Minneapolis spokesman., 1962-02-09

The African premier who
up from the ranks of working
people made a great impression on
official Washington, according to
Senator Hubert H. Humphrey of
Minnesota who was one of the
guests at the White House lun-
cheon.
Humphrey said that Adoula is a
close friend of Assistant Secretary
of Labor George L. Weaver.
President Kennedy proposed the
following toast:
Gentlemen, am sure you all
join me in welcoming to this
country the guest of honor and the
members of his government. I
don't think that any head of state
of a new country has faced the
difficulties and the challenges
which have been pressed upon him
with so much force in the last few
months.
THE difficulties of our revolu-
tonary experience, and the exper-
fences of every other people COM
ing into independence since the end
of World War Two, pale in COM
parison to the problems which the
Congo has faced and which press
upon the Prime Minister and his
supporters.
What makes him especially
welcome is the courage and the
fortitude, the persistence and the
judgment with which he has met
these challenges which would
have overwhelmed lesser people,
a lesser country, lesser man, a
lesser government.
Prime Minister, we welcome
you here for many reasons. The
success Of the Congo is tied up,
really, we believe, with the sue
cess Of the United Nations. If you
fail, and the Congo should fail, it
would be a serious blow for the
United Nations, upon which this
country has placed so many hopes
for the last seventeen years. And
because of the intimate associa-
ton between the United Nations
and your government, we are par
ticularly glad that you are here
to address them.
1--WE are also glad to welcome
you because of your own qualities,
because you have set course for
your nation, of being independent,
of being African, of being free, of
being unaligned, of governing un-
der most adverse conditions,
through parliamentary democracy,
at a time when some other new
nations have been forced by events
to move away from democratic
processes.
I'VE welcome you because of
your own extraordinary record -
rising because of your own efforts
to a position Of pre-eminence,
where you have won the support
of people, both within and without
your country - and because of
your own personal qualities.
1--WE are vitality interested in
the success of the Congo because
we believe the success of your
country is essential to the success
of a free Africa. We believe strong
ly in the unity Of free states, able
to choose their own destiny and
able to decide their own fate.
$50, Prime Minister, we welcome
you here. Many years ago, one of
our distinguished Presidents -
you examined his portrait this
morning In President Lincoln's
bedroom - Andrew Jackson, said,
"Our Federal Union, it must be
preserved"
I'VE recognize your strong con-
viction that the same policy should
follow for your own country, that
the Congo must be preserved. And
as a faithful Member Of the United
Nations, we support - through the
United Nations - the inplementa-
ton Of that policy.
$50 we welcome you here, and
I hope that all Of you will join
me in saluting the people Of the
Congo, the country, and to its dis
tinguished Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER ADOULA:
las interpreted from the French)
"Mr. President, I am almost en-
barrassed in having to reply to
your magnificent speech-a speech
which was so short and yet SO
complete, SO full.
II will also speak very briefly
and will say that 1t Is true that
the Congo has gone through a
period of grave difficulties. 1t is
true also that there are people In
the Congo, also Of goodwill, who
have decided to fight to surmount
and overcome those difficulties.
However, must say, Mr.. Pres
ident, that there is one thing which
you have left out Of your speech
and this is that all those efforts
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