Remarks to Delegates of the 36th Annual Conference of the Association of Junior Leagues.

Madam President and Ladies fellow Americans:

Thank you very much for the chance to come out here and express to you the welcome of myself and the Administration as you gather here for your convention in this Capital City.

I was told by your President about some of the work you do in the fields of health, welfare and education, and your interest in good government at all levels, not as partisans or not as particular devotees of any particular ideals or personality, but simply just good government. Well, just to do a little bit of politicking, I want to tell you about a lady who came to my office just a very few minutes ago. She is, I believe, the Ladies' Chairman in a group that is called the Citizens for Eisenhower, and I let her stay fifteen minutes longer than I was allowed, for the simple reason that she started telling me about just good government. She said, "We are not here just for you; we are not here for anybody else, any other thing than just good government, and that is what we are working for."

So I felt very good about that. I think that is the reason I wanted to say to you that as the Junior League helps to bring about good government in the municipality, in the county, in the state and the nation, and indeed so far as government is felt, in the United Nations, then you should do it throughout the world. As long as you interest yourselves in those things, you are doing a magnificent service for yourselves, this nation, and for humanity.

It is only as we govern ourselves that we are well-governed. I think it was Clemenceau who said, "freedom is nothing in the world but the opportunity for self-discipline." In other forms of government, discipline is imposed upon us. free government imposes discipline upon itself. Self-discipline ! And that means the work that you yourselves lay out for yourselves is worthwhile doing--doing it without hope for reward. Because this lady, Mrs. Knudsen, when speaking to me, said she had heard criticism that the Citizens for Eisenhower didn't get any patronage. This made her very indignant because she didn't want any patronage; she said she didn't want any job, nor did any of the other Citizens. She just wanted good government.

And so, as you do your volunteer work in all the cities of this country, and every village and every county, I just would like to see you hold that as one of the slogans in front of your own eyes: Good government everywhere, and my part in it.

I understand that Mrs. Eisenhower had the pleasure, or was going to have the pleasure, of seeing each of you individually. I wish I could. All I can say is--to all of you, God bless you, and thank you for coming in.