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— tis : ‘ : & ’ FROM: CHANCERY OFFICE ‘ =~ BLY, ARCHDIOCESE 477 Madison Aye. Plaza 3-7353 3/22/42 Following is text of remarks of Most Rev. Francis 3. Speliman, Archbishop of Ser York, on tha nation-wide radio program of the Fourth Degres, Eoights of Coluchus, over Station WEAT, Sundey, March 22, at 16:50 P.M,, and is RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE WORKING. FAFERS OF MONDAY, MARCH 23, Privileged to speak before the American Legion Convention assembled in Boston on September 22, 1940, I closed my address with thease worda: "If through indifference or negligence, if through penetration or permaation from without or corruption or disintegration from within, it shall come to pass that somes day, some conquerer af democracy shall etand at the tomb of George Weshington in Mount Vernon and with mock reverence and double meaning cyniciam salute our country's father vith theas words: ‘Washington, we are here to finish your work,’ God grant that I, for one, shall not be alive to know iti* . Qn that occasion, eighteen months ago today, comparatively fex Americana be- lieved that Amcrica rould te obliged to fight for her God-given rights. Tosight, horever, there is no real American, soldier, sailor, or marine, man, women or child who doas not know that he must fight and, if necessary, die for the preservation of the God-given principles rhich herve hed their noblest practice] exemplification in history, in the government of the United States of America. Long before the birth of sur Republic, even fron the very darn of Christianity, tho Church proclainsd before the powers of pagenisn and the tyrennical absolutisn or sonarche, that ell sen are equal ja their natural dignity, their destiny and in the right to recognition by all their fellow bunan beings. When we compare cur philosophy of governuent with the ted political oreed and the worms pohitical practices of those porers that boest that they will conquer us, i¢ becomes indeed erystel clear that we are fighting for God-given righte. Sore . 14-/- 20733267