Ladies and gentlemen, the very word secrecy is repugnant in a free and open society.

And we are, as a people, inherently and historically, opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths, and to secret proceedings.

We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent

facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it.

Even today, there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions.

Even today, there is little value in ensuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it.

And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment.

That I do not intend to permit to the extent that it's in my control.

And no official of my administration, whether it's ranked, is high or low, civilian or

military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle

dissent, to cover up our mistakes, or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know.

For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy

that relies primarily on covet means for expanding its sphere of influence,

on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion

instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead

of armies by day. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building

of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence,

economic, scientific, and political operations. Its preparations are concealed, not published.

Its mistakes are buried, not headlined.

Its dissenters are silenced, not praised.

No expenditure is questioned.

No rumor is printed.

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