Remarks at the Dedication of a Plaque Commemorating the Birthplace of the President's Mother, Hannah Milhous Nixon.

Governor Whitcomb, Secretary Hardin, Mr. Hurley, all of the distinguished guests who are here today, and this wonderful audience that has welcomed me to this part of Indiana, which has so many memories:

I want all of you to know that this day does mean a great deal to me. I have traveled to much larger cities in America and in the world, but none where I felt that I was more welcome than right here in Indiana.

Winston Churchill came to the United States as Prime Minister for the first time to address the United States Congress in the early days of World War II. Those who were present on that occasion--this was before I came to the Congress--but those that were present on that occasion remembered particularly the way that he opened his speech. He said, "I cannot say that this is my fatherland, but I proudly say that this is my mother's land," because, of course, his mother was an American. And so I say today: I am very proud to be in my mother's land here in the heart of Indiana.

As Janet¹ has already told you, my mother left Indiana when she was 12 years old, but I can tell you, Indiana never left her. From the time that I knew her until she died--and she was 82 years old--my mother always spoke with great affection and love about back home in Indiana.

¹Janet Lee Wissel, president of the Jennings County High School Chapter of the Junior Historical Society of Indiana, introduced the President.

What she remembered about Indiana, of course, were numbers of things. She loved the farm. She always wanted to go back to a farm. After my mother and father could no longer run the grocery store in which we had grown up, they did buy a farm. She loved, too, the seasons. You know, my native State of California does not really have seasons. I remember that I was not in snow to feel it until I was 15 years old. My mother used to miss the change in the seasons, the fall, and the snow, and the summer, a warm day like this.

But most of all she remembered the people. She used to tell me what good people they were here in Indiana, the people that she had known in church and in school.

I could tell from what she said that she was very proud of where she came from, and particularly proud not because of the geographical location or because of the State, all these other things that we are proud of but proud because these, her people, were good people. I, therefore, am very proud to be part of this people. My roots are here.

I would like to tell you very briefly what my mother brought from Indiana and what she left with me and her other sons. I think perhaps this would be true of most of the children here who are growing up in Jennings County and in the surrounding counties in the State of Indiana.

First of all, she had a very deep religious faith, a faith that she communicated to us in her quiet, Quaker way.

Second, she had, also, a very great interest in politics. After all, anybody from Indiana has got to be interested in politics, as you can be sure.

Third, she had a very great dedication to peace, because coming from this quiet, beautiful Indiana countryside and with her Quaker background, peace was uppermost in her mind.

So one who comes from that background, and one who hears his mother talk about those things all of his life, naturally reflects it in what he does; he tries to, at least, although no one can ever quite do as well as his mother would really want him to do. But I can tell you that coming back here, to be here and feel this place where she walked and where she went to school so many years ago, rededicates me to those propositions to which she was so deeply devoted.

I want you also to know that she always told me that people in Indiana were hospitable. I know that. I asked Janet how long you had been here, and she said, "Hours." When I think of you in this crowd, in this rather warm sun, sitting here being so generous, you are a most hospitable people.

Also, as we came along the road, I noticed the American flags and a lot of signs saying "God bless you," "Good luck," and that sort of thing. But one that really went further than all the rest, that proved hospitality beyond anything else, was a little sign that a boy carried which said, "You dance good, Mr. President." I hope he doesn't try to follow me in dancing, that's all.

Now a word about the future. The Junior Historical Society has reminded us all of the past, my past and yours, the roots that we have in this good ground, in this good land. I think what my mother would want me to say today would be something like this:

First, be very proud of your country. We hear so much these days about what is wrong with America--and there are things wrong. But remember, I have seen most of the countries of the world, and every, day I am thankful that we live in the United States of America. This is a good land and it is a great country.

That pride in America, she would say, however, does not mean not doing everything we possibly can to correct the things that are wrong, to give everybody a better chance, an equal chance. She would want me to say that. She would also want me to say to this group: Keep your religious faith. We have different religions and different backgrounds, but she would say that religious faith had sustained her through some very difficult times: the death of two sons, and a deep depression, and other tragedies. But that faith was there, and it meant more than that, too.

Finally, she would want me to say to you that we in this country should dedicate ourselves to the cause of peace. She would say that because she deeply believed, because of her religious faith, and because of conviction, too, in peace but because she would know from her own sense of history, as you know from your sense of history, that, at this time, whether we are to have peace in the world, peace not just next year or the year after, but peace for a generation for all of these young people who sit here in this land; if we are going to have it for 25 years, something we have not had in this century, it is going to depend upon the leadership of America.

Many of us would rather that it was not that way. America, as a world power, did not ask for the power. But here we are in this last third of the century, the strongest nation in the world, the richest nation in the world, and the decisions we make, the stamina we have, the character that we display will determine whether we can have peace in the world.

I simply want to say to you, I believe we can. We are ending a war in which we are presently engaged. It will end, and it will end in a way that will build a more lasting peace.

We are attempting to break down the barriers between nations and peoples in the world, nations with different philosophies, peoples of different races, so that these children may not only live in a peaceful world but in an open world where they can go to all the nations of the world and know all the people of the world--and what a wonderful experience that is.

Finally, I think my mother would want to leave another thought with you. It is very simply this: that what really counts is the spirit of a country and the spirit of an individual. I told you what our heritage was. My parents were not rich people; but they were hard workers. We had to work our way through school, but they helped. And while they were certainly not rich in terms of material goods, they were very rich in character and spirit. And that meant a great deal to all of us as we grew up.

Let's look at America today in that same context. We are the richest country in the world and the strongest country in the world. The question is: Does America have the spirit that we need?

Here, may I say to the Junior Historical Society: Go back and look to this country's history; be proud of it. One hundred and ninety years ago, when we were a weak nation and a poor nation, America caught the imagination of the world because, while it was poor in goods, it was rich in spirit. The spirit of a person, the spirit of a nation comes from people like you, from the heartland of America, from your character, from your determination. Keep that spirit. Be proud of your Nation.

Whatever your job is, remember, you can contribute to a better America and to a more peaceful world. Everybody can't be President of the United States, and everybody can't be a Governor or a Congressman or a Secretary of Agriculture, or the principal of a school. But whether we are workers or teachers or farmers, or whatever we are, we, in our own ways, can contribute to a better land.

I conclude simply by saying: This is a beautiful country. We have the great privilege of making it even more beautiful.

And I conclude also by saying thank you very much for reminding me of why my mother loved this land so much.