We are building up our strength, in concert with other free nations, to meet the danger of aggression that has been turned loose on the world.  The strength of the free nations is the world’s best hope of peace.

I ask the Congress for unity in these crucial days.

Make no mistake about my meaning.  I do not ask, or expect, unanimity.  I do not ask for an end to debate.  Only by debate can we arrive at decisions which are wise, and which reflect the desires of the American people.  We do not have a dictatorship in this country, and we never will have one in this country.

When I request unity, what I am really asking for is a sense of responsibility on the part of every Member of this Congress.  Let us debate the issues, but let every man among us weigh his words and his deeds.  There is a sharp difference between harmful criticism and constructive criticism.  If we are truly responsible as individuals, I am sure that we will be unified as a government.

Let us keep our eyes on the issues and work for the things we all believe in.

Let each of us put our country ahead of our party, and ahead of our own personal interests.

I had the honor to be a Member of the Senate during World War II, and I know from experience that unity of purpose and of effort is possible in the Congress without any lessening of the vitality of our two-party system.

Let us all stand together as Americans.  Let us stand together with all men everywhere who believe in human liberty.

Peace is precious to us.  It is the way of life we strive for with all the strength and wisdom we possess.  But more precious than peace are freedom and justice.  We will fight, if fight we must, to keep our freedom and to prevent justice from being destroyed.

These are the things that give meaning to our lives, and which we acknowledge to be greater than ourselves.

This is our cause—­peace, freedom, justice.  We will pursue this cause with determination and humility, asking divine guidance that in all we do we may follow the will of God.

***

State of the Union Address
Harry S. Truman
January 9, 1952

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress: 

I have the honor to report to the Congress on the state of the Union.

At the outset, I should like to speak of the necessity for putting first things first as we work together this year for the good of our country.

The United States and the whole free world are passing through a period of grave danger.  Every action you take here in Congress, and every action that I take as President, must be measured against the test of whether it helps to meet that danger.

This will be a presidential election year-the year in which politics plays a large part in our lives—­a larger part than usual.  That is perfectly proper.  But we have a greater responsibility to conduct our political fights in a manner that does not harm the national interest.