Reception Honoring Polish Americans Remarks at the White House Reception.

First of all, let me say that Rosalynn and I are very delighted to have all of you come. In our desire to make you feel at home and arrange some Warsaw weather, I'm afraid we cut the size of the crowd down too much— [laughter] —but it is beautiful outside, and it's just as pleasant and pure and friendly as it was when we left the wonderful country of Poland.

As you noticed from the photographs outside, we had a delightful and, I think, a very fruitful visit. Rosalynn and Dr. Brzezinski had a long meeting with Cardinal Wyszynski. It was a very inspiring report that I got back from my wife. I don't think any First Family members had had a chance to meet with him from the Western nations. And it was very important to us as Christians to recognize the overwhelming influence of the Christian Church in Poland.

Later, when I talked to First Secretary Gierek, I told him that I congratulated him on going to visit Cardinal Wyszynski just recently. I told him to visit him often and we had not given up yet on converting him to Christianity. I told him it was never too late for him to have the same faith as we. [Laughter]

He and I got along well. And I thought that the Polish Government, who could have done otherwise, made it easy for us to reach literally millions of people in Poland through the fully broadcast news conference, which was unprecedented, and almost all of the news reporters were permitted to come. I commented publicly on the ones that weren't permitted to come, and I answered their written questions later for them.

It was truly an inspiring thing for me. And with a few variations in the interpretation that went out to the Polish people — [laughter] — the written transcript of the interview, which was a freewheeling, open press conference, went verbatim in the major Polish news media throughout the land. So, I thought it was an excellent opportunity for us to communicate freely with them.

I was overwhelmed with the response of the Polish people when we discussed the historic ties that have long bound our countries together. As a southerner from Georgia, my own earliest studies of both Georgia and United States history have included in a major way the reports of the great heroism and dedication of Kosciuszko and Pulaski. My own son Chip's wife is from Pulaski County in Georgia, named in honor of the Polish patriot who helped us win our independence. And we discussed quite freely, both with people whom we met on the streets and those who were servants in the beautiful mansion we stayed and those in the government, the common effort that we had made in the world wars, when Poland was so nearly destroyed.

I have heard from a child about the devastation of the War Between the States that afflicted my own grandparents and some of yours. But I have never seen a nation which had been so terribly damaged by war as Poland.

We learned about the history of Warsaw and the heroism of the people there and the courage in rebuilding that beautiful city. And we saw the small portion of the visual treasures of ancient Poland that had been preserved, and we were thankful to have a chance to see that beautiful display of Polish art.

We had also an opportunity to learn at first hand about the relative freedom that the Polish people have to worship, and I commented on it publicly because I think it's a precious thing. We have many very fine Polish Americans in our Nation who have occupied positions of great importance. And you have honored us by coming here this evening.

I have decided to ask Danny Rostenkowski and Senator Muskie and Senator Robert Byrd, all of whom have contacted me about it, to introduce a special bill to authorize Mrs. Eddie Slovik to receive her insurance payments from the last war.

I had a letter earlier from the Polish American Society asking me to do this. And I have inquired with the Attorney General and with the Secretary of Defense-it's not legal for me to authorize these payments. So, there will be a special bill introduced in Congress which I will support. And Senator Byrd, the majority leader in the Senate, Congressman Rostenkowski, Congressman Rangel have already expressed their eagerness to see this introduced in the House, and I hope it will pass without delay.

I would like to say in closing that this is an opportunity for us to reassert the appreciation in our country for those historic ties between Poland and our Nation. We are tied together militarily through a long series of wars which we hope will never come again. We are tied together politically in generations past, and we still have strong friendships of trade and hope for the future in Poland now. And we are tied together culturally, and I think perhaps most importantly of all, we are tied together through blood kinship.

There are millions of Polish Americans here. I have gotten varying reports on how many millions. [Laughter] I was cautioned before I went there to be conservative in my estimates so that I wouldn't claim too much. When I was with First Secretary Gierek, the first thing I said was there are 8 million Americans of Polish descent. He said, "No, that's not right. There are at least 12 or 14 million." So I didn't argue with him. [Laughter]

But I think you know that this is a very important thing to cherish. And during the campaign, I was permitted to visit many communities in our Nation which have a heavy concentration of Americans of Polish descent. Dr. Brzezinski, who was in the receiving line, is very close to me, and the man who's had the most effect on my life, other than my own father, Admiral Hyman Rickover, as you know, is also from Poland.

I would like to make one other comment, just as a matter of interest.

We are all impressed by the beautiful musical heritage of Poland. And many of our great performers who have moved here are from Poland, the great composers. As we sat in the ballroom the evening of the state banquet, we listened with great care to the quality of the American National Anthem that was being played by the orchestra there. And we were in many other countries, but by far, the outstanding performance, the most perfect rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, we heard in Poland. And it was with a sense of great appreciation that I told First Secretary Gierek about the high quality of this performance, and Dr. Brzezinski did not argue with me when I pointed out that this was the best performance. [Laughter]

We have a performance scheduled for you in a few minutes. The pianist, whom my wife will introduce later and whom I won't, is 80 years old. He has been at the Washington train station. It took the White House car an hour to get there. He's on the way here. So, if you don't mind until he gets here, Rosalynn and I would like to come out and just be with you for a few minutes to let you know that we cherish your presence here in our home, which is also your home.

Thank you very much.

[At this point, the reception guests sang a traditional Polish song of greeting. The President then resumed speaking.]

When Rosalynn and I laid a wreath at the Nike Monument and we walked back to the streets, the Polish Government had not publicized our presence there, to hold down the crowd. But there was a great crowd. And when we walked back, they sang that to me.

So, I just waded into the crowd and shook hands [laughter] —because it made me feel at home. And once we did stop at a corner at Dr. Brzezinski's suggestion, just unannounced. And I got out of the car, and I was just absolutely swept up by heartfelt embraces and handshakes, and the Secret Service, who were trying to protect me, and the Polish police were not able to hold the crowd back. So, finally I got back in the car, opened the top, and I stood on top of the car and shook hands with them. [Laughter]

But it was a great reception. And I think the friendship that exists in Poland for our country is absolutely unshakable and permanent, and we have the same feeling toward Poland.

Thank you.