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1971 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
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1971 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Samuel Goldwyn
March 27, 1971
Mr. Goldwyn and Mrs. Goldwyn, members of the Goldwyn Jamfly, and ladies and gentlemen:
We are here today for the purpose of presenting the Medal of Freedom to Mr. Sam Goldwyn.
I found in talking to him that he started producing movies the year before I was born, in the year 1912.
When I think of the enormous contribution he has made to the motion picture industry, to entertainment in America and in the world, I can think of no man who more deserves the Medal of Freedom than Mr. Sam Goldwyn.
He particularly, I think, receives it at a time in which we are well reminded of what his contribution was, the movies that he made. They weren't square. They were exciting entertainment. They were great box office. They had all of the interest and all of the beauty of great art.
But he proved that you could have a movie that was good box office, that was entertaining, that was exciting, that was not square, that was not dull, and still that was not dirty.
I noted from an NBC report last night that a new trend has developed where, of the 30 top movies of last year, only two of them were X-rated. It may be that the movie producers of today are learning what Sam Goldwyn practiced throughout his life: the making of great movies that the whole family could go to see.
Now I would like to read the citation which expresses not only my feeling personally as a Californian, my great pride and my friendship for Sam Goldwyn and his for me, and his counsel and advice through the years, but the feelings of all Americans, millions of moviegoers in those years, many years ago, and those who see them even now, today:
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AWARDS THIS
PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
TO
SAMUEL GOLDWYN
His career as a producer of distinguished motion pictures spans the entire history of the American film industry. Since 1913 he has exercised forceful, creative leadership in helping the medium of film to realize its great twofold potential in twentieth century life: Goldwyn movies have not only entertained and delighted millions--they have also broadened the dimensions of dramatic art. Professionally, he has built a body of work whose excellence is unequalled; personally, he stands as a well-loved and widely respected giant on the Hollywood scene. The hallmarks of his life and work are fierce independence, deep respect for quality, strict ethics, and uncompromising integrity. For these, generations of film artists and a nation of moviegoers are in his debt.
MRS. GOI.DWYN. Mr. President, I thank you very much for my husband. We are exceedingly proud.
MR. GOLDWYN. Everything he does is wonderful. You are my favorite President. That is saying enough.
NOTE: The President spoke at 11:11 a.m. at the Goldwyn residence in Beverly Hills, Calif.
On the same day, the White House released an announcement containing biographical data on Mr. Goldwyn and a fact sheet on the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to William J. Hopkins
June 2, 1971
Ladies and gentlemen:
This is a very special ceremony which can come only once in 40 years. I think the way to introduce this ceremony is to tell what I think is one of the most musing stories in the long history of the White House.
One day Calvin Coolidge was walking with a friend through Lafayette Park and the friend pointed to the White House and jokingly said, "Who lives there?"
President Coolidge responded, "No one lives there. They just come and go."
The one man who in 40 years, has always been in the White House, who has not just come and gone, is Bill Hopkins. He has served seven Presidents, four Democrats, three Republicans, with devotion. In that period of time, he has become, I would say, the indispensable man in the White House.
I do not know how we can replace him, but the time has come when we must find another one who can become that indispensable man.
Also, it should be pointed out that he proves that coming into Government service at the very first level does not mean that you cannot go to the top. He came in as a GS-1, 40 years ago, and he leaves as GS-17, with the highest rank that we can give in the executive staff of the White House.
Now, the problem that I have is: What kind of recognition can we give him? I looked over the record. He has been honored by several Presidents. He was honored by President Eisenhower. Five years ago this month a special recognition was given to him by President Johnson. He has received the highest award as far as the Civil Service is concerned, the Federal Civil Service Award.
So virtually every goodie that a President has to give, Bill, to somebody like you has already been given out, except one. Now we have for him a surprise, and I think all of you will join me in saying that it is well that we give him the highest recognition that can be given to anyone who is a civilian by the Nation and the President, speaking in behalf of the Nation.
I at this time am going to present to Bill Hopkins the Medal of Freedom. The citation has been eloquently written, and I think I should read it for you, because it is one that sums up everything that all of us want to say to Bill Hopkins on this special day:
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AWARDS THIS PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
TO
WILLIAM J. HOPKINS
During his forty years in the White House, under seven Presidents, William J. Hopkins has written a record of skilled and devoted service unique in the annals of the Presidency. Not only has he borne heavy responsibilities with great efficiency and uncommon good sense, but each new President in turn has learned to rely on him as a fount of wisdom, a reservoir of experience and a rock of loyalty.
Guiding each new administration through its initial steps, standing as a staunch friend to all, he has been, in the best sense, a selfless partisan of the Presidency, and of the Nation that these seven Presidents have been able to serve better because of the help that he gave.
And true to his long tradition of anonymous service but selfless service, Bill Hopkins has requested that he not break the silence of talking publicly today, but we are going to give you the opportunity to at least hear from him and from Mrs. Hopkins, because we have set up at the back of the lawn there some refreshments. We would like for all of you to join the Hopkins family there. Come up and congratulate him. And maybe he will tell you how he did it, because some place in this crowd is somebody who, maybe 40 years from now, is going to get a Medal of Freedom just as he has, if you can do as well as he did over 40 years.
Thank you very much.
NOTE: The President spoke at 12:12 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White House at a reception honoring Mr. Hopkins, who had retired as Executive Assistant to the President on May 28, 1971.
On June 2, the White House released biographical data on Mr. Hopkins and a fact sheet on the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Manlio Brosio, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
September 29, 1971
Ladies and gentlemen:
In this room are men and women who have had an enormous interest for over 25 years in NATO and, consequently, who will well understand why we have selected the Secretary General as the first man in this Administration to receive the Medal of Freedom, other than, of course, an American.
The Medal of Freedom, as a matter of fact, Mr. Secretary General, has been presented only to three others than those who are American citizens. In presenting it to you today, I think that I would like to be permitted a personal word.
It is the Medal of Freedom, and freedom and NATO certainly go very well together, because when we think of NATO--why it was set up, what it has accomplished--it has been a great instrument in support and defense of freedom. The Medal today, however, in view of your service and in view of what NATO has done for 25 years and what it will do and can do in the future, could be described as the Medal of Peace.
In presenting it to you, it could very well be described as the Medal of Peace, because for 25 years NATO's strength has never been used and has never been maintained for the purpose of threatening the peace, but always to keep the peace. And NATO continues to be strong and will be kept strong for peace and for freedom.
All of us who know the Secretary General, who knew him before he became Secretary General and before he served-longer in that position than anyone else who has held that position--know of his labors in the cause of peace through the years, the years that he was Ambassador to this country, the years that he was Ambassador to the Soviet Union and to other major countries, one of the truly great diplomats of the world; a man who has given his public life to the service of peace and then capped it finally as Secretary, General for NATO, an instrument for peace, of course, as well as an instrument for freedom.
So it is with very great pride, as representing the people of the United States, as a member of the NATO community, but also pride personally as one who has been privileged to know the Secretary General for almost 20 years, to make this presentation today of the Medal of Freedom. I shall read the citation now:
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OR AMERICA
AWARDS THIS PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
TO
MANLIO BROSIO
A distinguished diplomat, he has nobly served freedom in the world as Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He has won the highest respect in his untiring work for both defense and detente, and he has performed his task with exceptional skill, perseverance, and fairness. In his dedication to the cause of comity among nations, Manlio Brosio has demonstrated that those who work to keep the peace are as blessed as the peacemakers.
[At this point, Secretary General Brosio spoke. The President then resumed speaking.]
Ladies and gentlemen, I know that all of you would like to meet and congratulate the Secretary General. We will he glad to receive you, those who can work it into your schedule, at the entrance to the State Dining Room at this time.
Thank you very much.
NOTE: The President spoke at 11:25 a.m. in the East Room at the White House.
On the same day, the White House released a biography of Mr. Brosio and a fact sheet on the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Mr. Brosio responded to the President's remarks as follows:
Mr. President:
I am honored, happy, and proud of this distinction you have awarded to me more than I could ever say. It is for me an undeserved and, in any case, an unexpected privilege to receive the Medal of Freedom after the few Europeans who have already received it, and alongside such personalities as Paul Henri Spaak and Jean Monnet, two names which represent, in my mind, the highest virtue and merit of great European and great Atlantic men to a degree which I have always admired and by far never reached.
Another special reason of satisfaction for me is to receive this award from you, Mr. President, and as far as I know, as the first European to whom you have presented it. You know, Mr. President, that our acquaintance is not recent. You mentioned it. It goes back to the time when, in '55, you were Vice President, and after those 6 years of my mission as Ambassador of Italy in Washington, to the intermediate 7 years in which you were preparing your comeback, and our relationship continued.
In all that time, my admiration and trust in you has never failed, and in these last years of Presidential responsibility, facing tremendous world and national problems, old and new, it has never diminished. Indeed, it has increased with the size of your difficulties and of your statesmanlike courage.
So my thanks to you today are genuine, and strengthened by a personal touch which I hope you appreciate. But I believe that the deepest reason for my satisfaction today is my conviction that your generous gesture is directed not only, and perhaps not mainly, toward a man worthy or unworthy, as he may be, but to an institution and to a policy. I see it as a reaffirmation of fidelity and attachment to the Atlantic Alliance as the main foundation of the foreign policy of the United States and of free Europe.
Of this fidelity and attachment, you have given during your term of office repeated demonstrations in deeds and in significant gestures. Your first visit to Europe at the very beginning of your term in 1969 was to Brussels and to the seat and the Council of NATO. Later on, when the problems of the Mediterranean and of American forces in Europe required your attention, you met with us in Naples and reassured us of your unfailing support.
Now, as I withdraw from NATO, you have chosen to stress again the basic importance of the links the United States has with it. This is most appropriate in a moment of great hopes and of great uncertainty in our Western free world. The might of the Warsaw Pact is growing. The trade and monetary difficulties within the free world are now at a serious turning point. The situation in the Middle East is difficult, and in the Far East is obscure. The third world is anxious and restless.
At the same time, we are today as near as we have ever been to the promising possibility of real negotiations and honest understanding between East and West and Europe, which requires all our good will and our attention.
In these critical moments, critical in a positive, no less and indeed even more than in a disturbing, sense, the link between Europe and North America remains vital and decisive. We must overcome our differences and draw from their settlement a stronger basis for pursuing and accomplishing together our unfulfilled mission of civilization: peace and freedom.
I am stepping down today, a small wheel in a continuing movement, which can easily be replaced. Your recognition will remain with me not only as a cherished memory but as a pledge for all of us, a pledge of loyalty and solidarity between Americans and Europeans.
Thank you very much.
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Medal History
