500 Presidential Addresses 



that courage upon which to base it, so in our civil 

 life, although we need that the average man in 

 private life, that the average public servant, shall 

 have far more than honesty, yet all other qualities 

 go for nothing or for worse than nothing unless 

 honesty underlies them honesty in public life and 

 honesty in private life; not only the honesty that 

 keeps its skirts technically clear, but the honesty that 

 is such according to the spirit as well as the letter 

 of the law; the honesty that is aggressive, the hon- 

 esty that not merely deplores corruption it is easy 

 enough to deplore corruption but that wars against 

 it and tramples it under foot. I ask for that type 

 of honesty, I ask for militant honesty, for the hon- 

 esty of the kind that makes those who have it dis- 

 contented with themselves as long as they have 

 failed to do everything that in them lies to stamp 

 out dishonesty wherever it can be found, in high 

 place or in low. And let us not flatter ourselves, 

 we who live in countries where the people rule that 

 it is ultimately possible for the people to cast upon 

 any but themselves the* responsibilities for the shape 

 the government and the social and political life of 

 the community assumes. I ask then that our peo- 

 ple feel quickened within them burning indignation 

 against wrong in every shape, and condemnation of 

 that wrong, whether found in private or in public 

 life. We have a right to demand courage of every 

 man who wears the uniform; it is not so much a 

 credit to him to have it as it is shame unutterable 

 to him if he lacks it. So when we demand honesty, 



