Listen to this post
~1 min
partone
the-very
word
secrecy
is-repugnant
in-a-free
and-open-society-and-we
are-as-a-people
inherently
and-historically
opposed-to-secret
societies
to-secret
oaths
and-to-secret-proceedings
we-decided
long
ago
that-the-dangers
of-excessive
and-unwarranted
concealment
of-pertinent
facts
far-outweighed
the-dangers
which-are
cited
to-justify
it-even
today-there-is-little
value-in-opposing
the-threat
of-a-closed
society-by-imitating
its-arbitrary
restrictions
even-today-there-is-little
value-in-insuring
the-survival-of-our-nation
if-our-traditions
do
not-survive
with-it-and
there-is-very
grave
danger-that
an-announced
need-for-increased
security-will-be
seized
upon-by-those
anxious
to-expand
its-meaning
to-the-very
limits-of-official
censorship
and-concealment
that-i-do
not-intend
to-permit-to
the-extent
that-it-is
in-my-control
and-no-official-of-my
administration-whether-his-rank
is-high
or-low
civilian
or-military
should-interpret
my-words
here
tonight-as-an-excuse
to-censor
the-news
to-stifle
dissent
to-cover
up
our-mistakes
or-to-withhold
from-the-press
and-the-public
the-facts
they-deserve
to-know
but-i-do
ask
every-publisher
every-editor
and-every
newsman
in-the-nation
to-reexamine-his-own
standards
and-to-recognize
the-nature
of-our-countrys
peril
in-time-of-war
the-government
and-the-press
have-customarily
joined
in-an
effort
based
largely
on-selfdiscipline
to-prevent
unauthorized
disclosures
to-the-enemy
in-time-of-clear
and-present-danger-the-courts
have-held
that-even
the-privileged
rights
of-the-first
amendment-must-yield
to-the-publics
need-for-national
security-today
no-war-has-been-declared-and-however
fierce
the-struggle
may
be-it-may
never
be-declared
in-the-traditional
fashion
our-way
of-life
is-under
attack
those-who
make
themselves
our-enemy
are-advancing
around
the-globe
the-survival-of-our-friends
is-in-danger
and-yet
no-war-has-been-declared-no-borders
have-been-crossed
by-marching
troops
no-missiles
have-been-fired
if-the-press
is-awaiting
a-declaration
of-war-before
it-imposes
the-selfdiscipline
of-combat
conditions
then
i-can-only-say-that-no
war-ever
posed-a-greater
threat
to-our
security-if
you-are
awaiting
a-finding
of-clear
and-present-danger-then
i-can-only-say-that-the-danger
has-never-been-more-clear
and-its
presence
has-never-been-more-imminent
it-requires
a-change-in-outlook
a-change-in-tactics
a-change-in-missions
by-the-government
by-the-people
by-every
businessman
or-labor
leader
and-by-every
newspaper-for-we
are-opposed-around
the-world-by-a-monolithic
and-ruthless
conspiracy
that-relies
primarily
on-covert
means
for-expanding
its-sphere
of-influence
on-infiltration
instead-of-invasion
on-subversion
instead-of-elections
on-intimidation
instead-of-free-choice
on-guerrillas
by-night
instead-of-armies
by-day
it-is-a-system
which-has-conscripted
vast
human
and-material
resources
into
the-building
of-a-tightly
knit-highly
efficient
machine
that-combines
military
diplomatic
intelligence
economic
scientific
and-political
operations
its-preparations
are-concealed
not-published
its-mistakes
are-buried
not-headlined
its-dissenters
are-silenced
not-praised
no-expenditure
is-questioned
no-rumor
is-printed-no
secret-is-revealed
it-conducts
the-cold
war-in-short
with-a-wartime
discipline
no-democracy
would-ever
hope-or-wish
to-match
nevertheless
every-democracy
recognizes
the-necessary
restraints-of-national
security-and-the-question
remains
whether-those
restraints-need-to-be
more
strictly
observed
if-we
are-to-oppose
this-kind
of-attack
as-well-as-outright
invasion
for-the-facts
of-the-matter
are-that-this-nations
foes
have-openly
boasted
of-acquiring
through-our-newspapers
information-they-would
otherwise
hire
agents
to-acquire
through-theft
bribery
or-espionage
that-details
of-this-nations
covert-preparations
to-counter
the-enemys
covert-operations
have-been-available
to-every-newspaper-reader
friend
and-foe
alike
that-the-size
the-strength
the-location
and-the-nature-of-our-forces
and-weapons
and-our-plans
and-strategy
for-their
use
have-all-been
pinpointed
in-the-press
and-other
news-media
to-a-degree
sufficient
to-satisfy
any-foreign
power
and-that-in-at
least
in-one
case
the-publication
of-details
concerning
a-secret
mechanism
whereby
satellites
were-followed
required
its-alteration
at-the-expense
of-considerable
time
and-money
the-newspapers
which-printed-these
stories
were-loyal
patriotic
responsible
and-wellmeaning
had
we-been
engaged
in-open
warfare-they-undoubtedly
would-not-have-published
such
items
but-in
the-absence
of-open
warfare-they-recognized
only-the-tests
of-journalism
and-not
the-tests
of-national
security-and-my-question
tonight-is-whether
additional
tests-should
not-now
be-adopted
the-question-is-for-you-alone
to-answer
no-public
official-should-answer
it-for-you-no
governmental
plan
should-impose
its-restraints
against-your-will-but-i-would
be-failing
in-my-duty
to-the-nation
in-considering
all-of-the-responsibilities
that-we-now-bear
and-all-of-the-means
at-hand-to-meet
those-responsibilities
if-i-did
not-commend
this-problem
to-your-attention
and-urge
its-thoughtful
consideration
on-many
earlier
occasions
i-have-said-and-your
newspapers
have-constantly
said-that
these
are-times
that-appeal
to-every-citizens
sense
of-sacrifice
and-selfdiscipline
they-call
out-to-every
citizen-to-weigh
his-rights
and-comforts
against-his-obligations
to-the-common
good
i-cannot
now-believe
that-those
citizens
who
serve
in-the-newspaper
business-consider-themselves
exempt
from-that-appeal
i-have-no-intention
of-establishing
a-new
office
of-war-information-to-govern
the-flow
of-news
i-am-not-suggesting
any-new-forms
of-censorship
or-any
new-types
of-security
classifications
i-have-no-easy
answer-to-the-dilemma-that-i-have
posed-and-would
not-seek
to-impose
it-if
i-had
one
but-i-am-asking-the-members
of-the-newspaper
profession
and-the-industry
in-this
country
to-reexamine-their-own
responsibilities
to-consider
the-degree
and-the-nature-of-the-present
danger-and-to
heed
the-duty
of-selfrestraint
which-that
danger-imposes
upon-us-all-every
newspaper-now
asks
itself
with-respect
to-every-story
is-it-news
all-i
suggest
is-that
you-add
the-question-is-it-in
the-interest
of-the-national
security-and-i
hope-that-every-group
in-america
unions
and-businessmen
and-public
officials
at-every-level
will-ask
the-same
question
of-their
endeavors
and-subject
their-actions
to-the-same
exacting
tests-and-should
the-press
of-america
consider-and-recommend
the-voluntary
assumption
of-specific
new-steps
or-machinery
i-can-assure
you-that
we-will-cooperate
wholeheartedly
with-those-recommendations-perhaps
there-will-be
no-recommendations-perhaps
there-is-no
answer-to-the-dilemma-faced
by-a-free
and-open-society-in-a-cold
and-secret
war-in-times
of-peace-any-discussion
of-this-subject
and-any
action
that-results
are-both
painful
and-without
precedent
but-this
is-a-time
of-peace-and-peril
which-knows
no-precedent
in-history
parttwo
it-is-the-unprecedented
nature
of-this-challenge
that-also
gives
rise
to-your-second
obligation-an
obligation-which
i-share
and-that-is-our
obligation-to-inform
and-alert
the-american-people-to-make
certain
that-they-possess
all-the-facts
that-they-need
and-understand
them-as-well
the-perils
the-prospects
the-purposes
of-our-program-and-the-choices
that-we-face
no-president
should-fear
public-scrutiny
of-his-program-for-from
that-scrutiny
comes-understanding-and-from
that-understanding
comes-support
or-opposition
and-both
are-necessary
i-am-not-asking
your-newspapers
to-support
the-administration
but-i-am-asking
your-help-in-the-tremendous
task
of-informing
and-alerting
the-american-people-for-i
have-complete
confidence
in-the-response
and-dedication
of-our-citizens
whenever
they-are
fully
informed
i-not
only-could
not-stifle
controversy
among
your-readers
i-welcome
it-this
administration-intends
to-be
candid
about
its-errors
for-as
a-wise
man-once
said-an-error
does
not-become
a-mistake
until
you-refuse
to-correct
it-we
intend-to-accept
full
responsibility
for-our
errors
and-we
expect
you-to
point
them-out-when
we-miss
them-without
debate
without
criticism
no-administration
and-no-country
can-succeed
and-no-republic
can-survive
that-is-why
the-athenian
lawmaker
solon
decreed
it-a
crime
for-any
citizen-to-shrink
from-controversy
and-that-is-why
our-press
was-protected
by-the-first
amendment-
the-only
business-in-america
specifically
protected
by-the-constitution
not-primarily
to-amuse
and-entertain
not-to-emphasize
the-trivial
and-the-sentimental
not-to-simply
give
the-public
what-it-wants
but-to
inform
to-arouse
to-reflect
to-state
our-dangers
and-our-opportunities
to-indicate
our-crises
and-our-choices
to-lead
mold
educate
and-sometimes
even-anger
public-opinion
this-means
greater-coverage
and-analysis
of-international
news-for-it-is
no-longer
far-away
and-foreign
but-close
at-hand-and-local
it-means
greater-attention
to-improved
understanding-of-the-news
as-well-as-improved
transmission
and-it-means
finally
that-government
at-all-levels
must-meet
its-obligation-to-provide
you-with
the-fullest
possible
information-outside
the-narrowest
limits-of-national
security-and-we
intend-to-do
it-partthree
it-was
early
in-the-seventeenth
century
that-francis
bacon
remarked
on-three
recent
inventions
already
transforming
the-world-the-compass
gunpowder
and-the-printing
press-now
the-links
between
the-nations
first
forged
by-the-compass
have-made
us-all-citizens
of-the-world
the-hopes-and-threats-of-one
becoming
the-hopes-and-threats-of-us-all
in-that-one
worlds
efforts
to-live
together
the-evolution
of-gunpowder
to-its
ultimate
limit-has
warned
mankind
of-the-terrible
consequences
of-failure
and-so
it-is-to-the-printing
press-to-the-recorder
of-mans
deeds
the-keeper
of-his-conscience
the-courier
of-his-news-that
we-look
for-strength
and-assistance
confident
that-with
your-help-man-will-be
what-he
was-born
to-be-free
and-independent