Lyndon B. Johnson photo

Remarks to the Washington Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

February 15, 1968

Cardinal O'Boyle, Chief Justice and Mrs. Warren, distinguished Ambassadors, head table guests, ladies and gentlemen:

Two weeks before the presidential election in 1928, Governor Alfred E. Smith spoke to a young friend in the strictest of confidence. "They aren't going to elect me President," he said. "They attacked me out there. They even tried to harm Mrs. Smith. I just didn't realize that the feeling against a Catholic went so deep."

And he was right. The feelings against Catholics did run deep in 1928 in this country. Across the Nation the Klan and the hate peddlers played on prejudice and fear. The symbol of the election of 1928 was neither donkey nor elephant, but the burning cross.

But following that election, four great men met in New York to found a new alliance against hatred--Charles Evans Hughes, Newton Baker, Roger Straus, and Carleton J. Hayes. They then and there established the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

You know I am a supporter of your work. Some of you will remember that around Christmas and New Year's I met with His Holiness, the Pope, in Rome and I met with Prime Minister Eshkol at the LBJ Ranch. I told them then that I might even be here at this dinner tonight. I was gratified by their similar reactions.

His Holiness, the Pope, said to me: "Mr. President, you be sure to talk to Paddy O'Boyle and you tell him to be nice to Rabbi Segal." And then he said: "Mr. President, that will be good politics."

A few days later Prime Minister Eshkol said: "Mr. President, you be sure to talk to Rabbi Segal and you tell him to be nice to Cardinal O'Boyle. That will be good politics."

Well, you may not believe this, but Lady Bird said to me, "Lyndon, you be sure to be nice to Cardinal O'Boyle and Rabbi Segal because some day you may want to go back into politics."

The goal of the National Conference of Christians and Jews was to change the beliefs of a nation, nothing less. And those beliefs have been changed. The fires of religious hatred have been dampened.

Many organizations and many men deserve the credit and the gratitude for that. But few deserve it more than the great man whom I have come here to pay my respects to and whom you have come here tonight to honor.

Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle is one man who did not wait for a miracle. He worked with other good men and women to make it happen. He came to this city in 1948. In that year, 6 years, Mr. Chief Justice, before the Brown case, the Catholic schools of his archdiocese were integrated.

Fourteen years later at the Vatican Council inspired by Pope John XXIII, Patrick O'Boyle again waged his fight for conscience. The Council's declaration on non-Christian religions bears the imprint of this man's wisdom.

There is beauty and toughness to this man's life. If some Americans--worried by the strife in our cities--ask, "Oh, well, what's the use?"--Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle knows the ultimate and the only real answer. That lies in Americans being true to their ancient mission--to always advance and protect human dignity.

As we honor this great man tonight, we must also ask ourselves, "Do we still have the faith?" We must ask if we, like Cardinal O'Boyle, will be doers of the word, and not hearers only.

Do we really believe that men of different races and religions can live together in one land? Do we really believe that every American is entitled to a decent education, decent housing, decent job at a decent wage?

Do we believe that these things can come about peacefully?

I believe that we do. We have come, I know, a long way since 1928. Now, as then, there is hate and some fear among us. But now, as then, there are men who stand tall among us who raise the voice of conscience.

In the Book of Job we are told: "From out of the populous city, men groan: and the soul of the wounded cries for help." Thank God there are still good men such as this good man who respond always to that cry.

Thank you and good night.

Note: The President spoke at 9 p.m. in the International Ballroom at the Washington Hilton Hotel. In his opening words he referred to Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle, Archbishop of Washington, Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States, and Mrs. Warren. The President spoke following a dinner in honor of Cardinal O'Boyle who was presented with the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

Lyndon B. Johnson, Remarks to the Washington Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/238987

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