Remarks to the Staff of the U.S. Embassy in Paris.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I was about to say it was almost a unique experience in the last 2 or 3 weeks for me to speak to a body where every member could understand me. But after thinking it over, I am not so sure that that is entirely an advantage, because some of them, at least, couldn't criticise what I say.

It is indeed a great personal pleasure to meet you this morning. I met the Embassy staffs in every country where the time would permit--in India, Pakistan, and every country where there were more than a few hours to spend, and I did so with a very definite purpose in mind.

We all know in a very real sense that any American coming to a foreign country is an ambassador--his wife is an ambassador, his children are. Now I realize there are people here that are not just Embassy personnel. You are from other organizations the United States maintains in our own interest and in the interest of the free world in other countries. But each of you is an ambassador, and the one thing this poor old world needs more than any other single thing is for all of us not merely to get a greater liking for another country--a country in which you may be living--but try to get a deep understanding, a better understanding, of what makes this people "tick," why do they think what they think, why do we see accounts and opinions and judgments in our newspapers and over our televisions that are so different from those we hear in foreign lands.

And indeed, to talk about my own job for just a moment, I think one of the greatest jobs that any political or governmental leader in the United States, including even the military, has is to make the American people understand what the problems of the world are today. If we can do that among ourselves, we can do a much better job between ourselves and other countries.

Every one of us thinks of the future. Some of us think in terms of the future of our children--with me it's grandchildren, and hopefully, some day, great-grandchildren. But they are the future that we are looking at, and this old world has gotten to the point where unless this future is one of cooperation and of peace--peaceful cooperation, a free opportunity for cooperation, then I say your lives, instead of being fruitful in your pursuit of happiness, in your attempt to see the lives of your children and your grandchildren fulfilled, then instead--if we don't get this understanding, develop this peaceful relationship--it will indeed be a dark and dreary one.

Now I happen to be one of those that is a born optimist, and I suppose most soldiers are, because no soldier ever won a battle if he went into it pessimistically. I make no apologies for being optimistic because I still have the faith in humans, in their individual and their collective good sense and readiness, courage, to look facts in the face, that we can solve these problems. And this is between ourselves--Indians or Africans--the French--any place where differences occur. And one way I think we can keep them from becoming more noticeable--sometimes more irritating than anything--is when we don't help to make them worse. The criticisms we have of another people because they are different, in their background, their traditions and their prejudices--all right, let's ignore them and have a good laugh on it, and drink a Coca Cola--oh, I'll get accused of being commercial--( laughter )--have a soft drink, and in this way every one of us will be doing a job.

No leader, no matter who he may be, no matter what his record, no matter how youthful or vigorous or how many years he may have to carry on his work--he can't do it by himself. Millions and millions of Americans can combine, though, with millions and even billions of others, and we will make it a good world.

So that's the reason I would just like to say to all of you, good luck and stick with it--and always remember you are Mr. and Mrs. Ambassador.

Goodbye.