White House Press Release, Statement by President Harry S. Truman

2214 HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE November 10, 1949 CONFIDENTIAL: The following speech of the President, to be delivered at a luncheon of The National Conference of Christians and Jews at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C., tomorrow, Friday, November 11, 1949, MUST BE HELD FOR RELEASE. Release is automatic at 2:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, November 11. The same release applies to all newspapers and radio news MAN broadcasters. "RATIONAL ARCHIVES AND NOTE: PLEASE GUARD AGAINST PREMATURE RELEASE: RECORDS SERVICE" GOVERNMENT CHARLES G. ROSS Secretary to the President I congratulate the National Conference of Christians and, Jews on another year of widespread and effective work in the cause of human brotherhood at home and abroad. I assure you of my support and enthusiasm for your program for the coming year, and in particular, for your Brother- hood Week, which is to be held next February. I know of no organization that renders greater service to the basic principles on which this country is founded than the National Con- ference of Christians and Jews. This country is founded upon an ideal - the ideal of the equality of men before God and under the law. On the basis of this ideal, we have created a Nation composed of people from many lands with many faiths and many beliefs. Here in this country men of different traditions and different faiths have worked together for the common good. I have just come from the National Cemetery at Arlington, where I laid a wreath on the grave of an American hero. No American knows, and no real American cares, whether that man was a Catholic, a Jew or a Protestant, or what his origin and color were. That grave - the grave of the Unknown Soldier - symbolizes our faith and our unity. We have achieved our unity in this country, not by eliminating our differences in religion and tradition, not by iding or suppressing our political and economic conflicts, but by holding to a concept which rises above them all, the concept of the brotherhood of man. The first step of every enemy of this country has always been to attempt to separate the different strands of faith and belief out of which this Nation has been woven. Our enemies have tried to set group against group, faith against faith - to create prejudice and to spread hate and distrust among our people. The great service of the National Conference of Christians and Jews is to fight against the forces of intolerance, to bring light to the dark by-ways of prejudice, and to spread the spirit of tolerance and brother- hood which unites our country. This is a great patriotic service, and the country is indebted to the men and women in this organization who have given so much of their effort and substance in performing it. In looking over your record of performance for the last year, I have been impressed by your comprehensive day-to-day program of educa- tion. Your efforts to promote understanding and eliminate prejudice have extended to almost every kind of organization in our society. You have reached not only schools and colleges, not only churches and synagogues, but factories and shops, the press, the radio and the movies, and organ- izations of veterans, women and young people. You will, I am sure, go on to reach more of these groups and bring your message to every agency that helps shape those attitudes of mind which are important to good citizenship. Presérvation Copy (OVER)