There is almost no limit to the human betterment that could result from such cooperation.  Hunger and disease could increasingly be driven from the earth.  The age-old dream of a good life for all could, at long last, be translated into reality.

But of all the works of peace, none is more needed now than a real first step toward disarmament.

Last August the United Nations General Assembly, by an overwhelming vote, approved a disarmament plan that we and our allies sincerely believed to be fair and practical.  The Soviets have rejected both the plan, and the negotiating procedure set up by the United Nations.  As a result, negotiation on this supremely important issue is now at a stand-still.

But the world cannot afford to stand still on disarmament!  We must never give up the search for a basis of agreement.

Our allies from time to time develop differing ideas on how to proceed.  We must concert these convictions among ourselves.  Thereafter, any reasonable proposal that holds promise for disarmament and reduction of tension must be heard, discussed, and, if possible, negotiated.

But a disarmament proposal, to hold real promise, must at the minimum have one feature:  reliable means to ensure compliance by all.  It takes actions and demonstrated integrity on both sides to create and sustain confidence.  And confidence in a genuine disarmament agreement is vital, not only to the signers of the agreement, but also to the millions of people all over the world who are weary of tensions and armaments.

I say once more, to all peoples, that we will always go the extra mile with anyone on earth if it will bring us nearer a genuine peace.

CONCLUSION

These, then, are the ways in which we must funnel our energies more efficiently into the task of advancing security and peace.

These actions demand and expect two things of the American people:  sacrifice, and a high degree of understanding.  For sacrifice to be effective it must be intelligent.  Sacrifice must be made for the right purpose and in the right place—­even if that place happens to come close to home!

After all, it is no good demanding sacrifice in general terms one day, and the next day, for local reasons, opposing the elimination of some unneeded Federal facility.

It is pointless to condemn Federal spending in general, and the next moment condemn just as strongly an effort to reduce the particular Federal grant that touches one’s own interest.

And it makes no sense whatever to spend additional billions on military strength to deter a potential danger, and then, by cutting aid and trade programs, let the world succumb to a present danger in economic guise.

My friends of the Congress:  The world is waiting to see how wisely and decisively a free representative government will now act.

I believe that this Congress possesses and will display the wisdom promptly to do its part in translating into law the actions demanded by our nation’s interests.  But, to make law effective, our kind of government needs the full voluntary support of millions of Americans for these actions.