Remarks at a Luncheon Given by the Chamber of Commerce in Manila.

Mr. Orosa, Mr. Balatbat, Mr. Robie, members of the Philippine and American Chambers of Commerce, and my friends:

Some years ago I became President of Columbia University. I learned within 24 hours that a president of a university had to be ready to speak at the drop of a hat, but I learned something more: the trustees were expected to be ready to speak at the passing of the hat. Now the president of a university, according to my experience, is no more ready to speak than any member of any chamber of commerce that I know, whenever he gets a chance or opportunity to talk about his own home community. As a matter of fact, he doesn't even have to have any ready-made opportunity.

There was a Texan went to a neighboring State and was there at the tune of a hanging. Well, it turned out that in that particular State there was a law that the condemned man, before the final act, had 5 minutes to say anything he wanted to in the world.

Well, this condemned man knew he was guilty and didn't know what he should talk about so he said he didn't want his 5 minutes. And the Texan immediately was on his feet and he said, "Mr. Sheriff, I submit, if the condemned can't use this 5 minutes, I can, to tell them about Texas." And he did, 5 minutes' worth !

Now as a sort of vicarious representative of the chamber of commerce of the Manila Hotel, I could do a little talking here about this place where I spent 4 very happy years with my wife. And I could be, I think, something of a speaker for the Chamber of Commerce of Manila and of the Philippines, because my duties here took me to every sector of these Islands. I think in those days we had constructed 94 separate stations, and I am sure that I visited, at one time or another, each of them.

But within the few hours that I have to spend in Manila, I want to tell you a little bit about the impression I have of progress, progress in which you people--both the Philippine and the American Chambers of Commerce--have had a part. Your industrial skyline has changed immeasurably. Within the city itself, the changes are so great that I have been unable--and would have been unable to find myself in any place in the city except with the aid of a friend riding with me. Even the Luneta seems to have changed. It has a big bandstand I never saw before and other buildings to the left.

Now these instances of progress are not confined to the city. Secretary Serrano and I went out to fort McKinley this morning. I was amazed at the factories that have gone up and are going up. The industrial housing that is springing up everywhere, the kind of thing that shows a thriving city, and more than that, a vibrant, dynamic, energetic people. This progress is so great that it could possibly induce complacency.

But I want to talk to you for a moment about the problems that are unsolved, that still are to be done. In all the world there is greater need for education, for better understanding, for a freer flow of information, for more success in our fight against disease, for better housing, better comfort. In short, better living standards for all peoples. And this means, particularly for the newly developing countries, a better average income, which they must have.

In these problems and all their related auxiliaries, there is a challenge to every man and woman of goodwill in this whole world; because the things of which I speak are the substance out of which universal peace will finally emerge.

If all people are ready to share their efforts, their hearts, their dreams with others, and then share their material possessions to make better the lot of the less fortunate, this will finally be peace.

Because, let us remember, it is greed, it is selfishness, it is lack of consideration for the other, it is a narrow pursuit of material goods and wealth that makes for struggle everywhere in the world. And it breaks up the cooperation that we need so desperately, if we are truly to reach our goal.

Now by no means do I mean that anyone should slack off his efforts to gain more for himself, for his family, and for his community. This is the motive, this is the incentive that makes us work harder. But the point of it is, what then do we do, because whatever we gain we do as a part of society of which we are a part, and we owe that society our help, our leadership, our assistance in every single area in which any of the problems to which I have adverted has not been solved.

And how much more so, if the free world is to bind itself together tightly to make certain that the concepts of human dignity, freedom, liberty, equality before the law for all people--I say if these concepts are to triumph, they will do it only as free man and free nations find themselves ready to help each other. The strongest helping the weaker, and the weaker always able to put something in the "pot" to make this operation go better and faster.

There is no such thing as a nation too poor to help. As I pointed out in a talk yesterday, any man or any nation may be poor in material goods. It may be weak physically, or weak militarily, but that is no reason that its heart should not be just as great as that of the greatest nation in the world. There is no reason why the tiniest country in this whole world can't give to each of us larger nations new ideas, new inspiration; because often indeed the example of sacrifice made by the weak is something that can shame us into doing more ourselves.

I say to you that all of these things that we seek must have, of course, at their foundation a better economic strength in each of the peoples in which we are interested--the free nations. This means that for both of these chambers of commerce there is a great mission, a great opportunity: not just to make Manila more beautiful, more attractive--and indeed, that is rather impossible--not just to make this nation bigger, stronger, although you do that as part of your problem. You are making your nation capable economically to develop its spiritual and intellectual strength so that in all circumstances and in all areas you are a true leader for peace--for peace with justice in freedom.

Now, my friends, I have been highly complimented here from this platform. Indeed, Mr. Balatbat, with his nomination of me for the Presidency of the world, forgot one thing: the frailty of the human; although I am proud to say that I use my entire strength, my entire life, to try to promote the ideals and the concepts of which I have so haltingly spoken. Yet we cannot look to one man, no matter how great he could have been--a man with the wisdom of Solomon, the patience of a Lincoln, the military genius of a Napoleon, the philosophical insight of a Socrates. Even such a man could not carry on this crusade and this necessary work by himself.

Every one of us that knows in his heart that he can help, if he so chooses, can help. In so doing he becomes a leader, a leader for the noblest cause that man has ever held--and has indeed held for centuries, even millennia: peace with justice in freedom.

If we keep this thought before us, then every gain we make is no longer a selfish one, no longer is it merely the result of selfish ambition. It is something to do to strengthen you, to make better and stronger your efforts for the attainment of this great goal.

I realize I am talking of something that is a bit idealistic. But I believe this with my whole heart. Only as each of us makes himself a little better in this regard, does the world become better.

I refer again to human frailty. I and every man I have ever known have some evidence of this frailty. We are not omnipotent. We pray to God for guidance, but it is on our own shoulders that the responsibility rests to reach the objective I have tried to outline. None of us will do it perfectly, but each can do it a little better.

And if we can do this, in this one audience alone, the aggregate of improvement will be revolutionary.

Ladies and gentlemen, I congratulate you all for what I have seen in this city and this country, which shows the capabilities of the people and the organizations that you here represent. I simply say this: my confidence in the Philippines, and my confidence in the United States, and my confidence in the solidarity of their partnership will do still better in the future. And you have the great opportunity to be one of the agents of that betterment.

Thank you very much indeed.