 The American legion can bestow no higher honor on a fellow American for fostering a renewed spirit of volunteerism in America and for his good. It's a reminder of those who cannot be here, those who gave their last full measure of devotion so that we, and our children, could enjoy the restlessness of freedom in peace. This 23rd annual meeting is adored by the United Nations Gene Kirkpatrick has returned from a mission to South and Central America. And by national security, Harry Eganout has deteriorated to such an extent that the enemies of democracy and international order have taken advantage of his weakness. The Soviet has sent that the answer is, America will certainly cease to be a leader in the world. This was not the exclusive fall of any one leader or party. And it will take a truly bipartisan effort to make things right again. But too long ago, some of our opinion motors has ceased to believe that we were a force for good in the world. They were ashamed that America was wealthy and a world with so much poverty. They rarely have ever explained that America's wealth came not from exploitation, but a system of incentives. Too many of our leaders, so the Soviets, is a mirror image of themselves as an American, and the universal principles and ideals of which our free system is based. It's not an arrogant demand that others adopt our ways. It's a realistic belief in that our own house and owner. Our first and highest priority was to restore the sound economic base here at home. We had to put an end to the inflationary spiral, which had been scourging this country for years, creating misery among those who dealt with the rebuilding of our foundation, of our military strength. To be prepared for war, George Washington said, is the most effectual means of preserving peace. Well, it's precisely because we are committed to peace that we have a moral obligation to ensure America's defense and describing the social and economic progress they so uniquely foster. History is not a darkening path, twisting and inevitably toward terror in programs and to assistance programs to help the less fortunate nations of the world. It isn't a time for us to reaffirm an undeniable truth that America remains the greatest force for peace anywhere in the world today.