1961 - Speech, President Kennedy: Special Message To Congress, TRACK ONLY R2 of 2 Pt. 3 OF 4
Continued... It is a most important decision that we make as a nation. But all of you have lived thru the last four years & have seen the significance of space and the adventures in space, and no one can predict with certainty what the ultimate meaning will be of mastery of space.
19:51:49 I believe we should go to the moon. But I think every citizen of this country as well as the Members of the Congress should consider the matter carefully in making their judgment, to which we have given attention over many weeks and months, because it is a heavy burden, & there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the United States take an affirmative position in outer space, unless we are prepared to do the work & bear the burdens to make it successful. If we are not, we should decide today and this year.(applause)
19:52:30 This decision demands a major national commitment of scientific & technical manpower, materiel & facilities, & the possibility of their diversion from other important activities where they are already thinly spread. It means a degree of dedication, organization & discipline which have not always characterized our research & development efforts. It means we cannot afford undue work stoppages, inflated costs of material or talent, wasteful interagency rivalries, or a high turnover of key personnel.
19:53:07 New objectives & new money cannot solve these problems. They could in fact, aggravate them further--unless every scientist, every engineer, every serviceman, every technician, contractor, & civil servant gives his personal pledge that this nation will move forward, w/ the full speed of freedom, in the exciting adventure of space.
19:53:32 In conclusion, let me emphasize one point. It is not a pleasure for any President of the United States, as I am sure it was not a pleasure for my predecessors, to come before the Congress & ask for new appropriations which place burdens on our people. I came to this conclusion w/ some reluctance. But in my judgment, this is a most serious time in the life of our country & in the life of freedom around the globe, & it is the obligation, I believe, of the President of the United States to at least make his recommendations to the Members of the Congress, so that they can reach their own conclusions w/ that judgment before them. You must decide yourselves, as I have decided, & I am confident that whether you finally decide in the way that I have decided or not, that your judgment--as my judgment--is reached on what is in the best interests of our country. (applause)
19:54:38 In conclusion, let me emphasize one point: that we are determined, as a nation in 1961 that freedom shall survive & succeed--and whatever the peril & set-backs, we have some very large advantages.
19:54:52 The first is the simple fact that we are on the side of liberty--& since the beginning of history, & particularly since the end of the Second World War, liberty has been winning out all over the globe. (applause)
19:55:10 A second great asset is that we are not alone. We have friends & allies all over the world who share our devotion to freedom. May I cite as a symbol of traditional & effective friendship the great ally I am about to visit--France. I look forward to my visit to France, & to my discussion w/ a great Captain of the Western World, President de Gaulle, as a meeting of particular significance, permitting the kind of close & ranging consultation that will strengthen both our countries & serve the common purposes of world-wide peace & liberty. (applause) Such serious conversations do not require a pale unanimity--they are rather the instruments of trust & understanding over a long road. Continued...
25May61; Presidential Speeches; Cold War;
NOTE: Any continuous ten minutes of 19:42:15 - 20:00:35 sold at per reel rate.
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1961 - Speech, President Kennedy: Special Message To Congress, TRACK ONLY R2 of 2 Pt. 3 OF 4 Continued... It is a most important decision that we make as a nation. But all of you have lived thru the last four years & have seen the significance of space and the adventures in space, and no one can predict with certainty what the ultimate meaning will be of mastery of space. 19:51:49 I believe we should go to the moon. But I think every citizen of this country as well as the Members of the Congress should consider the matter carefully in making their judgment, to which we have given attention over many weeks and months, because it is a heavy burden, & there is no sense in agreeing or desiring that the United States take an affirmative position in outer space, unless we are prepared to do the work & bear the burdens to make it successful. If we are not, we should decide today and this year.(applause) 19:52:30 This decision demands a major national commitment of scientific & technical manpower, materiel & facilities, & the possibility of their diversion from other important activities where they are already thinly spread. It means a degree of dedication, organization & discipline which have not always characterized our research & development efforts. It means we cannot afford undue work stoppages, inflated costs of material or talent, wasteful interagency rivalries, or a high turnover of key personnel. 19:53:07 New objectives & new money cannot solve these problems. They could in fact, aggravate them further--unless every scientist, every engineer, every serviceman, every technician, contractor, & civil servant gives his personal pledge that this nation will move forward, w/ the full speed of freedom, in the exciting adventure of space. 19:53:32 In conclusion, let me emphasize one point. It is not a pleasure for any President of the United States, as I am sure it was not a pleasure for my predecessors, to come before the Congress & ask for new appropriations which place burdens on our people. I came to this conclusion w/ some reluctance. But in my judgment, this is a most serious time in the life of our country & in the life of freedom around the globe, & it is the obligation, I believe, of the President of the United States to at least make his recommendations to the Members of the Congress, so that they can reach their own conclusions w/ that judgment before them. You must decide yourselves, as I have decided, & I am confident that whether you finally decide in the way that I have decided or not, that your judgment--as my judgment--is reached on what is in the best interests of our country. (applause) 19:54:38 In conclusion, let me emphasize one point: that we are determined, as a nation in 1961 that freedom shall survive & succeed--and whatever the peril & set-backs, we have some very large advantages. 19:54:52 The first is the simple fact that we are on the side of liberty--& since the beginning of history, & particularly since the end of the Second World War, liberty has been winning out all over the globe. (applause) 19:55:10 A second great asset is that we are not alone. We have friends & allies all over the world who share our devotion to freedom. May I cite as a symbol of traditional & effective friendship the great ally I am about to visit--France. I look forward to my visit to France, & to my discussion w/ a great Captain of the Western World, President de Gaulle, as a meeting of particular significance, permitting the kind of close & ranging consultation that will strengthen both our countries & serve the common purposes of world-wide peace & liberty. (applause) Such serious conversations do not require a pale unanimity--they are rather the instruments of trust & understanding over a long road. Continued... 25May61; Presidential Speeches; Cold War; NOTE: Any continuous ten minutes of 19:42:15 - 20:00:35 sold at per reel rate.