Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
1252283
label
4/15/75 - Remarks to the Daughters of the American Revolution
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
1252283
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
4/15/75 - Remarks to the Daughters of the American Revolution
citationUrl
collections
President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
subjects
National security
Federal budget
Speeches, addresses, etc.
thumbnailUrl
largeImageUrl
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
1252283
coverageEndDate
day
15
logicalDate
1975-04-15
month
4
year
1975
coverageStartDate
day
15
logicalDate
1975-04-15
month
4
year
1975
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
838b4122ef9b0df1
ocrText
The original documents are located in Box 7, folder "4/15/75 - Remarks to the Daughters of
the American Revolution" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at
the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 7 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN.Q8
REMARKS TO THE
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 1975
- 1 -
BEFORE I BEGIN MY FORMAL REMARKS, I WANT TO EXPRESS
MY PERSONAL SENSE OF LOSS AT THE SUDDEN DEATH OF YOUR LATE
PRESIDENT GENERAL, MRS. HENRY STEWART JONES.
MRS. JONES WAS
A DEDICATED, SERIOUS PATRIOT -- A GREAT PERSON.
SHE WILL BE
GREATLY MISSED, BUT I HOPE THAT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TODAY REFLECTS
SOME OF THE IDEALS SHE HELD AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS SHE FELT FOR
OUR GREAT NATION.
-la-
AN HONOR FOR ME TO ADDRESS THIS GATHERING.
DESCENDANTS OF THE BRAVE AMERICANS WHO FOUNDED
DAR:
OUR NATION, YOU HAVE A PROUD HERITAGE.
1
BUT I THINK YOU WOULD BE THE FIRST TO AGREE THAT THIS
HERITAGE BELONGS NOT ONLY TO THE D-A-R, BUT TO ALL AMERICANS
INSPIRED BY OUR HISTORY.
WE SHARE A COMMON HERITAGE.
- -2- -
ALTHOUGH YOU ARE THE "DAUGHTERS" OF THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION, ALL OF US ARE IN A SENSE THE CHILDREN -- THE HEIRS --
OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
- 3 -
AND, THIS YEAR ESPECIALLY, AS WE PREPARE FOR THE
CELEBRATION OF OUR BICENTENNIAL, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR ALL
AMERICANS TO DO SOME SOUL-SEARCHING ABOUT WHERE WE ARE GOING
AS A NATION AND WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE PRECIOUS HERITAGE
OF FREEDOM THAT WE INHERITED.
THIS IS A GOOD TIME BOTH TO
LOOK BACKWARD AND TO LOOK FORWARD -- A GOOD TIME TO TAKE
STOCK.
- 4 -
IN DOING so, WE SHOULD NOT FALL INTO THE TRAP
OF BLIND NOSTALGIA -- OF PERSUADING OURSELVES THAT
AMERICA'S BEST YEARS ARE BEHIND US.
THERE IS A LOT OF NEGATIVE TALK LIKE THAT GOING
AROUND.
IT CAN BE ANSWERED IN ONE WORD: NONSENSE.
- 5 -
THE TRUTH IS THAT IF WE WERE TO SOMEHOW TRAVEL
BACK IN TIME TOGETHER TO THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION -- WE
MIGHT BE MORE SHOCKED BY THE SIMILARITIES THAN BY THE
DIFFERENCES.
IF ANYTHING, TIMES WERE FAR TOUGHER THEN.
- 6 -
WE WERE A DIVIDED PEOPLE.
MANY HISTORIANS
ESTIMATE THAT THE COLONISTS WERE SPLIT INTO THREE FACTIONS:
THOSE WHO FAVORED INDEPENDENCE,
1
THOSE WHO SUPPORTED THE
ROYAL CAUSE, AND THOSE WHO STRADDLED THE FENCE, WAITING
TO SEE WHICH SIDE WOULD WIN.
- 7 -
INFLATION WAS MORE THAN A SERIOUS PROBLEM
DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION -- IT WAS A NEAR-FATAL DISEASE.
PRINTING-PRESS MONEY, \ THE SO-CALLED CONTINENTAL DOLLAR,
WAS ONLY WORTH A FRACTION OF ITS PAPER VALUE.
MANY
FARMERS AND MERCHANTS REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT, EVEN FROM
HUNGRY AMERICAN SOLDIERS TRYING TO BUY PROVISIONS.
- 8 -
TOO OFTEN, AMERICAN ARMIES WERE DEFEATED IN
BATTLE AND DRIVEN TO HUMILIATING RETREATS.
DISEASE,
LACK OF EQUIPMENT AND LACK OF TRAINING WERE CHRONIC.
WE WERE DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE FOR MANY OF OUR
WEAPONS, UNIFORMS, AND EQUIPMENT -- AND EVEN FOR
FOREIGN "ADVISORS" TO TRAIN OUR TROOPS.
- 9 -
IF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT HAD NOT SPENT MILLIONS
TO HELP EQUIP AMERICAN FORCES, AND IF WE HAD NOT BEEN
ASSISTED BY A FRENCH ARMY AND FLEET AT YORKTOWN, THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION MIGHT HAVE DRAGGED ON INCONCLUSIVELY
FOR YEARS.
- IO -
YET, OUT OF ALL THAT SUFFERING AND UNCERTAINTY, A
NEW NATION WAS BORN AND GREW UP INTO ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND
MOST POWERFUL IN THE WORLD.
- 11 -
CHARACTER HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT -- THE COURAGE AND
VISION OF MEN LIKE WASHINGTON, SHARED BY THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS
AND THE VALIANT PATRIOT WOMEN WHO SUSTAINED THEIR FIGHTING MEN --
AS THEY HAVE IN ALL OUR STRUGGLES -- WITH THEIR WORK AND THEIR
PRAYERS.
VALUES WERE ALSO IMPORTANT -- THE MORAL IMPERATIVES
AND POLITICAL IDEALS THAT WERE EXPRESSED WITH SUCH ELOQUENCE BY
PATRICK HENRY AND THOMAS JEFFERSON AND WITH SUCH CLARITY BY
ALEXANDER HAMILTON AND JAMES MADISON.
- lla -
AND DIVINE PROVIDENCE ALSO HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT
-- NOR WERE OUR FOREFATHERS ASHAMED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR DEBT
TO THIS SOURCE OF STRENGTH IN TIME OF TROUBLE.
- 12 -
CALL IT DIVINE PROVIDENCE OR CALL IT DESTINY,
THIRTEEN SMALL COLONIES CLUSTERED ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST
SOMEHOW MANAGED TO PRODUCE ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT GENERATIONS
OF LEADERS KNOWN TO HISTORY -- THE SOLDIERS AND STATESMEN
WE KNOW AS THE FOUNDERS OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY.
- 13 -
BUT EVEN MORE REMARKABLE THAN THE GENIUS OF THE
FOUNDERS THEMSELVES IS THE FACT THAT GENERATION AFTER GENERATION
OF AMERICANS HAVE CONTINUED TO BUILD ON THE FOUNDATION THEY
LEFT US.
WE HAVE NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THEIR DREAM.
- 14 -
OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE HAD BRILLIANT LEADERS.
BUT NO OTHER COUNTRY CAN POINT TO TWO CENTURIES DEDICATED
TO EXPANDING AND PERFECTING A CONTINUING REVOLUTION IN A
FREE SOCIETY.
THAT IS WHAT MAKES AMERICA UNIQUE.
- 15 - -
AND THAT IS WHY -- ALTHOUGH OUR EXPERIENCE
IN INDOCHINA HAS BEEN ONE OF HEROIC SACRIFICES AND GREAT
DISAPPOINTMENTS -- I AM CONVINCED THAT WE CAN AND WILL
EMERGE FROM THIS ORDEAL STRONGER AND WISER AS A NATION --
JUST AS WE HAVE FROM OTHERS EVEN GREATER IN THE PAST.
- 16 -
AND THIS BRINGS ME TO THE SOUL-SEARCHING --
THE INVENTORY OF OPPORTUNITIES \ OF CHALLENGES BEFORE US TODAY.
HOW DO WE STAND TODAY?
ARE WE STILL ON THE RIGHT COURSE?
- 17 -
IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE IN THE TIME HERE TO GO
OVER EVERY SINGLE ISSUE -- POLITICAL, MILITARY, DIPLOMATIC
AND ECONOMIC -- THAT THIS QUESTION RAISES.
so LET ME
FOCUS TODAY ON ONE OF THEM -- OUR NATIONAL DEFENSE.
ARE WE STRONG ENOUGH TODAY?
AND, JUST AS IMPORTANT,
WILL WE BE STRONG ENOUGH TOMORROW?
- 18 - -
ACCORDING TO A RECENT POLL, SOME AMERICANS
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR WORLD POSITION AND THE COST OF
MAINTAINING THAT POSITION.
THE POLL INDICATED THAT
AMERICANS WANT THE UNITED STATES -- AND I QUOTE --
"TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE WORLD."
YET AT THE SAME
TIME, THEY BELIEVE THE DEFENSE BUDGET SHOULD BE REDUCED.
- 19 -
AMERICANS STILL BELIEVE THAT BEING STRONG MILITARILY
IS IMPORTANT.
THEY WANT -- IN THE WORDS OF THE POLL'S
REPORT -- "A POWERFUL AND MILITARILY SECURE STANDING FOR
THE UNITED STATES IN THE WORLD."
WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE
IS THE PRICE TAG THAT COMES WITH IT.
- 20 -
THIS IS A BASIC DILEMMA.
WHEN A NATION
WANTS TO ACHIEVE CONTRADICTORY GOALS -- SUCH AS MILITARY
SECURITY AND LESS DEFENSE SPENDING -- SOONER OR LATER,
CITIZENS MUST MAKE A CHOICE.
- 21 -
IT IS BECOMING FASHIONABLE IN SOME QUARTERS
TO CHARGE THAT MILITARY FORCE IS OUTMODED IN THE MODERN WORLD.
IT IS ARGUED, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MODERN WEAPONRY,
ESPECIALLY NUCLEAR ARMAMENTS, ARE TOO DESTRUCTIVE TO USE --
AND THAT, THEREFORE, THEY WON'T EVER BE USED.
- 22 -
FURTHER, IT IS ARGUED THAT, WHEN WE HAVE APPLIED
MILITARY POWER, IT HAS NOT PRODUCED THE RESULTS WE WANTED --
AS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.
FINALLY, IT IS SAID THAT WE ARE UNLIKELY TO BE
ATTACKED IN ANY EVENT.
DETENTE, ACCORDING TO THIS
REASONING, GUARANTEES THAT FUTURE CONFLICTS WILL BE
NON-VIOLENT ONES WHICH MAY BE SETTLED BY NEGOTIATION.
- 23 -
THESE ARGUMENTS IGNORE A BASIC FACT OF INTERNATIONAL
POLITICS -- ONE THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT
HISTORY: NATIONAL INTERESTS CAN BE GUARDED ONLY BY NATIONAL
STRENGTH -- AND, IN A CONFLICT-RIDDEN WORLD, NATIONAL
STRENGTH, IN THE BROADEST SENSE, MUST BE SUPPORTED BY
MILITARY STRENGTH.
- 24 -
IT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED THAT DETENTE -- THE PROCESS
OF REDUCING TENSIONS WITH THE U.S.S.R. -- HAS BEEN POSSIBLE
ONLY BECAUSE OF U.S. STRENGTH AND RESOLVE.
IT WAS AFTER
A PROLONGED PERIOD OF COLD WAR TESTING AND CONFRONTATION --
DURING WHICH THE UNITED STATES AND THE REST OF THE WESTERN
WORLD STOOD FAST -- THAT IT BECAME POSSIBLE TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH THE U.S.S.R. IN NEGOTIATIONS AIMED AT REDUCING THE
CHANCES FOR GRAVE MISCALCULATIONS AND REDUCING THE RISK
OF NUCLEAR WAR.
- 25 -
IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS, WE HAVE SAFEGUARDED OUR VITAL DEFENSE
INTERESTS.
TO WEAKEN OUR DEFENSES IS TO WEAKEN ONE OF
THE FOUNDATIONS OF DETENTE.
A POSTURE OF DELIBERATE WEAKNESS IS MOST DANGEROUS
WHEN THE WORLDWIDE MILITARY BALANCE THREATENS TO DETERIORATE.
BUT AT ANY TIME, WEAKNESS WOULD BE FOLLY FOR THE UNITED STATES,
A GREAT NATION, WITH INTERESTS SPANNING THE GLOBE.
- - 26 -
IF WE WERE TO CUT OURSELVES BACK TO SUCH A WEAK
POSTURE -- AS SOME RECOMMEND -- WE WOULD SOON FIND OURSELVES
PAYING AN UNACCEPTABLE PRICE.
- 27 -
WE CANNOT SHRINK OUR ECONOMY BACK TO PRE-1939
DIMENSIONS.
WE CANNOT TURN OUR BACK ON THE REST OF
THE WORLD AS WE FOOLISHLY SOUGHT TO DO IN THE 1930'S.
- - 28 -
LIKE IT OR NOT, WE ARE A GREAT POWER AND OUR
REAL CHOICE IS WHETHER TO SUCCEED OR FAIL IN A ROLE WE
CANNOT SHIRK.
THERE IS NO OTHER NATION IN THE FREE WORLD
CAPABLE OF STEPPING INTO OUR ROLE.
IF WE CONCLUDE, AS I BELIEVE WE MUST, THAT
WE STILL NEED A STRONG NATIONAL DEFENSE, THE NEXT ISSUE IS
OBVIOUS:
HOW MUCH AND WHAT KIND?
- 29 -
THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON OUR CONTINUING,
VIGILANT
ASSESSMENT OF THOSE DEFENSES NEEDED TO SAFEGUARD THIS GREAT
NATION -- AN ASSESSMENT MEASURED IN TERMS OF THE INTENTIONS
AND CAPABILITIES OF POTENTIAL ADVERSARIES AND THE COMMON
STRENGTHS FORGED BY OUR ALLIANCES.
OUR NUCLEAR DETERRENT
MUST BE GAUGED AGAINST THE NUC LEAR CAPABILITIES AND INTENTION
OF OTHERS, AND IN PARTICULAR THE SOVIET UNION.
- 30 -
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE SALT NEGOTIATIONS AND THE
VLADIVOSTOK AGREEMENT I SIGNED WITH GENERAL SECRETARY BREZHNEV
ARE OF SUCH IMPORTANCE.
WE ARE WORKING TO PUT A CAP ON
THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE.
- 31 -
SIMILARLY, THE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF CONVENTIONAL
FORCES REQUIRED WILL DEPEND ON OUR CONTINUING ABILITY TO
MAINTAIN A TRULY EFFECTIVE NATIONAL DEFENSE.
IT ALSO WILL
DEPEND ON OUR ABILITY TO MEET OUR SECURITY COMMITMENTS AND ON
OUR ABILITY, WITH OUR ALLIES, TO WORK WITH THE WARSAW PACT
NATIONS TOWARD REDUCTIONS IN FORCES WHICH WILL INCREASE THE
PROSPECTS FOR INTERNATIONAL STABILITY.
- 32 -
IT IS OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE TO BOTH THE UNITED
STATES AND THE WORLD AT LARGE THAT THE STRATEGIC BALANCE BE
MAINTAINED -- AND STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES ARE THE FOUNDATION
OF OUR DEFENSE.
- 33 -
WE WILL WORK TOWARD FURTHER STRATEGIC ARMS
LIMITATIONS.
WE WILL MAINTAIN A STRATEGIC ARMS BALANCE.
NEITHER WE NOR OUR ALLIES CAN AFFORD THE CONSEQUENCES IF THIS
FUNDAMENTAL BALANCE SHIFTS AGAINST US.
I PROMISE YOU THAT
NO DEFENSE BUDGET I SUBMIT TO THE CONGRESS WILL EVER SELL US
SHORT NOR SHIFT THAT BALANCE AGAINST AMERICA.
- 34-
AND I CALL ON EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE CONGRESS
TO MAKE THE SAME PLEDGE, FOR OUR SURVIVAL AS A NATION COULD
WELL DEPEND UPON IT.
AND I CALL UPON YOU TO LET YOUR SENATORS
AND CONGRESSMEN KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.
LET US NEVER FORGET THIS: THAT OUR PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE IS TO ONE NATION INDIVISIBLE -- NOT ONE NATION,
INDEFENSIBLE!
- 35 -
IN THE AREA OF CONVENTIONAL FORCES, WE ALSO CONFRONT
SOME DIFFICULT CHALLENGES.
OUR TROOPS IN EUROPE, FOR
EXAMPLE, ARE A KEY ELEMENT IN SHIELDING EUROPE FROM MILITARY
ATTACKS OR PRESSURES.
PRESENT FORCE LEVELS ARE NECESSARY
TO MAINTAIN A SATISFACTORY CONVENTIONAL MILITARY BALANCE
BETWEEN THE ALLIANCE AND THE WARSAW PACT NATIONS.
- 36 -
UNILATERAL U.S. REDUCTIONS WOULD UPSET THAT BALANCE AND
CONSTITUTE A MAJOR POLITICAL CHANGE.
THE UNITED STATES HAS
AGREED WITH OUR ALLIES THAT THERE WILL BE NO UNILATERAL TROOP
REDUCTIONS EXCEPT THROUGH MUTUAL NEGOTIATIONS.
- 37 -
OUR TROOP LEVELS THERE ARE NOT AN OBSTACLE TO
IMPROVED EAST - WEST RELATIONS IN EUROPE.
ON THE CONTRARY,
A STABLE MILITARY BALANCE HAS BEEN THE STARTING POINT FOR
HOPEFUL NEW DIPLOMACY.
- 38 -
FOR THEIR PART, THE EUROPEANS CONTRIBUTE THE
LARGEST PART TO THE CONVENTIONAL DEFENSE OF THE ALLIANCE.
UNILATERAL U.S. REDUCTIONS WOULD UNDERCUT THEIR EFFORTS, AND
WOULD UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE IN U.S. SUPPORT FOR THE ALLIANCE.
- 39 -
THERE ARE TWO OTHER CRUCIAL AREAS OF CONVENTIONAL
FORCES NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN OUR SIDE OF THE STRATEGIC BALANCE
-- OUR LONG-RANGE AIRLIFT CAPABILITY AND SEA POWER.
- 40 -
IF WE ARE TO SUSTAIN OUR ABILITY TO REACT
APPROPRIATELY TO THREATS TO OUR INTERESTS FAR FROM OUR SHORES,
WE MAY NEED TO INCREASE OUR ALREADY CONSIDERABLE ABILITY TO
AIRLIFT TROOPS AND SUPPLIES LONG DISTANCES.
- 41 -
THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES DEPEND HEAVILY
ON THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS FOR TRADE AND COMMERCE.
THUS, IT IS VITAL FOR US TO MAINTAIN A FULL RANGE OF
CAPABILITIES AT SEA.
LAST SUMMER, THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE CELEBRATED
ITS TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY -- TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF PEACE
THROUGH STRENGTH ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT.
- 42 -
TO MARK THE OCCASION, AND TO REAFFIRM OUR COLLECTIVE RESOLVE,
WE JOINED WITH THE OTHER MEMBER NATIONS IN A DECLARATION
ON ATLANTIC RELATIONS.
I WILL BE MEETING PERSONALLY WITH
ALLIED LEADERS IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO SEEK FURTHER PROGRESS
TOWARD OUR COMMON GOAL -- A PEACEFUL AND SECURE FREE WORLD.
BUT NEITHER N-A-T-O NOR THE UNITED STATES CAN
GUARANTEE A PEACEFUL AND SECURE FREE WORLD IF WE ALLOW OUR
DEFENSES TO ERODE.
- 43 -
NOW WHAT ABOUT THE PRICE TAG -- WHAT IS IT COSTING
US TO MAINTAIN OUR MILITARY STRENGTH?
CRITICS OF A
STRONG DEFENSE SAY THAT THE DEFENSE BUDGET IS HIGHER THAN EVER.
BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT, IN TERMS OF WHAT EACH DOLLAR WILL BUY,
THE DEFENSE BUDGET IS NOW LOWER THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE 1964,
PRIOR TO OUR VIET NAM BUILDUP.
THE REASON FOR THIS IS
THAT INFLATION HAS TAKEN JUST AS HIGH A TOLL ON THE DEFENSE
DOLLAR'S PURCHASING POWER AS IT HAS THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY.
- 44 -
TAKE AWAY THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION AND REAL PAY
INCREASES WHICH ARE NECESSARY TO RECRUIT OUR NEW, ALL VOLUNTEER
FORCES, AND WHAT IS LEFT OF THE DEFENSE BUDGET HAS ACTUALLY
DECLINED IN PURCHASING POWER DURING THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
IN 1968, DEFENSE SPENDING REPRESENTED ABOUT
SIXTY PERCENT OF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING.
TODAY,
IT IS DOWN TO ABOUT TWENTY-SEVEN PERCENT.
- 45 -
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LET OUR DEFENSE STRENGTH
SLIDE DOWN WHILE OTHER NATIONS BUILD THEIR FORCES UP.
IT IS THE OBLIGATION OF EACH OF US TO KEEP AMERICA STRONG --
THE OBLIGATION OF THE CONGRESS, OF THIS ADMINISTRATION,
AND OF EACH AMERICAN CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS
COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE TO YOU THAT I WILL DO MY PART.
=
- 46 -
A GREAT HERO WHO LED OUR PEOPLE IN BOTH WAR AND
IN PEACE, DWIGHT EISENHOWER, ONCE SAID THAT "A TRUE POSTURE
OF DEFENSE IS COMPOSED OF THREE FACTORS -- SPIRITUAL,
MILITARY AND ECONOMIC."
WE HAVE THE ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH
IT TAKES TO KEEP AMERICA A FIRST-RATE POWER.
- 47 -
SPIRITUAL STRENGTH IS LESS TANGIBLE.
IT IS
HARD TO MEASURE IN AN EXACT WAY.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS:
I HAVE TRAVELED TO JUST ABOUT EVERY CORNER OF AMERICA
SINCE BECOMING PRESIDENT. AND, EVERYWHERE, I FOUND
THE SAME CONFIDENCE, THE SAME GOOD SPIRIT, AND THE SAME
WILLINGNESS TO PULL TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS AN EVEN BETTER
COUNTRY.
- 48 -
YES, WE HAVE OUR PROBLEMS, OUR DOUBTS AND OUR
QUESTIONS.
YET WE ALSO HAVE THE STRENGTH TO ASK TOUGH
QUESTIONS AND TO SEEK HONEST ANSWERS, PAINFUL THOUGH THEY
MAY BE.
AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE STILL HAVE THE CHARACTER
AND THE VISION THAT WAS TEMPERED IN THE FORGE OF THE REVOLUTION
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
- 49 -
FINALLY, THERE IS OUR ACTUAL MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT.
I HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE HARDWARE AND
SOME OF THE COSTS.
I WILL JUST ADD THAT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE
EVER HAD FINER, BETTER MOTIVATED MEN AND WOMEN SERVING UNDER
THE AMERICAN FLAG THAN WE DO TODAY -- AND I HAVE MET A LOT
OF THESE FINE YOUNG PEOPLE.
- - 50 -
THEY ARE OF THE STOCK WHICH GEORGE WASHINGTON
WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD TO COMMAND.
AND WE SHOULD BE PROUD
OF THEM.
GEORGE WASHINGTON FIRST MADE THE POINT THAT I HAVE
TRIED TO PUT ACROSS TODAY.
"TO BE PREPARED FOR WAR," HE
SAID, "IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF PRESERVING PEACE."
- 51 -
PEACE IS WHAT WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT --
THE BUILDING OF PEACE AND THE PRESERVING OF PEACE.
AND ONLY
A STRONG AMERICA CAN BUILD A STRONG AND DURABLE PEACE.
- 52 - -
AS CHILDREN OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, WE OWE
THIS BOTH TO THE PATRIOTS WHO CAME BEFORE US, AND TO THE
GENERATIONS WHO ONE DAY WILL INHERIT FROM US ALL THAT WE
HAVE ACHIEVED TOGETHER IN TWO CENTURIES OF STRUGGLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
END OF TEXT
CLEARANCE FORM FOR PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH MATERIAL
TO:-
THE PRESIDENT
VIA:
ROBERT HARTMANN
FROM:
PAUL A. THEIS
SUBJECT:
Presidential Address to the DAR
TIME, DATE AND PLACE OF PRESIDENTIAL USE:
11:30 a. m., Tuesday, April 15, 1975, Washington, D.C.
SPEECHWRITER: Bakshian
EDITED BY: Theis
BASIC RESEARCH/SPEECH MATERIAL SUPPLIED BY:
Scheduling, Department of Defense
CLEARED BY (Please initial):
(X) OPERATIONS (Rumsfeld)
(X) CONGRESSIONAL/PUBLIC LIAISON (Marsh) Jm
(X) PRESS (Nessen) L. Speakes
( ) LEGAL (Buchen)
( ) ECONOMIC POLICY BOARD (Seidman)
( ) OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (Lynn)
(X) DOMESTIC COUNCIL (Cannon) ok by phone
(X) NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (Scowcroft) BS
(X) RESEARCH (Waldron) LD
(x) JERRY WARREN (FYI)
( ) ENERGY RESOURCES COUNCIL (Zarb)
(X) Bill Baroody ok'd by phone
( )