Address by President Harry S. Truman

XXV HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 5, 1950 CONFIDENTIAL: The following address of the President to be delivered before the Mid-Century white House Conference on Children and Youth, National Guard Armory, is for release at 10:15 a.m., e.s.t. Tuesday, December 5, 1950. The same release applies to all newspapers, radio stations and news broadcasters. PLEASE GUARD AGAINST PREMATURE PUBLICATION OR RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT. TRUMAN CHARLES G. ROSS AND Secretary to the President SERVICE" COVERNMENT egastiado 0$ been fitw elqoeq As we meet here today, the serious crisis in world affairs overshadows all that we do. This country of ours, together with other members of the United Nations, is engaged in a critical struggle to uphold the values of peace and justice and freedom. netbikdo We are struggling to preserve our own liberty as a Nation. More than that, we are striving, in cooperation with the other free nations, to uphold the basic values of freedom of peace based on justice -- which are essential for the progress of mankind. As we engage in that struggle, we must preserve the elements of our American way of life that are the basic source need of our strength. That is the purpose of this Mid-Century white House Conference on Children and Youth. You are seeking ways to help our children and young people become mentally and morally stronger, and to make them better citizens. I think you should press right ahead with that work, because it is more important now than ever. 10 BOVII adj Our thoughts and prayers are with our young men who are fighting in Korea. They are engaged in a battle against tremendous odds. The full effort of the united people of this country is behind them. All of us are aware of the grave risk of general conflict which has been deliberately caused by the Chinese communist leaders. Their action greatly changes the immediate situation with which we are confronted. It does not change our fundamental purpose to work for the cause of a just and peaceful world. 9817 eda No matter how the immediate situation may develop, we must remember that the fighting in Korea is but one part of the (OVER)