TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
Over a week ago I held several important conferences
at sea with the British Prime Minister. Because of the factor of safety
to British, Canadian and American ships and their personnel no prior
announcement of these meetings could properly be made.
At the close, a public statement by the Prime Minister
and the President was made. I quote it for the information of the Congress
and for the record:
[Text of August 14th announcement here.]
The Congress and the President having heretofore determined
through the Lend Lease Act on the national policy of American aid to
the democracies which East and West are waging war against dictatorships,
the military and naval conversations at these meetings made clear gains
in furthering the effectiveness of this aid.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister and I are arranging
for conferences with the Soviet Union to aid it in its defense against
the attack made by the principal aggressor of the modern world-- Germany.
Finally, the declaration of principles at this time
presents a goal which is worth while for our type of civilization to
seek. It is so clear cut that it is difficult to oppose in any major
particular without automatically admitting a willingness to accept compromise
with Nazism; or to agree to a world peace which would give to Nazism
domination over large numbers of conquered nations. Inevitably such
a peace would be a gift to Nazism to take breath--armed breath--for
a second war to extend the control over Europe and Asia to the American
Hemisphere itself.
It is perhaps unnecessary for me to call attention
once more to the utter lack of validity of the spoken or written word
of the Nazi government.
It is also unnecessary for me to point out that the
declaration of principles includes of necessity the world need for freedom
of religion and freedom of information. No society of the world organized
under the announced principles could survive without these freedoms
which are a part of the whole freedom for which we strive.