WIST Quotations

Roosevelt, Eleanor -- Column (1942-09), “If You Ask Me,” Ladies’ Home Journal, Vol. 59

Dave — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:57:36 +0000

Q. With what the Germans, Japanese and Italians are trying to do to the democracies of the world — especially our United States — do you really mean you would permit your children to number among their friends any Germans, Japanese or Italians?

A. I certainly do. How are we going to live in peace in the world of the future if we cannot be friends ourselves with Germans, Japanese or Italians? I have friends of all those nationalities; some of them have fled their own countries because they were in disagreement with the policies of the governments of those countries. I imagine there are many people still in those countries who are suffering because they do not agree with what their governments are doing. If we take the attitude that we can never be friends with people of these nationalities, our chance for a peaceful world in the future is slim indeed!

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American politician, diplomat, activist; First Lady of the US (1933–45)
Column (1942-09), “If You Ask Me,” Ladies’ Home Journal, Vol. 59

Roosevelt, Eleanor -- Column (1961-12-20), “My Day”

Dave — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:23:16 +0000

A consciousness of the fact that war means practically total destruction is the reason, I think, for the rising tide to prevent what seems such a senseless procedure. I understand that it is perhaps difficult for some people, whose lives have been lived with a sense of the need for military development, to envisage the possibility of being no longer needed. But the average citizen is beginning to think more and more of the need to develop machinery to settle difficulties in the world without destruction or the use of atomic bombs.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American politician, diplomat, activist; First Lady of the US (1933–45)
Column (1961-12-20), “My Day”

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano -- Speech (1945-04-13), Jefferson Day (undelivered)

Dave — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:49:52 +0000

We seek peace — enduring peace. More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginnings of all wars — yes, an end to this brutal, inhuman, and thoroughly impractical method of settling the differences between governments.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) American lawyer, politician, statesman; US President (1933–45)
Speech (1945-04-13), Jefferson Day (undelivered)

Roosevelt died the day before this speech was to be delivered by radio.

Adams, Douglas -- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Phase 1, “Fit the 2nd” (BBC Radio) (1978-03-15)

Dave — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 20:24:00 +0000

NARRATOR: And then one day, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change a girl sitting on her own in a small cafe in Rickmansworth suddenly realized what it was that had been going wrong all this time, and she finally knew how the world could be made a good and happy place. This time it was right, it would work, and no one would have to get nailed to anything. Sadly however, before she could get to a phone to tell anyone, the Earth was unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and so the idea was lost forever.

Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English author, humorist, screenwriter
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Phase 1, “Fit the 2nd” (BBC Radio) (1978-03-15)

Though in the second radio episode, when adapted into the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979), this passage was moved into the Introduction:

And then, one Thursday, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change a girl sitting on her own in a small cafe in Rickmansworth suddenly realized what it was that had been going wrong all this time, and she finally knew how the world could be made a good and happy place. This time it was right, it would work, and no one would have to get nailed to anything.
Sadly however, before she could get to a phone to tell anyone, a terrible stupid catastrophe occurred, and the idea was lost forever.

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano -- Speech (1945-01-20), Inaugural Address, Washington, D.C.

Dave — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:59:39 +0000

We have learned that we cannot live alone, at peace; that our own well-being is dependent on the well-being of other Nations, far away. We have learned that we must live as men and not as ostriches, nor as dogs in the manger.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) American lawyer, politician, statesman; US President (1933–45)
Speech (1945-01-20), Inaugural Address, Washington, D.C.

(Source (Audio); dialog verified)

Eisenhower, Dwight David -- News Conference (23 Mar 1955)

Dave — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 13:59:22 +0000

I have said time and again there is no place on this earth to which I would not travel, there is no chore I would not undertake if I had any faintest hope that, by so doing, I would promote the general cause of world peace.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890–1969) American general, US President (1953–61)
News Conference (23 Mar 1955)

Berry, Wendell -- Essay (2003-02-09), “A Citizen’s Response,” sec. 4, paid advertisement, New York Times

Dave — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:52:08 +0000

Authentic peace is no more passive than war. Like war, it calls for discipline and intelligence and strength of character, though it calls also for higher principles and aims. If we are serious about peace, then we must work for it as ardently, seriously, continuously, carefully, and bravely as we have ever prepared for war.

Wendell Berry (b. 1934) American farmer, educator, poet, conservationist
Essay (2003-02-09), “A Citizen’s Response,” sec. 4, paid advertisement, New York Times

The essay, including this passage (its closing words), was also published in a longer form in Orion Magazine (2003-03/04), and collected in Berry's Citizenship Papers (2003).

Stevenson, Adlai -- Speech (1952-10-24), “The United Nations: Our Hope and Commitment,” United Nations Day Radio Broadcast, Springfield, Illinois

Dave — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:47:35 +0000

I profoundly believe that there is on this horizon, as yet only dimly perceived, a new dawn of conscience. In that purer light, people will come to see themselves in each other, which is to say they will make themselves known to one another by their similarities rather than by their differences. Man’s knowledge of things will begin to be matched by man’s knowledge of self. The significance of a smaller world will be measured not in terms of military advantage, but in terms of advantage for the human community. It will be the triumph of the heartbeat over the drumbeat.

Adlai Stevenson II (1900–1965) American politician, diplomat, statesman
Speech (1952-10-24), “The United Nations: Our Hope and Commitment,” United Nations Day Radio Broadcast, Springfield, Illinois

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano -- Speech (1939-09-03), “Fireside Chat” (radio broadcast)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

When peace has been broken anywhere, the peace of countries everywhere is in danger.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) American lawyer, politician, statesman; US President (1933–45)
Speech (1939-09-03), “Fireside Chat” (radio broadcast)