Speech of Senator Harry S. Truman at the United Nations Forum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Speech of Senator Harry S. Truman United Nations Forum Constitution Hall January 17, 1944 As we march forwerd toward certain victory, we must make the plan for a lasting and just peace. To win a military victory alone would be futile unless we lay 8. foundation in our post-war world that will secure for all men everywhere their basic human rights. Our President has proclaimed our war objectives as outlined in the Four Freedoms. Ve are lighting now that the Four Freedoms shall be not only freedoms for the United Nations but a heritage for all the peoples of the world. History has bestowed on us a solemn re- sponsibility. We shall - we must - be a mighty force at the peace conference. We failed before to give a genuine peace - we dare not fail this time. The pattern of postwar action directly affects the lives of every American citizen and will continue to affect the very existence of generations of Americans yet unborn. There have been occasions in the past where we were but-maneuvered. Our counsel, while then appearing tell-advised, has now been shown to have been hasty and ill-conceived. Ve must not repeat the blunders of the past. It will be no easy thing to formulate the good peace. We must evaluate carefully every factor, every possible approach to the problems of postwar living. As each separate problem comes before that peace conference, we should be prepared to meet it intelligently. The economic and social problems of the past fifteen years, as well as the exigencies of the war, have required a tremendous expansion in the tasks assumed by the Federal Government. It is important, in view of this expansion, that we keep before us the truth that in America the Government is u.s. There has been in some quarters a tendency to think of the Government doing this and the Government doing that vithout realizing who the Government is. In some places, it is said, III view of present conditions, our probloms S