Toast to President Alessandri at a Dinner Given in His Honor by the President

Your Excellency President Alessandri:

Your presence here this evening does honor to my country, and to me. It is good, for a few hours, to have you in this American home, and to extend our hospitality to you and your associates.

May I say, Mr. President, that in the short time I have been here I have seen all the ingredients of progress.

I was greatly encouraged to meet with large groups which are fostering Chilean-American understanding, for I deeply believe that genuine understanding is the foundation of all fruitful cooperation.

From you personally I have learned more about your efforts to establish economic stability, and to set in motion giant forces for the improvement of production and the living standards of your people.

Your cooperation in promoting a common regional market is highly encouraging, for it promises greater intraregional trade and, once realized will create conditions attractive to foreign development capital.

Your views on disarmament must command the attention and respect of every thoughtful citizen in the hemisphere. Certainly every enlightened leader should aspire to transferring production from sterile to constructive purposes.

And of special significance I think, I have sensed in all the people I have met a will to work--a faith in their ability to solve their problems in their own way--and in freedom.

Finally, I have been impressed by Chile's deep sense of responsibility toward other nations--not only the republics of this hemisphere, but the larger world.

Mr. President, in appreciation of your leadership of a free and proud nation, and with earnest thanks for the hospitality which you and your people have extended to us, I salute you, and ask all to join me in a Toast to you.