Franklin D. Roosevelt- "The Great Communicator"

The Master Speech Files, 1898, 1910-1945

Series 2: " You have nothing to fear hut fear itself:" FOR and the New Deal

File No. 1204

1939 February 18

Radio Address to Pan American Hernando De Soto Exposition

SUSfleU" d.re n t or tb.e l'reltd.eat 1o conotdeMtlon tn the pr.,po.rat.ion or bla ndlo t:reet lQS t o t.h"t Pea Mlrl m a Hern,11do 0. Soto .ix.,oeitton fit Tlllpe , \0 be delhere~ Saturde:y ., tternoon, PebN'II')' 18, 19)9 { tt=!Mdlet•lJ thr the Sea Yf"UUeiaeo epeec:tr.l l'tll:t broacleaat '"'er tl11 Oult Reortoa 011ly.

Prttetdent Broreta, Co.tealoner D,e end ~ trlenda ot tlut i"aa -.erlc.,a KlrDADCo 0. ~to Ex oehton:

I llk"t the very lib• or tbt a t.,:poeHlon . I .111 !'"led. you

Uor•• 400 :yHre .,o, wttb. Ul!> Pvt I.A.•ri(I!U) lo!M. There..,., t:Otb t ac

nt~rl'OII' or r lltrlote4 ln the Jlflrep.eeU" or De --oto or ot bla rello;/

tOWJICil!la , Bcll boe, dhcut"erer ot th~ Pneltle Oeerrn . They ond thei r

-· JII!III"''f a J;ew World1~/.he d.OCIIItn• 'ht>J' cb'-4 tor U:1lr f<1vere101

TJ.,, ... , ... r _;,it-;;;-•er e h~roto Ill 1510arurhte e r1;ent. U::.lt d 11lls b; 4:!> h ioiiJ I lab o#

•• <me or the Nra t Pt:a AMrtcua.

en.:! J;Ore to d.OJJ1D•te \he tboQShu and lll!llrt~tlone e.nd Ul e l'lctloJ.e ot

)f!'- "'1'1'/ ... ,.. ~lf"ly ot ltre. 111111. ....,,. ot Hr. 1• tnn1 nrt.1"' In all \he

To aboo~ our talt.h In d•oer·•ey , wa h~ve •ode tbe poUey of ~be

ed&on11.10n no\.:o c.ove OUl" nelr;bbor' a lacdeerkllll ~J•t•T ~' H ' ~·/. ' /1'1 ~ I , ••• ;( l,t,.v .

•• deelre by ~tYer-t lesttlz..ol\e r=.ean• to ~f'OIIOt• rrMdo. In

' '

rresident Bror81n, COQ!Ii ssioner Dye Uld my fr i ends

of the Pan Junerica.n Her rw.ndo De boto E.xpos1t1on:

,:r.J:. I like the very nwae of this .exposition . I aa glad_.. you

deci"'ed to J.ink tho name ol' the intrepid explorer, who re .. ched

these shores 400 years ago, wi t h the Pan American idet~ . There

wtr.s nothing nL-rroro or restricted in the 1l.?r-'~l'~ctlv• or De Soto

or of his fell ow townsJ&an, Bhlbo~t, i'o~overer or thet Pli.cific Oce&n.

~ey ltlRd thei:- cont~:aporaries drev their !::leas from a v!Jion

of a Ne,. World. The dO!lllinS they claimed for their Soverei61)

were heroi c in geographic extent . Their 11118.ginv.tLon v.~.o.s

~ f1 tt,d to thd daYR ut t.. new era. • .,so today .,;e cotam&mora te

~!Jer.w:Wo)!>e soto as ont: or t.'le ftrst Pan Aaeric&ns.

The !lpirit of Pan "mcricMism happily is co!Dine more and

aore to dominate the tho1.1.<'hts ~nu 1>Spirat1ons r.nd thw actions

of all or the diver:~e peoples and cul.t'..lrodl which c0111prise the

three Americ&a . It i s the certain und unfAiling safeguard of

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our 1n&l1en.ublc right to lih, liberty und the pursuit of

happ1nt't3S · Althou~h tht~ ~eoples of the t~e" f.orlct ttre of

many or1~1ns, t.~ey ar e un1teC1 in tt COIOIII.OII aspiration to

defend and maintain the aelf-aover:1lng way of life . Th&.t

way or life 1s instinctive l.n all the peoples of t.~e

r.'estern lle!l.isp!lere.

To show our r .. tth in de ... ocrocy, -ae hto-ve mo.de the

policy or tne good nel~hbor toe corner st,-.ue or our rorci;:p.

r el .. tlons. No ot:ter policy ,.oulu be cons1stf2!nt l't!t.Jo:l. uur

1Jens <~nd our ideals. In the fuH1llaent or t.'l1S p011cy

we ~~heed the c.nc.Lent ~crlptur&l a.dlll0l\1t1on not

to oO'Ie our neighbor' s l!Ulci.rst.rks, not to enl!roacil on his

11et es •na bounJs .

We desire by every let:1t1J&~:t te 111eans to promot e t'reedoro.

1n tr~sde ~o.nd travel and in th ) exchange of cultur!il !della umonc

nati ons. li!e see~~: no territol'"ial expo.nsion, we <>.re not -ovetous

ot our ne1&-'l.bor1 s goods ; we shall coop.,.rate 1n every proposal

honestly put forwur<1 to llait nrau.ments; we abhor the appeal

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to physical force except to repul:le u.ggr ession; ~ut "'e say

to Rll the wor ld that in the .. esterll Hemispher e -- in the

three hmericas -- the institutions of delliOcracy -- ~overnment

with the consent of t.:ne soverned -- must una shall be

.a1nttt1ned.

~;... ).:1 fnls Expositiol)., is ll.nottutr link in the for.:ing ot thRt

chAin of brotnerhood .

HOLD FOR RhLI..ASB HOLD FOR Rl-UASE

CAUTI ON: The follo,ring address of the Pr esid<mt to be delivered by r adio from X:ll)' West , Floria.u., in connection with the Pan Uer ican Hern><ndo de

~:~a:po~i~i~i~~s T~f":i/~:!~Pe~: ;~~\&ring on the streets not e1•rl1Pr than 3 • .&.5 P. M, E. e.T. , Februarv ldth 1939.

NQTh: Pler;se snteguard Lt:r.inst premc.ture r elease.

William o. Hassett.

President Br orU.n, Commissioner Dye and lilY frienda or the

Pan Jo..merican Hernando De Soto Exposition:

I li.o~:e the very name of this l:.xposition. I ~ glad you

accided to 11M t:ne nallle or the int.repid explorer, ''ho re&ch8<i.

t hese shores 400 years ago1 wit.h the P&n Americl.m i des. There

was nothing J\ll.rrow or r es t riC't ed in the per spective of De Sotv

or of his fellow to•nsman, &lboa, discover er or the Pucifl.c

Ocean. They and their contempor aries drew their ideas froa a

vision or a Ne~::. l'orld . The Goaains they clah:ed for their

Sover eign were her oic in ceogrt.phic eJCtcnt. Their i mnsinatl.on

was f i t ted to the dawn of n new ero. . So today we co;;weClor a t e

Hernru\do De So t o as one or the fir' t Pan Aaer icans.

The spir it ot Pan A:cleric nitm happi ly i s c:oeing .-or e and

1t0re to do• inate the tho~hts and aspirations end the ac:ticns

o r all of the diver se peoples and cultur es ai'dch cODprise the

three Amer icas. It i s tho cert• i n and untaili~ saf eguard of

our :Lnaliennble right t o l ire , liber ty o.nc1 the porsuit or

happiness. Althout:h the peopl es of the New World ue of

un,y or i&ine , they a r e uni ted in a co•on aspira.ti'-'n to

defend and aaint;:.in the selr- covemillj; "Wf!Y of life. That

-l-

way or life 1a instinctive in all the poo. les of tJ1e Wootern

Helllispl\ere.

To shot; our faith in dei!IOcr&.cy, we have 111£.08 the policy

ot the good neighbor the earner stone or our forfli&n relations.

flo other pol1c)' woul d be consi~te. t with our ideas and our

i deals. In the tulril.ment ot this policy we purposa

to h"cd the ancient Scriptural admonition not to move our

neighbor ' s landmarks, not t o encroach on his metes and

bounds.

i.e desire by e very legitiaate .er.ns to proaote treedo•

in trade Md travel and 1n the exchu114!:e of cultural ideas amotl::

naticns. We seck no terriborial expansion, o;e c.re not

covetous of our neighbor ' s goodo; we shu.ll coopertJ.te 1n every

proposal honestly put forward to limit arlll:,aents; we nbhor the

appeal to physical force e~ cept to r epulse aggression; but

we say to all the world that in the ~estern Hea.bpher e -

in the thr ee Ao.er1cas -- the ins titutioos of democracy -­

;overument with t he consent. of the governed - - mus t and !hell

be ma i ntair.ed.

'!'his Exposition 1S another link in Ule forging of thliit

chain of brothel'hood.

- End -

RADIO JJ>DREeS OF THA PRE!-: IDENT TO 'tHE P/Ji AIQ!flCAit H£RNAJUX> DE SOTO k:XPOSITICN

AT TIJ(PA Dli.LIYJ::RlJ) FROM KEI fiEST FEBRUARY 18, 19J9

Pres i dent Brorein, Coat1!hsi oner Dye and my rri~nds or

thG Pan Americ E.n Hernando DG Soto Expo!!! tion:

I like the very ntUI\8 of this b.position. I tl.lll gltd you

decided to link the nnae of the intrepid explorer, who reached

these shores 400 yec.rs ago, with the Pan ~eric&n idea . 'i'her e

was nothir18 narrow or r estricted. in tho per specti ve of De Soto

or of hi:; fellow townsman, Balboa, discoverer of the Pacific Ocean.

They &nd their contemporaries drew thei r i deas from a vision

of a Hew World. The do~~~tins they clai•ed for their sover ei&n

•ere heroic 1n geogr aphic extent. their imagirultion -a

fitted to the dawn or a new er~t~ . So today we cocme~~erLte

Hernando De soto as one of the fir st Pan Aaerice.ns .

The spi .rit of Pan Aaer1can1am happily 1s coming mor e und

core to dominnte the thought& and a spiJ•ations and tho actions

of all of tho diverse peoples and cultures 'llh.ich cogprise the

three Aaericas. I t i s tho cert»in and wU'aUing safegUurd of

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our inHlienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of

httppiness. Although the peopl es of the New f.orld a r e of

.any origins, they are wtited in a c01111on aspir c..tion to defend

and .aintt.in the selr-governinc w~:~y of life . 1'hnt way or life b

instinctive i n all the peoples of the Wes t ern Hemisphere.

1'o shO\. our f 611th in democro.cy, •e hnve made the policy

or the good ne1&}1bor the corner stone or our foreiQl r el8t1ons .

No other policy •ould be consis t ent with our ideas and our ideals.

In the tul1'1lmant of this policy ne purpose to heed the ancient

Scriptural adl1l0nit1on not to move our ne i ghbor • s l6.ndur ks , not

to encr or.ch on bill •etes and bounds .

we desire by every legitim.-ote ae{l.ns t o promote treOOoa 1n

trade ll.nd travel and in the exchunse of culturL<l i dea s nraong

nations. t'e seck no t erritoria l e).pans l on, we a re not covetous

of our neigbborl s &ooda; •e si'wll cooporate i n every propoaal

honestly put forward t o lildt nrmn•ents; . we e.bhor the appeal

to physical force except to repulse ns&r ttsnion; but y;e say to a.ll

the wor ld that in the Jies tern He•b pher e -- in the three Aaericas - -

v - 3 -

the 1nst1t:utio~s or de..ocraey - - aovertli1ent with the e?n~ent or

the sovernod - must und sh!>ll be nan i ntHilled.

This ~xpos1t1.,:-L 1 ~ ~:~nothor link in the forging or thltt

ch,11n of brotherftoOd.

r ~ ..... /./._ §/7---L­A;--J "•,/--/ "0, -.J • ./

": a..,--x;_L./; .v--~ ~.,/-

?.ADIO ADDR-~S OF '!"'E Pl'tESIDE:JT :'o U.e Pn.n J.:lerlct!n Hernnndo Do Soto Exposition at TMpll.

Dell•er ed !rom lCey lleat , M.orlda Febt"Ullry 19 , 19~9, ;5.46 P. L , :. S. 'l'.

PRESIDI::/T B!'I.OP.Elll , CO~:MISSIO!l~ DYE: AJO MY FRIEIIDS

Oi· 'I'HE PA:l Al!Z?.ICAH HE'Rl/AHDO DI: SOTO .::<POSITIOil:

I l i ke the very name or t hl11 Exposition . I u g l ru1

!!!!.! you decl~ed to Unit the name or t ;1e intrepid explorer,

who reP.ched the11e shor es 400 years ago , with t :-te Pan Ameri can

idea. '!:'!.ere t.:aa nothln.,. narrow or restricted ln the perspec­

tive or De Soto or or hla tallow tovnmaan, Balboa, .!!!!.

d18oo•1erer or the Paoino Ocean. They aru! their o'nt empo­

ru.rlea drew t heir ! dena tro:::~ a via i on or a tiet.: tlorld . The

doco.ino they clRi"lled tor their Sovere1E;n wer e heroic i n

geographic extent . Their l maglnatlon was !ltted to tl'.e

dawn or a new era . ~ ao today we co::t:::~e::torate ( Hernando)

De Soto as one or the !lrat Pan Merlcane.

'l':'lc B?lrl t or Pan Aeerleanloo happ1ly 1s co:~~lng

aore nnd more to dOillinPte the thouehta and aai)lratlona And

the actions or all or the diverse peoi)lea and cultures

which co::~prlae t he three Uorlcac . It ls the certain a nd

untalllng s.11.!egut!rd or our lnRllenA.ble right t o ure ,

liberty ttnd t he puraul t or happlnau. Alt.."'louzh the peoples

or the !lew World are ot cany origins , t hey a r e united ln a

common aspira tion to defend fllld maintain the self- governing

way or lite . That way or lite l s 1natlnot1ve i n fll.l the

peopl es or the :.'e stern Htu::llhphcr e .

l'rantltn D. a

na11 h e 'nn.Clpt adl by thl 'lb\ H HoaM • tiJIOP"ll!'h~r Er<* hh ehlrt~ notM \.alen a t fbe t!.:l t ile ·~eooll.,..

Md.. .lnd.,.hr •. ~o;; lr.d~-eatee •or4.J 11\IIIJ)Of"lll • ."'loootll.t)t at••G to t he JU'I'fl cml llf

-prep;.rodr•ed:r~.ot-r":·toi..t ." Yotd• til "'J*l"lntHII•t~~rlll•or,. tbst • ere a.l t tM

._hen the ttpeech ~"' ... l.pero4, tboll«b c beJ 11.ppear In till pl"a.,J.C»Ul1 pro~d :PIII.d l i'IIC C0p'f li!oi L

'l'o show our tal th 1n de:aocrac7, we have ude the

polloy or the good neighbor the cor:'ler atone or our rorelgn

relo.t1ona . llo other poli cy would be cone1atent with our

1del'le and our 1denla. I n tho tu1r11ment or title policy we

purpooe to heed the anc1ont Scriptural admon1t1on not to

nove our ne1thbor' a landmarks, not to encroach on hl a metes

and bounds .

'4e dealre by every le&1 t11:2ate oeane to proaote

freedot:~ 1n trat!e and travel Md 1:l t:1e e:xchanoe or cultural

1deae a::aong natlone. tle eee!t no terr1torlttl expane1on, we

are not covetoue of our ne1£:hbor ' " goode; we et-.all cooper­

ate 1n every propou.l honeetly nut forward to l1m1t area­

menta; we abhor the llppel\1 to p.V"a1cRl fo rce except to

repulse aggreaa1on; but we eay to all the world thAt 1n

t he Western Hemisphere -- 1n the three A':ericae -- the

inot1 tut1one of det~~oor~toy -- govern:llent w1 th the consent

ot the governed -- ouet ttnd ehall be maintained.

~ th1e Ex:poei tlon in Tampa 1s Mother Hnk

ln the forging ot that chain of brotherhood.