Title:  State of the Union Addresses of Dwight D. Eisenhower

Author:  Dwight D. Eisenhower

Release Date:  February, 2004 [EBook #5040] [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 Dwight D. Eisenhower ***

This eBook was produced by James Linden.

The addresses are separated by three asterisks:  ***

Dates of addresses by Dwight D. Eisenhower in this eBook: 
  February 2, 1953
  January 7, 1954
  January 6, 1955
  January 5, 1956
  January 10, 1957
  January 9, 1958
  January 9, 1959
  January 7, 1960
  January 12, 1961

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State of the Union Address
Dwight D. Eisenhower
February 2, 1953

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Eighty-third Congress: 

I welcome the honor of appearing before you to deliver my first message to the Congress.

It is manifestly the joint purpose of the congressional leadership and of this administration to justify the summons to governmental responsibility issued last November by the American people.  The grand labors of this leadership will involve: 

Application of America’s influence in world affairs with such fortitude and such foresight that it will deter aggression and eventually secure peace;

Establishment of a national administration of such integrity and such efficiency that its honor at home will ensure respect abroad;

Encouragement of those incentives that inspire creative initiative in our economy, so that its productivity may fortify freedom everywhere; and

Dedication to the well-being of all our citizens and to the attainment of equality of opportunity for all, so that our Nation will ever act with the strength of unity in every task to which it is called.

The purpose of this message is to suggest certain lines along which our joint efforts may immediately be directed toward realization of these four ruling purposes.

The time that this administration has been in office has been too brief to permit preparation of a detailed and comprehensive program of recommended action to cover all phases of the responsibilities that devolve upon our country’s new leaders.  Such a program will be filled out in the weeks ahead as, after appropriate study, I shall submit additional recommendations for your consideration.  Today can provide only a sure and substantial beginning.

II.

Our country has come through a painful period of trial and disillusionment since the victory of 1945.  We anticipated a world of peace and cooperation.  The calculated pressures of aggressive communism have forced us, instead, to live in a world of turmoil.