Title:  State of the Union Addresses of Warren Harding

Author:  Warren Harding

Release Date:  February, 2004 [EBook #5035] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 11, 2002] [Date last updated:  December 16, 2004]

Edition:  11

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of the project gutenberg EBOOK of addresses by Warren Harding ***

This eBook was produced by James Linden.

The addresses are separated by three asterisks:  ***

Dates of addresses by Warren Harding in this eBook: 
  December 6, 1921
  December 8, 1922

***

State of the Union Address
Warren Harding
December 6, 1921

Mr. Speaker and members of the Congress: 

It is a very gratifying privilege to come to the Congress with the Republic at peace with all the nations of the world.  More, it is equally gratifying to report that our country is not only free from every impending, menace of war, but there are growing assurances of the permanency of the peace which we so deeply cherish.

For approximately ten years we have dwelt amid menaces of war or as participants in war’s actualities, and the inevitable aftermath, with its disordered conditions, bits added to the difficulties of government which adequately can not be appraised except by, those who are in immediate contact and know the responsibilities.  Our tasks would be less difficult if we had only ourselves to consider, but so much of the world was involved, the disordered conditions are so well-nigh universal, even among nations not engaged in actual warfare, that no permanent readjustments can be effected without consideration of our inescapable relationship to world affairs in finance and trade.  Indeed, we should be unworthy of our best traditions if we were unmindful of social, moral, and political conditions which are not of direct concern to us, but which do appeal to the human sympathies and the very becoming interest of a people blest with our national good fortune.

It is not my purpose to bring to you a program of world restoration.  In the main such a program must be worked out by the nations more directly concerned.  They must themselves turn to the heroic remedies for the menacing conditions under which they are struggling, then we can help, and we mean to help.  We shall do so unselfishly because there is compensation in the consciousness of assisting, selfishly because the commerce and international exchanges in trade, which marked our high tide of fortunate advancement, are possible only when the nations of all continents are restored to stable order and normal relationship.

In the main the contribution of this Republic to restored normalcy in the world must come through the initiative of the executive branch of the Government, but the best of intentions and most carefully considered purposes would fail utterly if the sanction and the cooperation of Congress were not cheerfully accorded.