Remarks at the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Press Association

Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen:

First, I offer my humble apologies for my inability to express myself in the language that most of you use. This is one of my numerous failings and not the least if you read some of the press of our country.

I have several reasons, Mr. President, for wanting to come over here this morning. One you have mentioned. The board of directors of this Association sent me an expression of very wonderful personal sentiment and felicitations on my recent birthday-number sixty-seven. I could think of no better way of thanking them for their courtesy than to come over and express it to the entire group.

Secondly, it is a very definite privilege to come here to welcome all of you to the capital city of the United States, a city which-the same as our country--values the friendships that exist between all our countries and which we devoutly believe are growing stronger day by day.

A third reason, my brother, Dr. Milton Eisenhower, whose interest in all things of Latin America are well understood not only in this country but in your own, was invited to appear before you. He valued that invitation but pressing prior engagements simply prohibited his coming. So, for once, I have a right to represent my brother and to act as a substitute for him, instead of vice versa.

And finally, my friends, it is a great opportunity to speak for just a moment on the great and constructive work in which you people are engaged and which I believe can be even expanded and made more fruitful and effective.

You carry to the peoples of all the Americas news of the world. You particularly carry to them news of all the Americas, of our efforts to work together, in the field in which you are engaged, in economic and political matters that will redound to the benefit of all of us, including the raising of living standards in all our countries--not in merely a few.

I think that the work of carrying that information is one of the most important parts of a successful campaign for increasing the cooperative efforts we make in all fields. To know--to realize-to appreciate--on the part of all our peoples, that is the necessary ingredient to success in the other efforts that I have so briefly mentioned.

One phase of the work you do, I think, could be well emphasized, and I am not talking to others, I am talking to ourselves-and that is this: a problem arises, be it in negotiation about fishing, about a mineral, economic matters, about a political situation, whatever it may be--all of us are very apt to preach and teach and inform concerning our own side, not of the other.

If people are to be true partners, if nations are to make partnerships a real success, we must be careful to represent to the best of our ability both sides of an argument, because in so doing we remove bitterness. We may be disappointed that our friend does not see with the same clarity that we think we see the particular elements of a problem, but if we are careful to explain both sides, we will always settle them in a spirit of conciliation and in partnership and not of contestants in a law suit or any other kind of contest.

And the more we can do that, the full information of what the particular problem means to both sides, by that measure we will advance down the true road of partnership. We do know that in the partnership of all the Americas lies a mighty force for the freedom, the security of the world. And that is what we must all achieve.

And now, my friends, already having made more of a speech than I intended, I do say it is a great honor for our Capital to have you here. We hope that your meeting will not only be fruitful and instructive for all of you and beneficial to the countries that each of you represent, but that while here each of you will have an enjoyable and fine time.

Welcome to Washington!