Memorial Day Remarks at Arlington Cemetery

Mr. Chairman:

Fellow Legionnaires, fellow servicemen and servicewomen everywhere. This is a most solemn occasion. Just a few moments ago, it was my privilege to place a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I placed that wreath in the name of the people of the United States, and of the citizens of the United States everywhere.

All over the world today, meetings such as this are being held to commemorate the service which our men and women rendered for the freedom of the world; for the freedom of the individual; and for the right to live in peace as we choose to live. To think what we please. To worship as we please. And to control our own government as we please.

I wonder if it ever occurred to you that in Africa, in Europe, in Asia, in South America, in Central America—everywhere—there are graves of servicemen and women who died for liberty?

This country, as you know, is made-up of all races and all creeds. People from Poland, people from Yugoslavia. people from Germany, people from France, people from Great Britain, people from Africa make up our population. And we live peaceably side by side. That's our ambition for the whole world.

We want peace in the world. We want peace, founded on justice. That's the fundamental platform of our foreign policy. That means that the United States has always stood and always will stand for peace in the world.

We are here today to pay tribute to those who have given their lives that liberty may survive in the world. Let us continue to remember, that those men and women have not died in vain. We must see that peace in the world is implemented on the basis of the rights of the individual, of the rights of men and women everywhere--to freedom of worship, freedom from care, freedom from want. Let us not forget that this unknown soldier died for just those things.

I hope that these celebrations all over the world, in memory of those who gave their lives for liberty will emphasize the fact that the government of the United States works only for peace in the world. And in order to attain that peace, we must have the ability to enforce it.

May God give us that strength and that ability.