Remarks Recorded for the Opening of the Red Cross Campaign.

My Fellow Americans

Today I should like to talk to you about the campaign for the Red Cross, which we now open.

While I do this, I have asked some of my young girl and boy friends to come in here with me. And this is an important phase of my little talk, because these youngsters are our future leaders. They are our hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Now, many of these lessons of leadership they learn at home, in their churches, in their schools, and in the other organizations to which they belong--like this young Boy Scout. But they learn a lot from the Red Cross in which they are all junior members. They learn that the Red Cross is in fact our big brother. It typifies the spirit of the good neighbor. Now these sentiments-these qualities--are important to a democracy. They mean that we are ready to help one another. These youngsters will learn this as they see the Red Cross rush into disaster areas, to help out the unfortunate, to take care of every kind of disaster that befalls man in peace and in war.

Now for myself I am of course far better acquainted with the Red Cross in war than I am in peace, because I spent so many years of my life in the Army. There they brought to the fighting man in all the Services a touch of home. They made him feel that his sacrifices were worthwhile and appreciated by all of us at home.

The Red Cross is now asking for 30 million members and 85 million dollars.

Personally I think those sights are far too low. Mrs. Eisenhower and I have just renewed our membership in the Red Cross. It is my ambition that by the end of March I can call every single American my fellow member of the American Red Cross. Thank you, youngsters, for being with me.