 Remarks of the President at a barbecue in the High School Gymnasium of Stonewall, Texas, during the state visit of Chancellor Earhard, December 29, 1963. Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for these friends from across the waters. We thank Thee for these friends and neighbors here at home. We ask Thee to bless this food, forgive our sins, save us in thy kingdom, and give us a peaceful world. Amen. Mr. Chancellor, distinguished guests and my fellow Americans, last night at the ranch house I told Dr. Earhard that I was a politician because of tragic circumstances and fiscal necessity had forced me to turn from a politician to an economist. I spent the last month working on the federal budget. Dr. Earhard, on the other hand, is a most distinguished economist who for other reasons has had to become a politician. We also have some other things in common. I went to Washington 32 years ago as a young secretary to a congressman from South Texas named Richard Clayburg, whose father had come here from Germany. So the Germans really launched me into American political life. And Dr. Earhard assured me that the Americans really launched Dr. Earhard into political life. Mr. Chancellor, on the basis of the reception here today, I hope that your people will keep you busy at home because I would not like to have you as an opponent in a free election, either in Stonewall or Fredericksburg. Mr. Chancellor, in a few moments now, I'm going to turn you over to the American press. And then I think you'll know how the deer feel. Others have been writing and talking about the new diplomacy. The Chancellor and I have been practicing it. We've had a wonderful two days together. We have formed a firm and lasting friendship personally. Our talks have been full and frank and full of candor, and I think have strengthened the bonds that exist between our two great countries. As I told the citizens of Free Berlin in 1961 and as I have pledged again during the last two days, we of the United States have made and intend to keep our promise that for the integrity of the people of Free Berlin, we will pledge our lives, our property, and our sacred honor. Mr. Chancellor, we have experienced a season of great shock here in America and great sorrow. But we stand before the world this morning, one nation, indivisible under God. We work for peace as the American people have always worked. But like those pioneers who settled this land not many years ago, pioneers who came from Germany, Mr. Chancellor, came in search of peace and freedom. We of this generation trust in the Lord and keep our powder dry. Mr. Chancellor, we shall never be too weary, never be too tired, never be too content or never too complacent to walk another mile toward peace with honor. But neither shall we be too weak or too uncertain or too unsure or too reluctant to defend honor, or to search for peace wherever there is hope to find it. Are determined, Mr. Chancellor, that neither your children nor ours shall know war anymore. But we are even more determined that never shall they wear the yoke of any tyranny. So we work for a world of peace, a world of justice, a world of freedom. And we know that in this work, you of the Federal Republic of Germany are at our side a strong nation, one of the most powerful in the world, working with us, walking with us, yes, searching with us, hoping with us, praying with us, having faith with us in our success and in our yearning for peace on earth, good will toward all men. As we approach the conclusion of a most treasured two days together as spokesmen for our two great countries, may the good God above us guard our people and guide us both whatever the future may batae. Ladies and gentlemen, I should like for you to meet the distinguished Foreign Minister of Germany, Mr. Schroeder. Keen and analytical, patient and kind and courteous and courageous. One of the greatest men of our time, my strong right arm, the distinguished Secretary of State. I know that I speak for all of you when I express the depth of our feeling and our gratitude. To this community and to Fredericksburg for the entertainment they furnished. Particularly to this great young pianist from our own state who has won such fame in all the nations of the world, Van Claverne. This little community has entertained heads of states and chancellors and presidents and camel drivers. As we do not measure men by their power or their wealth here, we measure them by their love of freedom. Mr. Chancellor, in your country when something is identified as old it usually means a hundred or even thousands of years. But here in the United States it is different. An automobile is old for instance in one year. A house is old sometimes in five years. A man's wife's clothes are old sometime before they even paid for it. But here in this part of our country we do have one genuinely old tradition. And that is the custom which we're keeping today of spending Sunday with our family and with our friends and with the neighbors we love. I suspect that that is a custom brought to us from Germany. For many of the traditions which we treasure most such as the Christmas tree, Mr. Chancellor came from your land to our land years ago. But the finest thing that Germany has ever sent us even including the splendid imports in which you've had a hand is people. My mother came from a German family named Hoffman which left Europe in 1848. My neighbors here have the same story to tell as you know. But throughout America Germans and Americans of German ancestry have played a great role in our national life. Some of them are here with us today. Warner Von Braun, if America reaches the moon in this decade and is the first to be there, it will be due more to Warner Von Braun's efforts than any other living man. Dr. Von Braun is one of our most distinguished scientists in the space field. And Mr. Chancellor, as you know, it is his brother that is your prominent observer today at the United Nations. Now, Mr. Chancellor, here in Texas we do have one tradition as old as this region. And that's the giving of hats. I am told that our hats look something like those worn by apprentice carpenters in Germany. Forty liters are 10 gallons. It's a big hat, Mr. Chancellor, for a big man and for America's good friend. I'm going to wear it for the rest of the decade and then put it on the moon by 1970, Dr. Von Braun. It's Colonel Ritter here. Colonel Ritter is the publisher of the Long Beach Press Caligram in the great state of California and a major figure in American journalism. Colonel Ritter, will you come forward and let us present you with one of these 40 liter hats? I'm sorry that these fellas over at the stand don't know how to freeze a hat and I haven't had time to do it all. The very able and very popular foreign minister of Germany, Mr. Schroeder. Dr. Westerich, the Chancellor's economic expert and advisor. And if he's as good an economist as the Chancellor, God help us. Dr. Karstens, the State Secretary of the Foreign Office. Mr. Von Haas, here at Salinger's counterpart. Sometimes in Texas you read 1-8 to be 5-8. Is here Salinger here? Here, would you like to go over to the piano and give us a little piece while we're fitting the hat? I think I need not tell you that Mr. Salinger was President Kennedy's press secretary and one of the most trusted and able and loyal people working for the government and I don't know what I would do without him. And through day and night for the last month. Tell you, would you come up and take a bow and a hat? On yesterday I had a jacket that was too big for me and I gave it to Pierre. And today I'm giving him a hat and I hope that you'll remember what President Roosevelt said to Speaker Rebern one time. He said, Mr. Rebern, my friend Sam, one of the few men I know that's been in Washington many years and still wears the same size hat. I wanted the good things about Pierre. He wears the same size hat he wore when he came to Washington. Now, Ambassador Knappstein, would you please? Ambassador Knappstein, the German ambassador to the United States. Ambassador von Halleben. Halleben. Ambassador von Halleben is Andrew Biddle-Duke's counterpart, the chief of protocol in Germany. Mr. Ambassador. Dr. Mueller, will you please come forward and Dr. Hoffman? I don't know what relation we are, but I'm some can to Dr. Hoffman because that was my mother's name before they started spelling it Hoffman. Dr. Mueller. Hey, Debbie, come up and increase these hats for these boys. I got some of these city boys up here like Jack Mulaney. They look a lot better, don't they? Dr. Heller and Dr. Zippy. Seven-three-eighths worn or seven-and-a-half, seven-three-eighths, seven-and-a-half. You understand that when we convert their hat size to our hat size, it takes a good mathematician. And Dorsey Hardiman didn't get out here late today from St. Angela. Dr. Oster. Dr. Seid. Thank you very much. Dr. Osterheld. Dr. Custerer. Dr. Veverung. And Dr. Homan. Dr. Osterheld first. Now, you fellas better come on because you're delaying the Chancellor's press conference. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Dr. Veverung. Dr. Homan. Now, if you would indulge me, I would like to present to you our Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. Tyler. Mr. Tyler, will you come up? We are very proud of our distinguished Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, a Texas boy, George McGee, Mr. Ambassador McGee. An efficient man in Washington, a man that all the women like and all the men respect, Ambassador Duke. Mr. Manning in charge of the press for the State Department and one of the best, Mr. Manning. Now, before we conclude, I want to, Ambassador Duke reminds me that we didn't give our old and beloved friend, Mr. Cropp, a hat. He got one last time he's here, but if it's worn out, let's give him another one, Jack. He's a frequent visitor. He was here with Dr. Adenauer, if you'll remember, and we hope he comes back often. Now, Mr. Franz Hange, Dean of the Bond Press. Mr. Hange, we wouldn't suggest at all that we would like to have good treatment in the German press, but we do want to suggest to the German press that we'd like to give you good treatment. And there's some hats over there. If you just won't rush, just take your time, walk over and pick out one that fits your head and take it home with our blessings. I want to say to the American press that we appreciate so much the trials and tribulations that you've gone through and the attempt to see that the Chancellor and his party received proper and adequate and thorough coverage. And sometime we're going to give a barbecue for the American press and we'll have some hats for you here too. Thank you very much.