The Role of the President's Citizens Advisory Carter Burgess, Chairman, President's Citizens Advisory Committee on the Fitness of American Youth I am proud to be with you this morning on this most meaningful mission. We have a busy 2 days of action ahead of us, and I shall not be long in my remarks. The Vice President is with us and with you I join in respectful and hearty thanks for his daily efforts and leadership in behalf of the cause of youth fitness. His presence here today means much toward the success of our work. Next we have received a message of real progress and promise from Shane MacCarthy, our Executive Director. We are all regretful, indeed, that the President of the United States could not be with us for part of our deliberations. I had the honor of visiting with the President just the other day in order that I might report on the outline for our sessions here at West Point. I only wish I could properly relay to you his desire for the success of youth fitness. His desire is for an even better and safer America by making certain we have a fit youth and give to youth every opportunity for fitness. He asks that we keep our program simple and attainable-and that our ground swell for youth fitness start from the home and community way of our life. I can think of no national program whose success would mean more to the President than youth fitness. He has lived by such a program his entire life. He was pleased beyond measure when I informed him of the response you have rendered to the program by your promise to be here today. I received a famous grin when I told the President we would have an almost 100 percent turnout for these sessions. He sees success for youth fitness when men and women like you respond to the call and give freely of your time and your talents. So, with thanks * * to the President for his vision and inspiration which produced youth fitness; to the Vice President and the members of his Council for their personal leadership and presence here today; to the Executive Director for his productive day-and-night labors for the Council and our Committee; and to you for your willingness to serve and to sacrifice for a better tomorrow and for a better youth tomorrow. From all of these gains, we have the foundation for this Conference. We older folks could get plenty discouraged if we were to be totally pessimistic, blinded, or deafened by all of today's issues, controversies, and divisions. It's pretty bleak when a front page of a day's newspaper contains the following and all at the same time blasts the size of the budget; questions the wisdom of foreign aid; deplores the lack of progress being made on juvenile delinquency; cites the latest segregation fireworks. Thank goodness there remain a few critically important matters of a basic nature that are more capable of attracting the positive attention and action of Americans and are less susceptible to front-page controversy. Youth fitness, to my mind, fits this happy test and I consider it high among the top 10 of America's programs which require action and results. I also consider that, if properly pursued, it can well become the Nation's most successful endeavor of its kind. Over the past 3 years, I have had the job of a full-time association with 2 important programs which continue to be essential to the country's security and its future progress. I speak of— youth's recognition and ready acceptance of their responsibility to serve in the Armed Forces in times like these, and the early motivation and opportunity for our young people to undertake scientific and technological education and skills. Until I met the Executive Director, on the approximate eve of my departure from the Federal Establishment, I must admit to you that I had not spent much time or thought on how America as a whole could do a better job of youth fitness. In other words, I was taking youth fitness pretty much for granted and hoping that any deficiencies could be taken care of during the period of basic military training or by other means. Shane MacCarthy did this for me—he made me fully aware of youth fitness and its real significance and importance in these changing times. You have had the same opportunity to gain this knowledge of the problem from your experience and expertness, as well as through the data and material that has been made available to you. To me, there is one of the very big results this Conference can aim to achieve and that is to give America a fuller and impressive awareness of youth fitness What it is; When, where, and how it should take place; and the meaning of its success for America and the most precious asset our land possesses! From my personal awareness came my personal dedication to do my for youth fitness. bit I have determined that all our essential programs for American youth would be vastly enhanced if fitness were in hand and its processes started early in the lives of our children. Our prospect is basic and it has a fine chance of universal acceptance by our people-provided the need is accentuated by them and our pilot program can be designed to swell from their desire. Many, many logical and untapped opportunities exist. I am optimistic over youth fitness and I believe its reverse trends have been recognized just in time. If we should falter or fail toward a successful program, it would be in the face of these three facts: First-Youth fitness is designed to provide a nation with mental, moral, and physical endurance and a healthier and sounder lifetime, whether the national destiny be opportunity or danger-peace or war. Second-The uncomfortable standard of living, the governmental aims This Code demands a special and superhuman brand of moral and I consider it timely to mention this as we convene at West Point and have the opportunity to be guests of General Davidson, who knows so well of what we speak. * Let me quote article III of this Code: "If I am captured, I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid all others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy." The range of fitness implicit in the Code of Conduct and the extreme conditions of what we may encounter someday are not something that can be acquired overnight-nor even after one enters into the ranks for his country's freedom. Fitness starts in the highchair! So, I ask-Is it right to have a demand for fitness when the Nation is at war and not on the other hand to possess a lifetime program in time of peace that will provide this fitness? Youth fitness should need no backdrop of war to furnish reason for the sound program on which we convene today. It is merely one of the realities of this day that should furnish sound reason for the hastening of our efforts. In the success of these efforts these early efforts-lies a greater hope for peace-a greater hope for more opportunity. A word about our sessions Our Executive order gives us this general mission: "The Advisory Committee shall consider and evaluate existing and prospective governmental and private measures conducive to the achievement of a happier, healthier, and more completely fit American youth." And, as I see it, we have a big task to assist the President's Council in both the promotion and launching of programs which will enhance the fitness of American youth. The Conference brochure provides a roadmap from which the Study Group can give specific meaning and shape to both projects: national awareness-and community projects that will succeed and then spread to become nationwide projects. My one suggestion is that we keep our blueprint simple and that our projects be constructed so that noticeable and effective results will come into being at early dates. I suggest our initial efforts lay special stress on the physical activity aspects of fitness and that later sessions couple in the other key essentials of moral and mental fitness. I have mentioned national awareness and the Executive Director has urged extension of the municipal committees and the pilot projects for youth fitness. If we can line up workable plans to achieve these limited goals of success, I make this urgent suggestion for consideration by our whole conference prior to adjournment—and it is this: Our program should be launched by a homeside talk to the Nation by President Eisenhower on the meaning of youth fitness and the need for family and community action. The Nation needs such a talk. We are beset somewhat by the problems of the outside world, the controversies inside our own country reference missiles, missions, and money. I think it high time the people pause to hear a new subject of local concern so vital upon reflection to the Nation as a whole. This cause won't unbalance the budget-it will not add to French inflation-and will cause no shots along mideastern borders nor on the Gaza Strip. But it will be a tonic for new strength for ourselves and for our new generations. I have ridden more bicycles, walked more miles, and played more tennis-and so has my large family-since I met Shane MacCarthy than I have for many a year! This good program properly conceived by us and launched by President Eisenhower and kept in being by both the President and the Vice President-will carry America and her young manhood to new heights. I wish you effective meetings-you have Council representation for each group, a Committee Chairman of proven knowledge and ability, a Group Secretary to manage the paperwork-and each of us will be present with you to help compose and complete the job at hand. I trust your program and the suggestion made for the 1957-58 kickoff for youth fitness will meet with plenary committee acceptance, Council approval, and the support and action of our President and Vice President. * In closing, I call on one quotation. It fits our cause and represents the lone inscription on the wall of the United States House of Representatives. The words are Daniel Webster's "Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, provide for its great interest and see whether we also in our day and generation may not perform something worthy to be remembered." |