Statement by the President on the fourth Anniversary of Communist Control in Czechoslovakia.

FOUR YEARS ago today the Communists seized control of the free country of Czechoslovakia. By infiltrating every important branch of the government, they had strangled all sources of independent opposition in that nation--all but one--the students and young people.

In the last few hours of Czechoslovakia's freedom, more than 5,000 students of Charles University marched toward their President's house to plead with him to save their country from the Communists. But before they could reach their destination, Communist police fired into the orderly crowd, wounding several students.

February 25th should be a very special day for the young men and women of all nations. Let it serve as a symbol--a reminder of youth's determination and will to resist, in the face of hopeless odds.

But let it also serve as a warning to all people, young and old, who are so fortunate that they still have their freedom.

Since February 25, 1948, the world has learned the lessons of Czechoslovakia. The world has learned that communism is aggressive-that communism means conquest, oppression, and slavery.

Four years ago the students of Charles University taught us that we must do more than resist--we must be prepared to resist. We are putting this lesson of collective security into practice in Korea, in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the Pacific defense treaties.

All this we learned at the price of freedom for Czechoslovakia and other nations temporarily under the Communist yoke. Let us never forget our lesson.