The Soviet Union has informed us that over recent years, it has devoted extensive resources to atomic weapons. During this period the Soviet Union has exploded a series of atomic devices including at least one involv ing thermo-nuclear reactions. If at one time the Unites states possessed what might have been ca lled a monopoly of atomic power, that monopoly ceased to exist several years ago Therefore, althoug h our earlier start has permitted us to accumulate what is today a great quantitative advantage, the atomic realities of today comprehend two facts of even greater signif icance First, the know ledge now possessed by several na tions will eventually be shared by others, possibly all others Second even a vast superiority in numbers of weapons, and a consequent capability of devastating retaliation, is no preventive, of itself, against the fearf ul material damage and toll of human lives that would be inf licted by surprise aggression. The free world at least dimly aware of these facts has naturally embarked on a large program of warning and defense systems. That program will be accelerated and expanded. but let no one think that the expenditure of vast sums for weapons and systems of def ense can guarantee absolute safety for the cities and citizens of any nation. The awful arithme tic of the atomic bomb does not permit of any such easy solution. Even against the most powerful defense an aggressor in possession of the effective minim um number of atomic bombs for a surprise attack could probably place a sufficient num ber of his bombs on the chosen targets to cause hideous damage Should such an atom ic attack be launched against the United states our reactions would be swift and resolute. But for me to say that the defense capabilities of the United States are such that they could inf lict terrib le losses upon an aggressor, for me to say that the retaliation capabilities of the Unites states are so great that such an aggressors land would be la id waste, all this while fact, is not the true expression of the purpose and the hope of the United States To pause there would be to conf irm the hopeless finality of a belief that two atomic colossi are doomed ma levolently to eye each other indef in ite ly across a tremb ling orld. To stop there would be to accept he lp lessly the proba bility of civilization destroyed the annihi lation of the irreplaceable her itage of mankind handed down to use generation from generation, and the condem nation of mankind to begin all over again the age-old struggle upward from savagery toward decency, and right, and justice. Surely no sane member of the human race could discover victory in such desolation Could anyo ne wish his name to be coupled by history with such human degradation and destruction? Occasional pages of history do record the faces of the"great destroyers, but the whole book of history reveals mankind's never-ending quest forThe Soviet Union has informed us that, over recent years, it has devoted extensive resources to atomic weapons. During this period the Soviet Union has exploded a series of atomic devices, including at least one involving thermo-nuclear reactions. If at one time the Unites States possessed what might have been called a monopoly of atomic power, that monopoly ceased to exist several years ago. Therefore, although our earlier start has permitted us to accumulate what is today a great quantitative advantage, the atomic realities of today comprehend two facts of even greater significance. First, the knowledge now possessed by several nations will eventually be shared by others, possibly all others. Second, even a vast superiority in numbers of weapons, and a consequent capability of devastating retaliation, is no preventive, of itself, against the fearful material damage and toll of human lives that would be inflicted by surprise aggression. The free world, at least dimly aware of these facts, has naturally embarked on a large program of warning and defense systems. That program will be accelerated and expanded. But let no one think that the expenditure of vast sums for weapons and systems of defense can guarantee absolute safety for the cities and citizens of any nation. The awful arithmetic of the atomic bomb does not permit of any such easy solution. Even against the most powerful defense, an aggressor in possession of the effective minimum number of atomic bombs for a surprise attack could probably place a sufficient number of his bombs on the chosen targets to cause hideous damage. Should such an atomic attack be launched against the United States, our reactions would be swif t and resolute. But for me to say that the defense capabilities of the United States are such that they could inflict terrible losses upon an aggressor, for me to say that the retaliation capabilities of the Unites States are so great that such an aggressor’s land would be laid waste, all this, while fact, is not the true expression of the purpose and the hope of the United States. To pause there would be to confirm the hopeless finality of a belief that two atomic colossi are doomed malevolently to eye each other indefinitely across a trembling world. To stop there would be to accept helplessly the probability of civilization destroyed, the annihilation of the irreplaceable heritage of mankind handed down to use generation f rom generation, and the condemnation of mankind to begin all over again the age-old struggle upward f rom savagery toward decency, and right, and justice. Surely no sane member of the human race could discover victory in such desolation. Could anyone wish his name to be coupled by history with such human degradation and destruction? Occasional pages of history do record the faces of the “great destroyers,” but the whole book of history reveals mankind’s never -ending quest for