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it should provide people with hope, replacing the cur-
into account what Europeans think of the United States.
rent despair of those who wonder what's the use of all
While some of their ideas about us may strike us as
their effort anyway.
wrong, the assumptions behind them are there, and
we must do what we can to change them.
What Should We Remember?
We know that while Europe is battered, it is not de-
The purpose of this message is to bring about a
feated. We also know that Europeans feel they are
recognition by people everywhere of the sacredness of
caught in a vise: they are likely to resent imposition by
the individual, and of the necessity of bringing to an
the United States just as they resent Sovietization.
end the exploitation of human beings by other human
The European outlook on life is basically different
beings. Only when this comes about can there be a
from that in the United States. Europeans see the
truly peaceful world in which people everywhere can
United States as a utilitarian country where everything
shape their own individual destiny and direct their so-
is measured by practical success. This concept is for-
cial and political institutions free from fear, want and
eign to most Europeans, who are likely to regard man
oppression.
as an individual who thinks, feels, and lives, not as a
It will take time until such a goal can be reached.
person who merely produces. Thus the European has
We recognize that effective steps toward such a goal
a relatively disinterested attitude in the material lux-
are very much hampered by the race for armament.
uries of life.
As long as the economic wealth of the world is used
The stress in Europe is laid more on culture than it
for armaments and millions of people are taken out of
is on civilization. Europeans know from experience
productive occupations, it will be impossibe to raise
that culture creates civilization, while civilization never
the economic and social standards of the people of the
creates culture. Europeans view the United States as
world as a whole - a necessary condition for the ac-
a civilized country in a technological sense, but are
complishment of the ultimate goal.
likely to feel that the United States is lacking in the
For this reason we must strive to bring about world
cultural values necessary for spiritual leadership. There-
disarmament. We do not believe that war is a solu-
fore it is most important to acquaint Europeans with our
tion, nor do we believe that war is inevitable.
cultural values, showing them that we believe in such
We do not want to impose; we do not want to
values and that efficiency, productive capacity, and
destroy. We oppose only those who use obstruction
"success" are not our only yardsticks.
and destruction to achieve their ends.
Europe is also unsympathetic to the tenseness of the
Neither we, nor any other nation or group, have a
U. S. pace, to our hustle and bustle. For example,
patent on democracy. We feel that whatever has
Europeans enjoy "wasting" their time in "idle talk."
proved good in "socialism" can be adopted by men
For they believe that the time isn't wasted and that the
without at the same time selling their souls and forfeit-
talk isn't idle. The replacement of Viennese coffee
ing their individuality. We also feel that whatever
houses by snack bars was considered symbolic of our
has proved good in "capitalism" can be accepted by
"eat and run" attitude.
men without sacrificing their security and destroying
We must reexamine what we are offering to the
their own chances for self-improvement.
people of Europe. Are we offering liberalism and de-
We are not out to promote any particular form of
mocracy wrapped in an optimistic package? This ap-
"capitalism" or any particular form of society. We are
proach would be doomed to failure. For Europe has
concerned only with the rescue of man who stands in
been disillusioned. The ideas we are offering Europe
mortal danger. We do not want to force on people
were born in Europe in the eighteenth century and
anywhere what we or the people of any country hap-
then transplanted to the United States. Now we are
pen to think is best. For we know that change is the
bringing these same ideas back as a new promise of
rule of nature and of human nature, and we have faith
hope to Europe, without regard for the fact that the
that in the distant future men will create social and
experiences of the European people in the last two
political organizations which will better provide for the
hundred years have steeped them in skepticism.
lot of the individual and for lasting peace than any
Europe has seen the perversion of socialist promises
system devised SO far.
of equality into dictatorship, of global promises being
We are eager to understand the national and cul-
broken and perverted into global wars fought on Eur-
tural backgrounds of the people we work with. We
opean soil. The United States has escaped these his-
feel that effective help can be given only when there
torical disappointments, and therefore retains the op-
is a mutual understanding of the cultural foundation
timistic faith which most people in Europe have lost.
and the national traits of those concerned.
While we believe in our promises, Europe is doubtful.
To remember about Europe. An action program for
When we deal with Europe we ought to realize that
European countries can be successful only if it takes
Europeans are not children, who can take only sugar-
8
9
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"ocrText": "it should provide people with hope, replacing the cur-\ninto account what Europeans think of the United States.\nrent despair of those who wonder what's the use of all\nWhile some of their ideas about us may strike us as\ntheir effort anyway.\nwrong, the assumptions behind them are there, and\nwe must do what we can to change them.\nWhat Should We Remember?\nWe know that while Europe is battered, it is not de-\nThe purpose of this message is to bring about a\nfeated. We also know that Europeans feel they are\nrecognition by people everywhere of the sacredness of\ncaught in a vise: they are likely to resent imposition by\nthe individual, and of the necessity of bringing to an\nthe United States just as they resent Sovietization.\nend the exploitation of human beings by other human\nThe European outlook on life is basically different\nbeings. Only when this comes about can there be a\nfrom that in the United States. Europeans see the\ntruly peaceful world in which people everywhere can\nUnited States as a utilitarian country where everything\nshape their own individual destiny and direct their so-\nis measured by practical success. This concept is for-\ncial and political institutions free from fear, want and\neign to most Europeans, who are likely to regard man\noppression.\nas an individual who thinks, feels, and lives, not as a\nIt will take time until such a goal can be reached.\nperson who merely produces. Thus the European has\nWe recognize that effective steps toward such a goal\na relatively disinterested attitude in the material lux-\nare very much hampered by the race for armament.\nuries of life.\nAs long as the economic wealth of the world is used\nThe stress in Europe is laid more on culture than it\nfor armaments and millions of people are taken out of\nis on civilization. Europeans know from experience\nproductive occupations, it will be impossibe to raise\nthat culture creates civilization, while civilization never\nthe economic and social standards of the people of the\ncreates culture. Europeans view the United States as\nworld as a whole - a necessary condition for the ac-\na civilized country in a technological sense, but are\ncomplishment of the ultimate goal.\nlikely to feel that the United States is lacking in the\nFor this reason we must strive to bring about world\ncultural values necessary for spiritual leadership. There-\ndisarmament. We do not believe that war is a solu-\nfore it is most important to acquaint Europeans with our\ntion, nor do we believe that war is inevitable.\ncultural values, showing them that we believe in such\nWe do not want to impose; we do not want to\nvalues and that efficiency, productive capacity, and\ndestroy. We oppose only those who use obstruction\n\"success\" are not our only yardsticks.\nand destruction to achieve their ends.\nEurope is also unsympathetic to the tenseness of the\nNeither we, nor any other nation or group, have a\nU. S. pace, to our hustle and bustle. For example,\npatent on democracy. We feel that whatever has\nEuropeans enjoy \"wasting\" their time in \"idle talk.\"\nproved good in \"socialism\" can be adopted by men\nFor they believe that the time isn't wasted and that the\nwithout at the same time selling their souls and forfeit-\ntalk isn't idle. The replacement of Viennese coffee\ning their individuality. We also feel that whatever\nhouses by snack bars was considered symbolic of our\nhas proved good in \"capitalism\" can be accepted by\n\"eat and run\" attitude.\nmen without sacrificing their security and destroying\nWe must reexamine what we are offering to the\ntheir own chances for self-improvement.\npeople of Europe. Are we offering liberalism and de-\nWe are not out to promote any particular form of\nmocracy wrapped in an optimistic package? This ap-\n\"capitalism\" or any particular form of society. We are\nproach would be doomed to failure. For Europe has\nconcerned only with the rescue of man who stands in\nbeen disillusioned. The ideas we are offering Europe\nmortal danger. We do not want to force on people\nwere born in Europe in the eighteenth century and\nanywhere what we or the people of any country hap-\nthen transplanted to the United States. Now we are\npen to think is best. For we know that change is the\nbringing these same ideas back as a new promise of\nrule of nature and of human nature, and we have faith\nhope to Europe, without regard for the fact that the\nthat in the distant future men will create social and\nexperiences of the European people in the last two\npolitical organizations which will better provide for the\nhundred years have steeped them in skepticism.\nlot of the individual and for lasting peace than any\nEurope has seen the perversion of socialist promises\nsystem devised SO far.\nof equality into dictatorship, of global promises being\nWe are eager to understand the national and cul-\nbroken and perverted into global wars fought on Eur-\ntural backgrounds of the people we work with. We\nopean soil. The United States has escaped these his-\nfeel that effective help can be given only when there\ntorical disappointments, and therefore retains the op-\nis a mutual understanding of the cultural foundation\ntimistic faith which most people in Europe have lost.\nand the national traits of those concerned.\nWhile we believe in our promises, Europe is doubtful.\nTo remember about Europe. An action program for\nWhen we deal with Europe we ought to realize that\nEuropean countries can be successful only if it takes\nEuropeans are not children, who can take only sugar-\n8\n9"
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