Speech of Vice President Harry S. Truman Before the Irish Fellowship Club at Chicago, Illinois

SPEECH OF THE HONORABLE HARRY S. TRUMAN TO BE RELEASED ON delivery VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IRISH FELLOWSHIP CLUB STEVENS HOTEL CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Columbia Broadcasting System Broadcast Time 1:45 to 2:00 PM C.W.T. March 17, 1945 Mr. President, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Irish Fellowship Club, and Oistinguished Guests. It is always refreshing to be with the Iris especially on St. Patrick's Day. You members of the Irish Fellowship Club, here in Chicago, are following a grood old Irish custom. You are keeping alive your native pride. Today the Irish people throughout the world pay homage to the good St. ?atrick. Millions of other people, even those who do not follow his faith, have acquired a deep and abiding affection for the kindly Saint from Ireland. St. Patrick has become an inspiration to all who know and admire his deeds and devotion. is you probably know, marduders carried Patrick at the tender age of sixteen, from home is English moe near the Severn to bondage in that part of Iroland now called Ulster. During his six years of captivity, while teniling the herds of Irish Rulers, Patrick experienced a deep religious emotion, roflecting his early Christian train- ing. After a daring escape to the Continent, Patrick finally returned to Bri- tain, with a fervent desire to bring Christianity to the Irish. Despite opposition it home, Patrick went back to Gaul with a firm determination to prepare himself for nis difficult mission to Ireland. Consecrated in the year 432, Patrick finally became Bishop of Ireland, and began his missionary work where he once suffered the disgrace of slavery. In spread- ing the foith of his fothers, the good Saint condemned slavery, fought racial dis- crimination, and sought to end the tragic isolation of Ireland from the civilization .nd culture of the outside world. So many legends have grown up around the Patron Saint of Ireland, that it S rather difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Although it cannot be proven that St. Patrick actually drove the snakes :rom the Emerald Isle, we do know that he labored long and hard to expel all evil. In addition to his spiritual teaching, Saint Patrick also introduced the learning QUAA MARA the age to Ireland, and brought the Irish to the rest of the world.