“Now, let's look at that group of men who are jeopardizing the future of democracy in the United States through their concentrated economic power. This is just as dangerous as inflation. Again and again in history, economic power concentrated in the hands of a few men has led to the loss of freedom.”
“When a few men get control of the economy of a nation, they find a "front man" to run the country for them. Before Hitler came to power, control over the German economy had passed into the hands of a small group of rich manufacturers, bankers, and landowners. These men decided that Germany had to have a tough, ruthless dictator who would play their game and crush the strong German labor unions. So they put money and influence behind Adolf Hitler. We know the rest of the story.”
“We also know that in Italy, in the 1920's, powerful Italian businessmen backed Mussolini, and that in the 1930's, Japanese financiers helped Tojo's military clique take over Japan.”
“Today, in the United States, there is a growing--and dangerous--concentration of immense economic power in the hands of just a few men. That's a dangerous situation. The Democratic Party has been fighting that ever since the Democratic Party has been in existence.”
“Great corporations have been expanding their power steadily. They have been squeezing small business further and further out of the picture. The lobbies which work for big business found that they could get what their bosses wanted from (Republican leaders).”
“(Republicans) delivered for the private power lobby. It delivered for the big oil company lobby. It delivered for the railroad lobby. It delivered for the real estate lobby.”
“That's what the Republican candidate calls delivering for the future. Is that the kind of future you want? Well, I'm sure you don't, so be sure you elect a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress.”
“Republican leaders stand ready to deliver to big business more and more control over the resources of this Nation and the rights of the American people.”
“To preserve freedom and democracy in this country, we must put control of the Congress back in the hands of the American people. This means we must have a Democratic Congress and a Democratic President.”
“Now, I must speak of the third evil force which works secretly to destroy freedom, racial and religious prejudice.”
“The tragic story of what happened in Germany is all too fresh. We know how Hitler used anti-Semitic propaganda as a way of stupefying the German people with false ideas while he reached out for power.”
“This was not the first time such a thing has happened. The persecution of minorities goes hand in hand with the destruction of liberty.”
“This country has been mercifully spared extreme racial and religious strife. But in recent years there has been a new outcropping of demagogues among us. Dangerous men, who are trying to win followers for their war on democracy, are attacking Catholics, and Jews, and Negroes, and other minority races and religions.”
“Some of these demagogues have even dared to raise their voice of religious prejudice in…Congress. We need only remember the shocking displaced persons bill(s).”
“We must do everything we can to protect our democratic principles against those who foment racial and religious prejudice.”
“This evil force must be defeated. I shall continue the fight. And I pledge to you that I shall never surrender.”
President Harry Truman, 1948