Press Release, Message of President Harry S. Truman to the United States Congress

#416 381 HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE -9d December 18, 1945 no GONF IDENTIAL: The following message to the Congress must be held in strict confidence and no portion, synopsis or intimation is to be given out or published unt il reading of the Message has begun in either the Senate or the House of Representatives probably at 12:00 o'clock NOON, Wednesday, December 19, 1945. The same release applies to radio commen- tators and newscasters CAUTION: Extreme care should be exercised to prevent premature publication. CHARLES G. ROSS it Secretary to the President TO THE CONGRESS THE UNITED STATES: In my message of September 6, 1945, I states that I would communicate with the Congress from t ime to time during the current session with respect to a comprehensive and continuous program of on national security. I pointed out the necessity of making timely prepara- tion for the Nation's long-range securit: now -- while we are still mindful of what it has cost us in this war to have been unprepared. On October 23, 1945, as part of that program, there was presented for your consideration a proposal for universal military training. It was based upon the necessities of maintaining a well- NARA trained citizenry which could be quickly mobilized in time of need in support of a small professional military establishment. Long and extensive hearings have now been held by the Congress on this recommenda- tion. I think that the proposal, in principle, has met with the over- whelming approval of the people of the United States. We are discharging our armed forces nowa the rate of 1,500,000 a month. We can with fairness no longer look to the veterans of this war for any future military service. It is essential therefore that universal training be instituted at the earliest possible moment to provide a reserve upon which we can draw if, unhappily, it should become necessary A grave responsibility will rest upon the Congress if it cont inues to delay this most important and urgent. measure. ertseb bas Today again in the interest of national security and world peace, I make this further recommendation to you. I recommend that the Congress adopt legislation combining the war and Navy Departments into one ingle Department of National Defense. Such unification is another essential step -- along with universal training -- in the development of a comprehensive and continuous program for our future safety and for the peace and secur: ity of the world. us degzo? of One of the lessons which have most clearly come from the costly and dangerous experience of this war is that there must be uni- fied directic of land, sea and air forces at home as well as in all other parts of the world where our Armed Forces are serving. We did not have that kind of direction when we were attacked four years ago- and we certainly paid a high price for not having it. tobal 25 adi n' of at Jon TO noqu bregeb JI wolsa S D.B. dos de edd of badioU and anzurdu't braug doedorg 03 of so Jaur. GW ed aw drode at moin blrow add Jnadenos at 03 atds dada grus of asentard ansem P moi 831 n.t.