Remarks Upon Presenting the Collier's Congressional Awards to Senator Vandenberg and Representative Monroney

THIS IS a very great privilege to me, to have the honor of making these awards. I know both of these gentlemen personally. I know what they can do. I know what they have done. I know that they have earned those awards by hard work.

First, I want to congratulate the Committee on doing this sort of job, and I want to express my appreciation to Collier's and to the Committee for making this presentation in this manner, instead of using food that ought to go to starving people.

So, Senator Vandenberg, this is indeed a pleasure and privilege on my part. Congratulations to you. I congratulate the country.

[Upon accepting the award, Senator Vandenberg stated that he was grateful, and to the President particularly, for "I wouldn't be here at this spot today if you hadn't left the Senate, because you would be here instead of me." The President then resumed speaking.]

That is awfully nice of you to say, but I have my doubts on that.

Congressman Monroney....Mike, it gives me a lot of pleasure to present this award to you. I think you did a remarkable job on that reorganization plan for Congress, and I hope it will be carried out.

[Following the presentation of the award to Representative Monroney, the President resumed speaking.]

I hope Collier's will keep up this program, because in the Senate and in the House men get nothing but rocks and mud most of the time. When they do get a compliment, it is an event in their lives, isn't that true?

But I know that the Congress is made up of men who honestly have the welfare of the country at heart. And I hope that this will be an incentive to those men who feel, most of the time, that they are only going to have bricks thrown at them. This sort of recognition shows them that there are people in the country who do appreciate what they are doing.

It is a pleasure to me, I assure you. I appreciate the privilege.

[At this point the President was handed a check by William L. Chenery, publisher of Collier's. The President then resumed speaking.]

I have just got a check for the $5,000 it would have cost to make these awards at a public dinner. This goes to the starving people of other countries. Thank you a lot. I will turn it over to the American Red Cross.