Remarks to Delegates to the Fifth Annual Conference on Citizenship.

I AM exceedingly sorry that the White House reception room at the present time is not big enough, and I am also sorry that the Rose Garden got wet this afternoon--and we did not have access to it anyway; you can see why over there. They are rebuilding the White House, and it will be some time before we will be set to receive this many visitors again.

I am very much pleased that you are willing to come and take an interest in the project of the Attorney General's for citizenship. You know, there is a tremendous amount of ignorance among leading citizens about just what citizenship in the United States means.

I think it is the greatest honor in the world simply to be a citizen of the United States. you have more rights than any other country in the world provides for its citizens--individual rights which are protected by the law. The Attorney General is not only a law enforcement officer, but the Attorney General is the officer who prevents the grinding down of the population. It is his business to see that the Bill of Rights is enforced as well as it is to see that the law is enforced. That is what we have been trying to do ever since 1789. And we are making progress; we are making progress. The Constitution is more nearly a document of all the people now than it ever has been in the history of the country. And it is due to the fact that such citizens as you are willing to give your time and effort to implement the things for which we stand, as citizens of the United States of America.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your interest in this program. It is something that is really worthwhile, and you can spend a great deal of time, as I say, instructing citizens who think they know something about the rights and duties of a citizen of the United States.

A great many people just take things for granted. They don't appreciate what they have. I had a card from Los Angeles this morning, in which the writer suggested to me in all seriousness that the proper thing to do was to surrender to Russia. He said we may lose our freedom but it is better to lose our freedom than to lose our lives. Now, what do you think of that? That is Patrick Henry in reverse, if I know anything.

There are people like that in this country, and it is your business to see that they don't increase in number. I hope you will do that.

Thank you very much, and I apologize again for the fact that I had to talk with you under rather adverse circumstances.

Keep up the good work, that's all I can say to you.