Remarks to Members of the First Inter-American Symposium.

Gentlemen, ladies:

I want to welcome you all to the White House and it seems to me that intellectuals are gathering in pleasanter circumstances. Last year they had a meeting in Europe--I think in Italy--now it's in Nassau. And I want you to know that you are very welcome at the White House.

I think that when we first put the concept forward of the Alliance for Progress, which grew as an offshoot out of the Operation Pan-American, which had its original roots in Brazil, that one of the proposals that was made was a much greater flow back and forth between the intellectual, artistic, and cultural life, which is a sign of the vitality of a society, between North and South America.

I think that too often we are, in a sense, as General de Gaulle has said, the daughter of Europe, and our view on these matters which affect the life of the spirit really, looks more to Europe and not enough to the south. And it seems to me also true that Latin America looks to Europe for its inspiration in these areas and not to North America.

This side of our national life, I think, has been too little known outside of our country. But I think in music, architecture, art, writing, all the rest, we've had a good deal of life and vitality in this country in recent years, and this is also true of Latin America.

So I'm glad now, instead of our all looking to the East, which we must on many occasions, that we now look north and we look south. And we hope from this current back and forth there will be greater stimulation.

We don't want to see the artistic and intellectual life used as a weapon in a cold war struggle, but we do feel that it's an essential part of the whole democratic spirit.

So, I'm very glad to have you here as symbols and also as active participants in this life and most of all because the artist necessarily must be a free man.

So we welcome you here to the White House. Thank you.