Remarks at a Dinner Given by the Indiana State Society in Honor of Minority Leader Charles A. Halleck

Mr. Halleck, Mr. Sam, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

I am just sort of a wanderer that dropped in on this party.

First of all, I am not from Indiana. Actually I was born in the district of my friend here, Mr. Sam. And all of these years he has allowed me to call myself his vicarious constituent to this moment.

I understand that about two-thirds of Indiana is here--the other third is probably snowbound.

As I understand it, they call today "Charlie Halleck Day," because he is Indiana's Man of the Year. I would like to say that for me, during a session at least, every day is "Charlie Halleck Day."

He once pleased me mightily. He said: "Mr. President, this is going to cost me a lot of votes, but I'll do it." That kind of loyalty to a leader of the party and to an administration is priceless. I know it. Everybody in the executive department knows it.

Indeed, I think that some of my very distinguished members of the opposition, of whom the chief one is here, knows it too. For that reason he not only has a great affection for Charlie but he respects him mightily.

A political party should stand for something. If the issues of our country are to be debated intelligently and properly, it is only proper that Americans just as good as we are should have political views that do not coincide with our own. That's why we have two major parties.

Among them both Charlie and I claim many, many friends--personal friends--no matter how much we may battle them in those factors and those subjects which are properly partisan or political.

I think it is only proper that I should say on Charlie's behalf--and my own--when it comes to matters that extend beyond the water's edge, we have had the cooperation and we have sought the cooperation of the opposition, which I think has been most effective for our country.

So as I come here not to praise Charlie, because he doesn't need it, but merely to recognize what he has done, and to be one of you in sharing a great privilege of saying, "Thank you, Mr. Halleck," I think it's a very good thing for us to realize that the politics in Washington should be-and I think most frequently is--a means by which we promote the welfare of America, not merely to satisfy the ambitions of any particular individual or any particular party, much as all of us are partisans.

I leave you with this thought: Charlie is doing a job not just for Republicans but above all and first of all for the United States of America. I am quite sure that my first Congressman would join with me in that tribute to this very topflight, fighting, tough little Hoosier.

God bless you, Charlie--and goodbye.