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It is a very great* ure for me to come to Clearwater in
ibeautiful Pinellas County and to be thepest of your distinguished
'and able Democratic leaders. In particular have I enjoyed the
hospitality of one of your favorite sons, John Rowe: and his lovely wife.
In selecting him as your Democratic nominee for the State Legislature
you selected an able ambassafor--one that, in or out of office, will
'reflect credit on his county, his friends and his party.
It has also been a great pleasure to have the opportunity which this
invitation has afforded to meet 81d know so many of the followers of
Jefferson and Jackson in Peerless Pinellas. It is easy to see why the
Democratic Party has been entrusted with the affairs of this County for
so many years, and why under their leadership you have gone so far so
fast.
One of the real pleasures which my service in the Legislature of
Florida has afforded me has been my close association with the Democratic
delegations which have consistently brought you such honor and represented
you so well. I count your distinguished Senator, the Honorable JamEs Mcdlure
and the Honorable Archie Clements among my close friends. I know?
Democrats all over Florida Join me in hoping that you will again send to
the Legislature a delegation that will be more interested infserving
Pinellas and Florida than in doing battle with windmills.
I spoke a moment ago of the party of Jefferson and Jackson, and I
do so again with a great deal of pride. We Democrats are the heirs of
a Party with unquestionable ancestry; heirs of a Party born out of sharp
conflict and a glorious concept of freedom and equality.
There are many in this country today who take our heritage very much
for granted, and they are not all found within the confines of either the
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Democratic or the Reujtlcan party. I take a great deal of vicarious
satisfaction from the fact that while the politicians bf other regions
of both parties are spending their energies in name-calling, each
trying to outaccuse the other, the great Democratic leaders from the
South, Byrnes of South Carolina, Byrd of Virginia, George of Georgia,
and Holland and Smathers of Florida, are working steadily at the task
of leading our nation through its period of trial under the great
world-responsibilities that have been thrust upon it. 1
It seems peculiarly fitting to me that the real_Democratic
Party, to which we claim allegiance, holds the balance of power inthe
great political struggles that are going on. Now, if ever, we should
stick to our guns-~now, if ever, we should be clear in our thinking, 5
strong in our convictions, and vigorous in our patriotism.
I say that we should be clear in our thinking because the issues
are so vital, the way is so narrow, and the paths that lead to
destruction so inviting. By one of those odd coincidences which occur
so often in the affairs of wanking, the mid-point of this century is
also an historical cross roads where decisions must be made by us which
will give direction to the lives of many generations yet unborn. God
grant that we Democrats may realize the great responsibility which
is ours and make our decisions both calmly and ecurageously.
In that spirit may 1 ask that we pause to reconsider some of the
conclusions which we have reached under the pressures of these trying
times. In particular, Mayl ask if we have made a mistake in accepting
without question or reservation the statement that "we look forward
for a world founded upon four essential human freedoms"? It is true
that we seek a world in which there is freedom from fear? is that a
desirable goal? Do you want to remove from our emotions the capacity
A. f or a Mother .-
v"s Lt".
I 'V-A q'..'_-.
_ m tenant to _, ~ is not freedom
" tee esoa-grven emotion 1-. has the :2:- 1:0.th a man to
xrv; efforts for the pratction'of that. ch- he treasures-a-
,not from fear is our proper goal, but c%l
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f" Courage to do that which must be done, regardless of .uiperil,
.and sense enoth to be scared if peril there be.
, 'Ko'rea, if fight there must be, but humanity enough to tea: for hose
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"00 who bl ~ e re. Cour e to stand u and ttle' for
_ W 919"; the K as p ,.
the freedoms rehavegnherited, and sense enough to'ue afraid at the
possibility to? loss. e .
h -
I
Is it true, as has been said, that we seek a {origin such
there is freegom gram want? Is that a desirable malt we want
to face each day satisfied with out lot, willing to let things be
tomorrow as they were yesterday? In all humility I magenta you
that what we should seek is not freedom from want, but WW
to satisfy our wants.
oer own national history has demonstrated that to be our proper
goal. Hth was President, and Alexander Hamilton was
Seoretary of the Treasury, the latter had difficulty in raising:
$300,000 for the New Nation in the world mart of Amsterdam. But
Jefferson and Franklin were both Ambassadors to Paris; Hamilton, Madison,
e
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.alert for its safety?
Coumge to am: in
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and John Jay had prod in "The Federalist" what an Englishman
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described as "the greatest state papers in political philOSOphy since
Aristotle's politics.'" and though pigs ran through the streets of
Manhattan, the whole,world sensed that on the eastern seaboard of a
roaring wilderness, where nothing was secure but opportunity, something
i great was moving and stirring.
Of all those forces which have contributed to the upward march of
civilization, excepting only the concept of the brotherhood of man
born at Bethlehem, unsatisfied wants has been the greatest. From the
desire for the wealth of the Indies which drove Columbus across
uncharted waters over the rim of the world to the desire for a higher
and fuller life which rolls you and me out of bed each morning, it
s has been not freedom from want. but the opportunity to satisfy our
. wants which has been the lodestar of our destiny.
i
' Is it true, as has been said, that the ultimate for us to desire
is freedom of speech? Such a freedom is not an achievement of this
generation, but at most a cornerstone for future generations to build
upon. In my community, and in yours, there are thousands of peOple
who possess in the ultimate degree the freedom of speech, but who do
not speak. They feel very strongly about political races, polipies of
government, international agreements, governmental regulations. But
to what purpose. Do they speak out when it counts. What good is
freedom of speech if it is possessed by people without the cOurage of
unselfishness to use it. How many times have you heard merchants, or
lawyers, or doctors, or teachers, tell you that they favored this or
that candidate, but hesitate to take a stand for them because of the
possible damage to their business or profession? A banker friend of
mine freQuently says "our customers are divided on this thing, and
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I
dot feel we Ought take a stand." That may be good business
I the dhort run,but it is bed business for Our country, it is poor
Ic1t12enahip,;1t is poor.benocracy. '
f Finally, is it enough to have freedom of worship?
' This is the stuff I conceive Democracy to be made of. The bravery
of a Jefferaon, who mastered fear and stood with Patrick Henry; the
opportuniam of a Franklin, whose Almanac was written for a people who
knew hardship and want, and set about mastering them; the ocurage to
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Speak of a Jackson, who stood firm for the little man against the
political powers of the industrialized East; the devoutneas of humble
people everywhere who take their problems to God and walk in the
Jpaths he lights.
l '
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PAGE 1
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PAGE 2
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PAGE 3
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