讲稿介绍典礼

JohnF.Delivered10JunePresidentAnderson,membersofthefaculty,boardoftrustees,distinguishedguests,myoldcolleague,SenatorBobByrd,whohasearnedhisdegreethroughmanyyearsofattendingnightlawschool,whileIamearningmineinthenext30minutes,distinguishedguests,ladiesandgentlemen:ItiswithgreatpridethatIparticipateinthisceremonyoftheAmericanUniversity,sponsoredbytheMethodistChurch,foundedbyBishopJohnFletcherHurst,andfirstopenedbyPresidentWoodrowWilsonin1914.Thisisayoungandgrowinguniversity,butithasalreadyfulfilledBishopHurst'senlightenedhopeforthestudyofhistoryandpublicaffairsinacitydevotedtothemakingofhistoryandtotheconductofthepublic'sbusiness.Bysponsoringthisinstitutionofhigherlearningforallwhowishtolearn,whatevertheircolorortheircreed,theMethodistsofthisareaandtheNationdeservetheNation'sthanks,andIcommendallthosewhoaretodaygraduating.ProfessorWoodrowWilsononcesaidthateverymansentoutfromauniversityshouldbeamanofhisnationaswellasamanofhistime,andIamconfidentthatthemenandwomenwhocarrythehonorofgraduatingfromthisinstitutionwillcontinuetogivefromtheirlives,fromtheirtalents,ahighmeasureofpublicserviceandpublicsupport."Therearefewearthlythingsmorebeautifulthanauniversity,"wroteJohnMasefieldinhistributetoEnglishuniversities--andhiswordsareequallytruetoday.Hedidnotrefertotowersortocampuses.Headmiredthesplendidbeautyofauniversity,becauseitwas,hesaid,"aplacewherethosewhohateignorancemaystrivetoknow,wherethosewhoperceivetruthmaystrivetomakeotherssee."Ihave,therefore,chosenthistimeandplacetodiscussatopiconwhichignorancetoooftenaboundsandthetruthtoorarelyperceived.Andthatisthemostimportanttopiconearth:peace.WhatkindofpeacedoImeanandwhatkindofapeacedoweseek?NotaPaxAmericanaenforcedontheworldbyAmericanweaponsofwar.Notthepeaceofthegraveorthesecurityoftheslave.Iamtalkingaboutgenuinepeace,thekindofpeacethatmakeslifeonearthworthliving,andthekindthatenablesmenandnationstogrow,andtohope,andbuildabetterlifefortheirchildren--notmerelypeaceforAmericansbutpeaceforallmenandwomen,notmerelypeaceinourtimebutpeaceinalltime.Ispeakofpeacebecauseofthenewfaceofwar.Totalwarmakesnosenseinanagewheregreatpowerscanmaintainlargeandrelativelyinvulnerablenuclearforcesandrefusetosurrenderwithoutresorttothoseforces.ItmakesnosenseinanagewhereasinglenuclearweaponcontainsalmosttentimestheexplosiveforcedeliveredbyallthealliedairforcesintheSecondWorldWar.Itmakesnosenseinanagewhenthedeadlypoisonsproducedbyanuclearexchangewouldbecarriedbywindandwaterandsoilandseedtothefarcornersoftheglobeandtogenerationsyetunborn.Todaytheexpenditureofbillionsofdollarseveryyearonweaponsacquiredforthepurposeofmakingsureweneverneedthemisessentialtothekeepingofpeace.Butsurelytheacquisitionofsuchidlestockpiles--whichcanonlydestroyandnevercreate--isnottheonly,muchlessthemostefficient,meansofassuringpeace.Ispeakofpeace,therefore,asthenecessary,rationalendofrationalmen.Irealizethepursuitfallondeafears.Butwehavenomoreurgenttask.Somesaythatitisuselesstospeakofpeaceorworldlaworworlddisarmament,andthatitwillbeuselessuntiltheleadersoftheSovietUnionadoptamoreenlightenedattitude.Ihopetheydo.Ibelievewecanhelpthemdoit.ButIalsobelievethatwemustreexamineourownattitudes,asindividualsandasaNation,forourattitudeisasessentialastheirs.Andeverygraduateofthisschool,everythoughtfulcitizenwhodespairsofwarandwishestobringpeace,shouldbeginbylookinginward,bytowardsthecourseofthecoldwarandtowardsfreedomandpeacehereatFirstexamineourattitudetowardspeaceitself.Toomanyofusthinkitisimpossible.Toomanythinkitisunreal.Butthatisadangerous,defeatistbelief.Itleadstotheconclusionthatwarisinevitable,thatmankindisdoomed,thatwearegrippedbyforceswecannotcontrol.Weneednotacceptthatview.Ourproblemsaremanmade;therefore,theycanbesolvedbyman.Andmancanbeasbigashewants.Noproblemofhumandestinyisbeyondhumanbeings.Man'sreasonandspirithaveoftensolvedtheseeminglyunsolvable,andwebelievetheycandoitagain.Iamnotreferringtotheabsolute,infiniteconceptofuniversalpeaceandgoodwillofwhichsomefantasiesandfanaticsdream.Idonotdenythevalueofhopesanddreamsbutwemerelyinvitediscouragementandincredulitybymakingthatouronlyandimmediategoal.Letusfocusinsteadonamorepractical,moreattainablepeace,basednotonasuddenrevolutioninhumannaturebutonagradualevolutioninhumaninstitutions--onaseriesofconcreteactionsandeffectiveagreementswhichareintheinterestofallconcerned.Thereisnosingle,simplekeytothispeace;nograndormagicformulatobeadoptedbyoneortwopowers.Genuinepeacemustbetheproductofmanynations,thesumofmanyacts.Itmustbedynamic,notstatic,changingtomeetthechallengeofeachnewgeneration.Forpeaceisaprocess--awayofsolvingproblems.Withsuchapeace,therewillstillbequarrelsandconflictinginterests,astherearewithinfamiliesandnations.Worldpeace,likecommunitypeace,doesnotrequirethateachmanlovehisneighbor,itrequiresonlythattheylivetogetherinmutualtolerance,submittingtheirdisputestoajustandpeacefulsettlement.Andhistoryteachesusthatenmitiesbetweennations,asbetweenindividuals,donotlastforever.Howeverfixedourlikesanddislikesmayseem,thetideoftimeandeventswilloftenbringsurprisingchangesintherelationsbetweennationsandneighbors.Soletuspersevere.Peaceneednotbeimpracticable,andwarneednotbeinevitable.Bydefiningourgoalmoreclearly,bymakingitseemmoremanageableandlessremote,wecanhelpallpeopletoseeit,todrawhopefromit,andtomoveirresistiblytowardsit.Andsecond,letusreexamineourattitudetowardstheSovietUnion.Itisdiscouragingtothinkthattheirleadersmayactuallybelievewhattheirpropagandistswrite.Itisdiscouragingtoreadarecent,authoritativeSoviettextonmilitarystrategyandfind,onpageafterpage,whollybaselessandincredibleclaims,suchastheallegationthatAmericanimperialistcirclesarepreparingtounleashdifferenttypesofwar,thatthereisaveryrealthreatofapreventivewarbeingunleashedbyAmericanimperialistsagainsttheSovietUnion,andthatthepoliticalaims--andIquote--"oftheAmericanimperialistsaretoenslaveeconomicallyandpoliticallytheEuropeanandothercapitalistcountriesandtoachieveworlddominationbymeansofaggressiveTruly,asitwaswrittenlongago:"Thewickedfleewhennomanus.Butitisalsoawarning,awarningtotheAmericanpeoplenottofallintothesametrapastheSoviets,nottoseeonlyadistortedanddesperateviewoftheotherside,nottoseeconflictasinevitable,accommodationasimpossible,andcommunicationasnothingmorethananexchangeofthreats.Nogovernmentorsocialsystemissoevilthatitspeoplemustbeconsideredaslackinginvirtue.AsAmericans,wefindcommunismprofoundlyrepugnantasanegationofpersonalfreedomanddignity.ButwecanstillhailtheRussianpeoplefortheirmanyachievementsinscienceandspace,ineconomicandindustrialgrowth,inculture,inactsofcourage.Amongthemanytraitsthepeoplesofourtwocountrieshaveincommon,noneisstrongerthanourmutualabhorrenceofwar.Almostuniqueamongthemajorworldpowers,wehaveneverbeenatwarwitheachother.AndnonationinthehistoryofbattleeversufferedmorethantheSovietUnionintheSecondWorldWar.Atleast20Athirdofthenation'sterritory,includingtwothirdsofitsindustrialbase,wasturnedintoawasteland--alossequivalenttothedestructionofthiscountryeastofChicago.Today,shouldtotalwareverbreakoutagain--nomatterhow--ourtwocountrieswillbetheprimarytarget.Itisanironicbutaccuratefactthatthetwostrongestpowersarethetwointhemostdangerofdevastation.Allwehavebuilt,allwehaveworkedfor,wouldbedestroyedinthefirst24hours.Andeveninthecoldwar,whichbringsburdensanddangerstosomanycountries,includingthisNation'sclosestallies,ourtwocountriesbeartheheaviestburdens.Forwearebothdevotingmassivesumsofmoneytoweaponsthatcouldbebetterdevotedtocombatignorance,poverty,anddisease.Wesuspicionontheother,andnewweaponsbegettingcounter-weapons.Inshort,boththeUnitedStatesanditsallies,andtheSovietUnionanditsallies,haveamutuallydeepinterestinajustandgenuinepeaceandinhaltingthearmsrace.AgreementstothisendareintheinterestsoftheSovietUnionaswellasours.Andeventhemosthostilenationscanbereliedupontoacceptandkeepthosetreatyobligations,andonlythosetreatyobligations,whichareintheirowninterest.Soletusnotbeblindtoourdifferences,butletusalsodirectattentiontoourcommoninterestsandthemeansbywhichthosedifferencescanberesolved.Andifwecannotendnowourdifferences,atleastwecanhelpmaketheworldsafefordiversity.Forinthefinalanalysis,ourmostbasiccommonlinkisthatweallinhabitthissmallplanet.Weallbreathethesameair.Weallcherishourchildren'sfutures.AndweareallThird,letusreexamineourattitudetowardsthecoldwar,rememberingwe'renotengagedinadebate,seekingtopileupdebatingpoints.Wearenotheredistributingblameorpointingthefingerofjudgment.Wemustdealwiththeworldasitis,andasitmighthavebeenhadthehistoryofthelast18yearsbeendifferent.Wemust,therefore,persevereinthesearchforpeaceinthehopethatconstructivechangeswithintheCommunistblocmightbringwithinreachsolutionswhichnowseembeyondus.WemustconductouraffairsinsuchawaythatitbecomesintheCommunists'interesttoagreeonagenuinepeace.Andaboveall,whiledefendingourownvitalinterests,nuclearpowersmustavertthoseconfrontationswhichbringanadversarytoachoiceofeitherahumiliatingretreatoranuclearwar.Toadoptthatkindofcourseinthenuclearagewouldbeevidenceonlyofthebankruptcyofourpolicy--orofacollectivedeath-wishfortheworld.Tosecuretheseends,America'sweaponsarenonprovocative,carefullycontrolled,designedtodeter,andcapableofselectiveuse.Ourmilitaryforcesarecommittedtopeaceanddisciplinedinself-restraint.Ourdiplomatsareinstructedtoavoidunnecessaryirritantsandpurelyrhetoricalhostility.Forwecanseekarelaxationoftensionswithoutrelaxingourguard.And,forourpart,wedonotneedtousethreatstoproveweareresolute.Wedonotneedtojamforeignbroadcastsoutoffearourfaithwillbeeroded.Weareunwillingtoimposeoursystemonanyunwillingpeople,butwearewillingandabletoengageinpeacefulcompetitionwithanypeopleonearth.Meanwhile,weseektostrengthentheUnitedNations,tohelpsolveitsfinancialproblems,tomakeitamoreeffectiveinstrumentforpeace,todevelopitintoagenuineworldsecuritysystem--asystemcapableofresolvingdisputesonthebasisoflaw,ofinsuringthesecurityofthelargeandthesmall,andofcreatingconditionsunderwhicharmscanfinallybeabolished.Atthesametimeweseektokeeppeaceinsidethenon-Communistworld,wheremanynations,allofthemourfriends,aredividedoverissueswhichweakenWesternunity,whichinviteCommunistintervention,orwhichthreatentoeruptintowar.OureffortsinWestNewGuinea,intheCongo,intheMiddleEast,andtheIndiansubcontinent,havebeenpersistentandpatientdespitecriticismfrombothsides.Wehavealsotriedtosetanexampleforothers,byseekingtoadjustsmallbutsignificantdifferenceswithourownclosestneighborsinMexicoandCanada.Speakingofothernations,Iwishtomakeonepointclear.Weareboundtomanynationsbyalliances.Thosealliancesexistbecauseourconcernandtheirssubstantiallyoverlap.OurcommitmenttodefendWesternEuropeandWestBerlin,forexample,standsundiminishedbecauseoftheidentityofourvitalinterests.TheUnitedStateswillmakenodealwiththeSovietUnionattheexpenseofothernationsandotherpeoples,notmerelybecausetheyareourpartners,butalsobecausetheirinterestsandoursconverge.Ourinterestsconverge,however,notonlyindefendingthefrontiersoffreedom,butinpursuingthepathsofpeace.Itisourhope,andthepurposeofalliedpolicy,toconvincetheSovietUnionthatshe,too,shouldleteachnationchooseitsownfuture,solongasthatchoicedoesnotinterferewiththechoicesofothers.TheCommunistdrivetoimposetheirpoliticalandeconomicsystemonothersisthecauseofworldtensiontoday.Fortherecanbenodoubtthatifallnationscouldrefrainfrominterferingintheself-determinationofothers,thepeacewouldbemuchmoreThiswillrequireanewefforttoachieveworldlaw,anewcontextforworlddiscussions.ItwillrequireincreasedunderstandingbetweentheSovietsandourselves.Andincreasedunderstandingwillrequireincreasedcontactandcommunication.OnestepinthisdirectionistheproposedarrangementforadirectlinebetweenMoscowandWashington,toavoidoneachsidethedangerousdelays,misunderstandings,andmisreadingsofothers'actionswhichmightoccuratatimeofcrisis.WehavealsobeentalkinginGenevaaboutourfirst-stepmeasuresofarm[s]controlsdesignedtolimittheintensityofthearmsraceandreducetheriskofaccidentalwar.OurprimarylongrangeinterestinGeneva,however,isgeneralandcompletedisarmament,designedtotakeplacebystages,permittingparallelpoliticaldevelopmentstobuildthenewinstitutionsofpeacewhichwouldtaketheplaceofarms.ThepursuitofdisarmamenthasbeenaneffortofthisGovernmentsincethe1920's.Ithasbeenurgentlysoughtbythepastthreeadministrations.Andhoweverdimtheprospectsaretoday,weintendtocontinuethiseffort--tocontinueitinorderthatallcountries,includingourown,canbettergraspwhattheproblemsandpossibilitiesofdisarmamentare.Theonlymajorareaofthesenegotiationswheretheendisinsight,yetwhereafreshstartisbadlyneeded,isinatreatytooutlawnucleartests.Theconclusionofsuchatreaty,sonearandyetsofar,wouldcheckthespiralingarmsraceinoneofitsmostdangerousareas.Itwouldplacethenuclearpowersinapositiontodealmoreeffectivelywithoneofthegreatesthazardswhichmanfacesin1963,thefurtherspreadofnucleararms.Itwouldincreaseoursecurity;itwoulddecreasetheprospectsofwar.Surelythisgoalissufficientlyimportanttorequireoursteadypursuit,yieldingneithertothetemptationtogiveupthewholeeffortnorthetemptationtogiveupourinsistenceonvitalandresponsiblesafeguards.I'mtakingthisopportunity,therefore,toannouncetwoimportantdecisionsinthisregard.First,ChairmanKhrushchev,PrimeMinisterMacmillan,andIhaveagreedthathigh-leveldiscussionswillshortlybegininMoscowlookingtowardsearlyagreementonacomprehensivetestbantreaty.Ourhopemustbetempered--Ourhopesmustbetemperedwiththecautionofhistory;butwithourhopesgothehopesofallmankind.Second,tomakeclearourgoodfaithandsolemnconvictionsonthismatter,InowdeclarethattheUnitedStatesdoesnotproposetoconductnucleartestsintheatmospheresolongasotherstatesdonotdoso.Wewillnot--Wewillnotbethefirsttoresume.Suchadeclarationisnosubstituteforaformalbindingtreaty,butIhopeitwillhelpusachieveone.Norwouldsuchatreatybeasubstitutefordisarmament,butIhopeitwillhelpusachieveit.Finally,myfellowAmericans,letusexamineourattitudetowardspeaceandfreedomhereathome.Thequalityandspiritofourownsocietymustjustifyandsupportoureffortsabroad.Wemustshowitinthededicationofourownlives--asmanyofyouwhoaregraduatingtodaywillhaveanopportunitytodo,byservingwithoutpayinthePeaceCorpsabroadorintheproposedNationalServiceCorpshereathome.Butwhereverweare,wemustall,inourdailylives,liveuptotheage-oldfaiththatpeaceandfreedomwalktogether.Intoomanyofourcitiestoday,thepeaceisnotsecurebecausefreedomisincomplete.Itistheresponsibilityoftheexecutivebranchatalllevelsofgovernment--local,State,andNational--toprovideandprotectthatfreedomforallofourcitizensbyallmeanswithinourauthority.Itistheresponsibilityofthelegislativebranchatalllevels,wherevertheauthorityisnotnowadequate,tomakeitadequate.Anditistheresponsibilityofallcitizensinallsectionsofthiscountrytorespecttherightsofothersandrespectthelawoftheland.Allthis--Allthisisnotunrelatedtoworldpeace."Whenaman'sway[s]pleasetheLo