The continued use of atomic energy as a means of warfare may lead to a world-wide catastrophe.

The control of atomic energy must be the first step.

But I say to you, the time for choice is running out.

But it did not fail because of any inherent defect in its conception. It failed because of the unwillingness of nations to cooperate.

The international control of atomic energy is imperative.

The possibility of an international control of atomic energy has been made a subject of much discussion. Some believe that the danger of atomic energy is not so great as to justify the expenditure of much time and effort on a control scheme. They believe that the American monopoly of the atomic bomb will act as a sufficient deterrent to aggressive action on the part of any other nation. They also believe that the dangers, if there are dangers, are not so imminent as to make it necessary to reach a speedy agreement.

The same difficulties exist today. There are those who say that an international control scheme will not work because nations will not cooperate. I do not share this pessimism.

I believe that nations will cooperate.

The nightmare of a world destroyed by atomic bombs, which seemed to be the stuff of which fantasies are made, has become a fearful reality.

The fact that these and still more atomic bombs are being made constitutes a menace to the security of our country and of the whole world.

The world is waiting.

The nations must now accept the fact that the development of atomic energy has created a new era in human history.

The situation is grave.

The choice is theirs.

In this new era of human history, the destructive potentialities of human hand have been growing steadily. The atomic bombs that have been used are but the beginning.