for 8resident Eisenho-er the Democratic 8arty if not in po-er, is still a po-er' ,ith o)r help, the Chief E7ec)ti.e has een a le to call his relations -ith Con$ress "e7cellent"' ,ith o)r help he has defeated the 1ep) licans -ho -anted to -ea/en his reor$ani#ation po-ers' ,e thin/ -e can help him defeat those 1ep) licans -ho -ant to rep)diate his campai$n promises, to impro.e the 4aft09artley +a-, to stren$then the Social Sec)rity Act and to repeal the &cCarran Act' Indeed, I e7pect to hear any day that the 8resident can m)ster a ma;ority in the Senate 0 all he needs is t-o more Democratic seats' It has een o.er 1CC days since the ne- administration too/ office' D)rin$ these 1CC days, the administration has e.idenced the desire to carry o)t campai$n pled$es re$ardless of their effect on national policies, and to carry o)t policies re$ardless of campai$n pled$es' 4o impro.e o)r 9o)sin$ 8ro$ram, they ha.e ta led the entire 8) lic 9o)sin$ 8ro$ram for ne7t year in the 9o)se' 4o aid small )sinessmen they tal/ of a olishin$ the 1'"'C', -hich ma/es 9CH of its loans to small )sinessmen -ho cannot o tain capital else-here' 4o protect o)r nat)ral reso)rces they are $oin$ to t)rn o.er the illions and illions of dollars of 4idelands Oil reso)rces elon$in$ to all the people to a fe-' 4his $i.e a-ay on a $i$antic scale, I elie.e, pro.ides a le$itimate asis for the fears -hich ha.e een e7pressed that this is )t the first step in the $rad)al li6)idation of the p) lic domain of America' In any case, the e7cessi.e campai$n promises of alanced )d$ets, stron$ ne- forei$n policies, etc', $o shimmerin$ off into space, and it -o)ld not s)rprise )s that the only campai$n promise the 1ep) licans -ill /eep is the one to t)rn o.er the reso)rces of the s) mer$ed lands to the pri.ile$ed states' 4his conf)sion and inconsistency e7plains the risin$ tide of hope and confidence of the Democrat, oth in and o)t of ,ashin$ton' @)t the role of an effecti.e opposition is not limited to e7posin$ inade6)acies alone, -e m)st propose effecti.e alternati.es of o)r o-n' ,e m)st on o)r part contin)e the attle for people's ri$hts, to $i.e aid and relief to those on the periphery -ho still li.e on the mar$inal ed$e of e7istence, and contin)e o)r historic mission of e7tendin$ the hori#ons of social le$islation' 4he Democratic 8arty -ill ha.e many opport)nities for important p) lic ser.ice in the comin$ months, )t already it is ecomin$ apparent that it may e in the field of national sec)rity that this ser.ice -ill ha.e its most

end)rin$ si$nificance' 4here is, of co)rse, $ood reason to elie.e that the )ltimate reliance of the So.iet 2nion -ill e on the -eapons of s) .ersion, economic disinte$ration and $)erilla -arfare to accomplish o)r destr)ction, rather than )pon the direct assa)lt of an all0o)t -ar' @)t -e cannot co)nt on it' So lon$ as the So.iet 2nion and her Satellites contin)e to dedicate the lar$e percenta$e of their national prod)ction to the preparation for -ar 0 so lon$ m)st the 2nited States reco$ni#e the peril to -hich -e are no- s) ;ected in increasin$ 6)antities' 4ime is only a friend so lon$ as it is fa.ora ly )sed, and there are $ro-in$ indications that in many cate$ories of defense, the years since %orea ha.e ena led the Comm)nists to o.ercome some of their deficiencies in Atomic po-er, and, at the same time, contin)e to -iden the $ap that separates )s on the $ro)nd, in the air and )nder the sea' 4he e.idence is o .io)s' 4he armies that the So.iet 2nion and her Satellites ha.e a.aila le for an all0o)t attac/ on the Continent of E)rope are se.eral times the si#e of the force that no- $)ards ,estern E)rope from in.asion' 4he So.iet 2nion has a $reat many more ocean0$oin$ s) marines than do -e' 4hey ha.e in fact, fi.e times the s) marine fleet -ith -hich the *ermans nearly s)cceeded in isolatin$ the @ritish in the early days of the last -ar, and their s) marines are infinitely more effecti.e' Altho)$h the e7act fi$)res are classified, it is no- /no-n that the So.iets ha.e many tho)sands more first0class ;ets than the 2nited States and its com ined allies, and also that their est plane has pro.ed in %orea certainly the e6)al, if not s)perior, to any of o)r fi$hters at normal com at altit)de' It may e ar$)ed that this is )nderstanda le, as the 2nited States has concentrated its attention on a strate$ic force of lon$0ran$e om ers, )t at least as startlin$ is their rapid de.elopment in this field' It is no- /no-n that, if and -hen they feel that they ha.e eno)$h atomic om s to ris/ an all0o)t attac/ on this Co)ntry, they already ha.e the planes -ith -hich to deli.er those om s' It has een estimated that the So.iets and its allies ha.e more ;et om ers no- than the 2nited States and the other nations of the free -orld( and altho)$h most of the So.iet om ers ha.e not the ran$e of the lon$est0ran$e om ers of this Co)ntry, there is no reason to elie.e that, especially -ith the tremendo)s fire po-er to atomic -eapons, they -o)ld not e -illin$ to ris/ one0-ay fli$hts to destroy American cities' &any people for$et that a 1)ssian plane -ith a 1)ssian cre- fle- from &osco- to So)thern California non0stop some 16 years a$o' I therefore .ie- -ith alarm the recent decision y the 3A4O po-ers to rela7 their defensi.e preparations' 4he res)lt -ill e that their stren$th -ill not e as $reat y the end of 19D4, as it had een planned that it -o)ld e y the end of 19D?' 4his is all the more serio)s -hen -e recall that 19D4 had al-ays een held to e the "critical year" 0 the year in -hich So.iet stren$th -o)ld e relati.ely at a ma7im)m' In short, -hat has happened is that the So.iet stren$th has not een c)t' ,e merely increased the si#e of the calc)lated ris/ -ith -hat may pro.e to e dire res)lts' E.en more serio)s, ho-e.er, are the proposed slashes in o)r o-n military stren$th contained in the ne- military )d$et' 4he present indications are, if Con$ress accepts the recommendations of the administration, that a neand se.ere stretch o)t of o)r military stren$th -ill e carried o)t' "or the fifth time since the end of ,orld ,ar II the forced $oals of the Armed Ser.ices ha.e een chan$ed' 4he res)lt of these shifts -ill e that the $oals -hich the chiefs of staff consider to e the minim)m for 19D? in .ie- of So.iet potentials -ill no- e stretched o)t to 19D6 or 19D=' In the air, for e7ample, the ne- )d$et -ill force a s)mmary roll ac/ of aircraft

proc)rement res)ltin$ in red)ctions in pro;ected air defense, tactical capa ilities, as -ell as o)r strate$ic air force' Can a co)ntry as rich and prospero)s as -e e satisfied -ith this< Are -e really -orthy of o)r historic traditions and herita$e< Sho)ld -e, in this time of o)r $reatest national po-er, consent to a policy fra)$ht -ith ris/ and dan$er< In short, I do not see ho- the ,estern alliance -ith a prod)cti.e potential s) stantially lar$er than that of the Comm)nist loc, can e satisfied -ith anythin$ less than a ma7im)m effort in this field, one that has some relation to the )nrelentin$ efforts of the So.iet to )ild irresisti le military stren$th' 4his is not an iss)e, I thin/, on -hich the Democrats can -in elections, for only disaster co)ld pro.e )s correct' @)t -e m)st fi$ht, I elie.e, a$ainst this policy of drift and slide and in so doin$ -e shall e -orthy of the tr)st imposed )pon )s y the people and y the times' ,e are not en$a$ed in a partisan str)$$le -ith the 1ep) licans in -hich -e -o)ld ta/e deli$ht in seein$ o)r Co)ntry s)ffer diffic)lty and tro) le )nder their mana$ement' ,e are instead their fello- -or/ers in the str)$$le for peace and prosperity at home and a road' 4he election placed the responsi ility of *o.ernment in the hands of the 1ep) licans, )t it did not remo.e responsi ility from the hearts of the Democrats' ,ith yo)thf)l ima$ination and co)ra$e, -e shall demonstrate to the 3ation that promises can mean performance 0 that responsi le opposition can mean constr)cti.e le$islation 0 and that the Democratic 8arty has not for$otten the people' If -e remain close to the people, the people -ill remain close to )s and -e can loo/ for-ard to the f)t)re -ith confidence and hope'

1emar/s y Senator !ohn "' %ennedy at the E7ec)ti.e Committee &eetin$ at the American +e$ion 3ational 9ead6)arters in Indianapolis, Indiana on Octo er 16, 19D?This is a redaction of this speech made for the convenience of readers and researchers. Three versions of the speech exist in the John F. Kennedy Pre-Presidential Papers% Senate Speech Files% here at the John F. Kennedy Library. One version is clearly a predecessor to the other two% b&t there is no way of establishin with certainty which of those two was act&ally the version iven. 'oth are labeled (!dvance $opy%) altho& h one has edits by Kennedy on it% which co&ld conceivably be his final tho& hts. *e have not &sed that version as the basis for o&r transcript beca&se of interpretative ambi &ities with re ard to those emendations. +nstead we have &sed the other ,!dvance $opy, as bein the most enerally le ible copy of the speech. Lin"s to pa e ima es of all three versions are iven at the bottom of the pa e.

4he American +e$ion is the lar$est .eterans or$ani#ation of its /ind in the -orld' Its mem ers, o.er the years of its e7istence since the end of ,orld ,ar I, ha.e compiled an en.ia le record in carryin$ o)t the principles for -hich the le$ion -as formed' It is therefore a pri.ile$e for me to address the e7ec)ti.e committee of this $reat or$ani#ation today'

One of the articles of the +e$ion's oath is "to ma/e ri$ht the master of mi$ht'" @)t the le$ion has ne.er elie.ed that "ri$ht" sho)ld march )nescorted and )narmed in a diffic)lt and dan$ero)s -orld, and therefore since its earliest days the American +e$ion has made one of its foremost aims the attle for stron$ and ade6)ate national defense, and in so doin$ it has fo)$ht a$ainst the s)ccessi.e -a.es of drift and slide of the last years that ha.e cost )s so hea.ily' 4his meetin$ is therefore I elie.e the proper place in -hich to ar$)e the need for a defense effort more in /eepin$ -ith the perils of the time than the one that is at present o)r national policy' 4he American +e$ion -ill ha.e many opport)nities for important p) lic ser.ice in the comin$ months, )t already it is ecomin$ apparent that it may a$ain e in the field of national sec)rity that this ser.ice -ill ha.e its most end)rin$ si$nificance' 4here is, of co)rse, $ood reason to elie.e that the )ltimate reliance of the So.iet 2nion -ill e on the -eapons of s) .ersion, economic disinte$ration and $)erilla -arfare to accomplish o)r destr)ction, rather than )pon the direct assa)lt of all o)t -ar' @)t -e cannot co)nt on it' So lon$ as the So.iet 2nion and her satellites contin)e to dedicate the lar$e percenta$e of their national prod)ction to the preparation for -ar 0 so lon$ m)st the 2nited States reco$ni#e the peril to -hich -e are no- s) ;ected in increasin$ 6)antities' 4ime is only a friend so lon$ as it is fa.ora ly )sed and there are $ro-in$ indications that in many cate$ories of defense, the years since %orea ha.e ena led the comm)nists to o.ercome some of their deficiencies in atomic po-er and, at the same time, contin)e to -iden the $ap that separates )s on the $ro)nd, in the air and )nder the sea' 4he e.idence is o .io)s' 4he armies that the So.iet 2nion and her satellites ha.e a.aila le for an all o)t attac/ on the Continent of E)rope are se.eral times the si#e of the force that no- $)ards ,estern E)rope from in.asion' Accordin$ to Admiral Carney, the 3a.y Chief of Operation, spea/in$ in @oston last &onday, the So.iet 2nion no- is the second $reatest na.al po-er in the -orld and they ha.e s)rpassed in $eneral na.al stren$th *reat @ritain' In partic)lar, they ha.e concentrated their effort in the de.elopment of the most po-erf)l )nder sea fleet that the -orld has e.er seen' 4hey ha.e, in fact, fi.e times the s) marine fleet -ith -hich the *ermans nearly s)cceeded in isolatin$ the @ritish in the early days of the last -ar and their s) marines are infinitely more effecti.e' @)t dan$ero)s as are these threats to o)r national sec)rity 0 far $reater importance is that presented y the menace of So.iet atomic and hydro$en -eapons to the 2nited States' Seldom, if e.er, in the recent history of the 2nited States, ha.e so many conflictin$ statements een made on any iss)e y responsi le officials as -ere made last -ee/ in ,ashin$ton on the present dan$er to the 2nited States from atomic attac/ y the So.iet 2nion' Arth)r "lemin$, head of the Office of Defense &o ili#ation, stated that "the So.iet 2nion is capa le of deli.erin$ the most destr)cti.e -eapon e.er de.ised y man on chosen tar$ets in the 2nited States"' &r' ,ilson, the Secretary of Defense, stated that he "-o)ld do) t a little" that the So.iets ha.e " om s ready to drop and airplanes to drop them"' 9e stated f)rther that -e co)ld only spend a little o.er fi.e h)ndred millions of dollars -itho)t ")psettin$ o)r f)ndamental defense pro$ram"' ,' Sterlin$ Cole, Chairman of the !oint Committee on Atomic Ener$y, called on the other hand for an e7pendit)re of ten illion dollars a year for air defense' 8resident Eisenho-er attempted to resol.e the conflict y sayin$ that "the So.iets no- ha.e the capa ility of atomic attac/ on )s, and s)ch capa ility -ill increase -ith the passa$e of time"' All of these statements, in spite of their ein$ contradictory in emphasis, f)rnished clear e.idence for all to see that the 2nited States -as a o)t to enter the most critical period in o)r lon$ history' 4he time is rapidly approachin$ -hen the So.iet 2nion -ill

ha.e the lon$ ran$e planes to carry to the 2nited States the -eapon capa le of infinite destr)ction' And the traditional ad.anta$es that the initial attac/ has al-ays $i.en the a$$ressor -ill e m)ltiplied a tho)sandfold y the destr)cti.eness of atomic fire po-er' 4his dire threat to o)r s)r.i.al poses a diffic)lt and strate$ic pro lem' 1eco$ni#in$ that this threat may e7ist for years and that o)r economic reso)rces are not )nlimited, those responsi le for o)r sec)rity m)st determine -hether -e sho)ld rely for o)r safety on an ela orate system of continental defense, com ined -ith a reasona ly po-erf)l strate$ic air force of o)r o-n, or -hether reco$ni#in$ that e.en )nder optim)m conditions there is only a limited sec)rity possi le in a ma$inot line aro)nd the 2nited States, -e sho)ld concentrate all of o)r a ility on a strate$ic air force containin$ s)ch retaliatory po-ers that the So.iets -ill e impelled to hold their hand' At the present time, )nfort)nately, -e are doin$ neither' O)r continental defenses are insec)re and o)r Air "orce has s)ffered hea.ily from s)ccessi.e stretch0o)ts' In the fall of 19D1, the ;oint Chiefs of Staff reco$ni#in$ the decisi.e nat)re of atomic -eapons ro/e the compromise et-een the three ser.ices -hich had made for the e6)al distri )tion of f)nds' It -as determined in .ie- of the So.iet effort and capa ilities y 19D4 that a minim)m $oal for o)r sec)rity for that year -o)ld e 14? air $ro)ps' 4he tar$ets for the Army and 3a.y mean-hile remained the same' Altho)$h the stretch0o)t of 19DE ordered y 8resident 4r)man, -hich -o)ld ha.e pro.ided 1?> -in$s y !)ne 19DD lessened the impact of this decision on Air "orce stren$th, the primacy of the air -eapons -as still reco$ni#ed' 4he 4r)man )d$et of 19D? called for an e7pendit)re of o.er si7teen illion dollars for air and ele.en illion for Army and 3a.y respecti.ely' ,hen the smo/e of con$ressional attle cleared last !)ly, ho-e.er, si7 months later, fi.e illion had een ta/en from the Air "orce, a illion from the 3a.y and o.er a illion added to the Army' 4his -as a ret)rn to the alanced force concept -ith a .en$eance' 4his -as a -rin$0o)t rather than a stretch0o)t of air force stren$th' 4he preliminary )d$ets released for ne7t year for the Defense Department, prepared y the 3e- !oint Chiefs of Staff, -ere, therefore, most disappointin$' In the -ords of the -ew .or" Times, "4hey -ere seen as f)rtherin$ to a lar$e de$ree the ret)rn of the principle of alanced forces that e7isted efore the %orean ,ar'" 4he res)lt -ill e that the 2nited States -ill not possess more than 11D -in$s y !)ne 19D4 instead of 14?, not more than 1EC -in$s y !)ne 19DD, not more than 1E= y !)ne 19D6' I do not elie.e that this alanced force concept ta/es into acco)nt the decisi.e nat)re of atomic and hydro$en -eapons' 4he %elly report made at the re6)est of the Department of Defense estimated that if a ma;or portion of atomic om s -ere properly placed, an attac/ -o)ld res)lt in destr)ction of at least one0third of o)r ind)strial capacity and -o)ld /ill o.er thirteen million of o)r people' 4his st)dy also -arned that o)r capa ilities to stop attac/in$ om ers -o)ld r)n from a hi$h of ECH )nder perfect conditions to a fraction if conditions -ere ad.erse' 4hese statistics -ere made e.en more som re y a statement of Con$ressman Cole here this -ee/ -hen he -arned )s that "$i.en the passa$e of eno)$h time, -hich need not e $reat, and a research and prod)ction pro$ram of s)fficient .i$or, I fear that the So.iets may come to possess, not fi.e or ten of these -eapons, )t h)ndreds or e.en tho)sands"' 4he So.iet -hile de.elopin$ a asic -ell ro)nded military stren$th has concentrated since the end of ,orld ,ar II in )ildin$ the -orld's lar$est Air "orce' 4he 1ed Air "orce contains o.er EC,CCC planes 0 y the s)mmer of 19D4 it has een estimated that they -ill ha.e

this n)m er of ;ets alone, -hile a $ood portion of o)r present Air "orce stren$th of 9D -in$s is made )p of propeller dri.en planes or ;ets that are o solete' 4he 1)ssians ha.e a medi)m om er ased on o)r @0E9 capa le of flyin$ one -ay missions to the 2nited States' 4hey are prod)cin$ a hea.y t)r o0prop om er compara le to the @0?6' 4hey ha.e s)fficient ;et li$ht om ers to ha.e pro.ided o.er one h)ndred to the Chinese Comm)nist Air "orce -hich, as a res)lt of the So.iet contri )tion, is no- the fo)rth lar$est Air "orce in the -orld' 4hey ha.e n)mero)s fo)r ;et li$ht om ers e6)i.alent to o)r @04D stationed in Eastern E)rope capa le of attac/in$ -ith li$htnin$ speed any point in ,estern E)rope' 4hey -ill soon prod)ce a plane similar to o)r @04= accordin$ to the Secretary of the Air "orce and there are reports of a ne- lar$er om er )nder de.elopment a/in to o)r @0DE' 4hese planes, of co)rse, are s)pported y tho)sands of &I* 1D's' E.en more ill)minatin$ as to relati.e air stren$th are these -ords from a recent article ased )pon a report y 1o ert 9' Orr, -ho -as the "ifth Air "orce Chief of Com at Operation in %orea I 6)ote5 "D)rin$ the last year of the %orean ,ar the 2' S' "ifth Air "orce operated si7teen -in$s in s)pport of the fi$htin$' 4he "orce -as made )p as follo-s5 4hree medi)m0 om er -in$s IAll @0E9'sJ detached from the Strate$ic Air Command5 4-o fi$hter0interceptor -in$s I"0>6'sJ( fi.e fi$hter0 om er -in$s I"0>4's and "0>C'sJ( t-o li$ht0 om er -in$s I,orld ,ar II propeller dri.en @0E6'sJ( one reconnaissance -in$ I"0>C's and @0E6'sJ( and three o.ersi#ed troop0carrier -in$s I)sin$ a .ariety of transports and car$o carriersJKat the time they -ere committed, these -in$s represented all )t a small fraction of the Air "orce's I&ost modernJ ready fi$hter0 interceptor stren$th( all )t t-o -in$s of its ready fi$hter0 om er stren$th( and all that the Strate$ic Air Command -as prepared to spare from its ready reso)rces Inot incl)din$ @0?6's and, of co)rse, the @04= ;ets, -hich