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In both of these, the United States has a permanent presence and security commitments which would be automatically triggered. We have become increasingly conscious of our growing interests in a third area, the Middle East and the Persian Gulf area. We have vital stakes in other major regions of the world as well.

As a result of these shared commitments and the dedicated efforts of many members of the Congress and my Administration, we have achieved several historic accomplishments. Passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act was one of the most important conservation actions of this century.

I ask Congress to enact new safeguards for 401K and pension plans. Retirement security also depends upon keeping the commitments of Social Security, and we will. We must make Social Security financially stable and allow personal retirement accounts for younger workers who choose them.

Our immediate problem is the increase of employment for the next six months, and new plans which do not produce such immediate result or which extend commitments beyond this period are not warranted.

We will help other nations develop the capability of defending themselves. We will faithfully honor all of our treaty commitments. We will act to defend our interests, whenever and wherever they are threatened anyplace in the world. But where our interests or our treaty commitments are not involved, our role will be limited. We will not intervene militarily.

I understand, moreover, that within the past year there have been ten thousand arrests, and five thousand commitments of boys alone between the ages of 5 and 15. These are naked statistics, affording you an outline of the actual state of things. Need I paint the costume and the scenery, and describe the sad and awful drama in which these children play their parts? I could not if I would.

By the end of November a total of 301,000 prime contracts involving commitments of 64 billion dollars had been terminated. Of this total, 67,000 contracts with commitments of 35 billion dollars remained to be settled. Termination payments on these contracts are estimated at about 3.5 billion dollars.

We make today only those commitments we are able and prepared to meet. Our commitment to freedom remains strong and unshakable. But others must bear their share of the burden of defending freedom around the world. And so this, then, is our policy: We will maintain a nuclear deterrent adequate to meet any threat to the security of the United States or of our allies.

There can be little doubt that political, and possibly commercial, interests influenced the attitude of the European Powers in regard to the Shantung Question. President Wilson and the American Commissioners, unhampered by previous commitments, were strongly opposed to acceding to the demands of the Japanese Government.

The State then knows its total commitments, is not involved in interminable arbitrations, and can get on with what lies ahead at once, leaving the claimants to fight out the compensation amongst themselves. This does not mean that the State will have to find 551/2 millions sterling in cash.