Mar. 16 / Administration of George Bush, 1992 Remarks to the Polish National Alliance in Chicago, Illinois March 16, 1992 Well, thank you, Ed Moskal, very, very privilege to join with many of you in prayers much, and all of you for this welcome. May for peace and freedom and to lay a wreath I salute our great Governor, Jim Edgar, with at the memorial for the martyr of Solidarity, me here today. I think I heard you greet Father Popieluszko. him. My respects to Ed Dykla, to the How our prayers have been answered in bishop, to Father Phillips, and of course to those short years. It is unbelievable. Since one of your own, a great friend of ours who ’88, the whole world has been transformed. has helped so much in this administration, And that change really, if you look at your as he did in Congress; I’m talking about history, began in Poland. Poland overthrew Secretary Ed Derwinski, known to all of you that cruel tyranny that Stalin imposed after here. And may I pay my respects to Po- Yalta. Now imperial communism, the com- land’s consul general, Michal Grocholski, munism that always wanted to take over who is here behind us. Delighted to have someone else, is dead. The Soviet Union you here, sir. And again, thank you for that has ceased to exist. The threat of nuclear warm Chicago welcome. war has diminished dramatically. These are Somebody suggested that this visit has the blessings that millions of us have something to do with a primary election. worked and prayed to attain. True, I’m working to win that election. But For decades we faced a mortal danger. if anyone thinks we’ve got political head- The Communists fought to dominate the aches here, they’re nothing compared with world. The Soviet Union threatened the the problems that free Poland is facing very existence of free Europe and the today, particularly Lech Walesa is facing. United States, too, with its massive armies We have two major parties here in this and its nuclear arsenals. The Communists country. But look at all the parties he has persecuted believers and demolished the to contend with, close to 20, 20 at the last houses of worship. They imprisoned the count. Even the Polish Beer Drinkers’ Cardinal, Cardinal Wyszynski, and mur- Party—[laughter]—true, they’ve split into dered Father Popieluszko. two factions. Now, I know you follow Po- But all the while, believers, believers kept land, but I don’t know whether it’s the light on believing: Stubborn believers, who suf- beer faction or whatever it is. fered every sort of torment in prisons and But I salute their President. I salute him labor camps; patient believers, who thought for what he’s doing. And he stood there they’d never live to see the answer to their when things weren’t free, and there he is prayers; simple believers, who grasped little now, leading that country. And I really want of geopolitical facts and circumstances and to pay my respects here, surrounded by his theories but knew they held the power to many friends and admirers. change their world in their folded hands. Whenever I come here, I remember Inspired by heroic leaders like Lech Walesa other occasions that I’ve had to get together and Pope John Paul, good people on both with the community. Back in 1988 at the sides of the Iron Curtain worked as though wake for Al Mazewski, who was head of everything depended on themselves, and this marvelous alliance, I remember that they prayed as though everything depended well. At the inaugural celebration for my on God. dear friend over here, Ed Moskal, I remem- And I remember how moving it was in ber that one well, upbeat, enthusiastic. And 1987 when I, as Vice President, I stood with then, of course, at a very beautiful special now-President Walesa on the balcony of Fa- service, a Sunday Mass at St. Hyacinth’s ther Popieluszko’s church that I’m sure Church, which reminded me of a church many of you have visited in Warsaw, flash- that I visited outside Warsaw not so many ing the victory sign to thousands of support- months ago. But at St. Hyacinth’s I had the ers below; that when the Communists were 456 Administration of George Bush, 1992 / Mar. 16 still in power, I stood at his side, and we No one knows better than you the tragic both did that. And once again, the church harm that can come from weakness and iso- was central to the Polish people’s yearning lation. We are going to keep working to- for freedom. gether. We’re going to secure the peace and And then when I had the privilege in win new prosperity for Poland and all the 1989 as President to stand with Lech free world. Walesa and thousands of those freedom-lov- So we’ve got to continue changing the ing Poles at the Gdansk Shipyard, when I world, and we must redouble our efforts saw the faith and courage of those people, to change America for the better. We’ve got you just knew, I knew in my heart what to get this economy moving and create good you’ve known for a long time as true believ- jobs and strengthen our families and put ers, that freedom would prevail. limits on big Government. When I think Even in the darkest days, we stood stead- of family values, I think of the times that fast for Poland’s right to be free. We kept I’ve been in the Polish-American commu- the alliances strong. We gave humanitarian nity. And it’s family that gives the commu- aid to Solidarity when it was needed the nities their strength. And we must hope that most. Today, as Ed mentioned, we continue that can be extended all across the United to give assistance, helping Poland build a States of America. In essence, we are going stable democracy, a prospering economy. In to keep working together. We’re going to addition to the substantial financial aid, I secure the peace and win new prosperity. understand the 1,000th cargo container of And we’re going to keep on doing every- American humanitarian supplies was just thing we can to create good jobs, to sent on its way to Poland. And it’s a won- strengthen the families, as I say, and put derful thing. And I’ve just written Poland’s limits on the big Government. President to offer further help in bringing more American investment to Poland. Let me close with a fable about liberal Just as important has been the voluntary social planners that reminds me of Lech help from the church, from organized labor, Walesa’s down-to-earth humor. It’s a story from the Polish-American community. His- Russians used to tell during the last days tory will honor the role of Polonia, the of communism. A farmer’s chickens were worldwide Polish community, for giving dying. So for help he went to the Com- birth to a new age of freedom. And to sym- munist Party hack who was the local agricul- bolize this, this year we will fulfill the dying tural commissar. And the commissar said, wish of Mr. Paderewski and send his re- ‘‘Give them aspirin.’’ And over the next few mains for burial in the sacred soil of a free days, 50 chickens dropped dead. The Poland. commissar then said, ‘‘Give them penicil- And yes, the world is safer and freer now, lin.’’ And in a few days, 100 more chickens but we must not forget those who still have died. So the commissar advised castor oil. not won full freedom. I think especially of After the castor oil therapy, the farmer went those brave people of those Republics of to the commissar and announced that all a disintegrating Yugoslavia who are seeking the remaining chickens had died. ‘‘What a to establish their sovereign independence. pity. What a pity,’’ the commissar said. ‘‘I As we told our European allies last week, had so many other ideas I wanted to try.’’ we are giving positive consideration to the [Laughter] recognition of Slovenia and Croatia. We’re Well let me tell you this: As long as I also considering the most appropriate ways am President, American families will not be to meet the desire for peaceful transition guinea pigs for social planners. And we are to independence on the part of the other going to keep family, dignity, work, and re- republics. sponsibility first, and we are going to make Our leadership for freedom must con- this country better. And this country was tinue. You know that. No one knows better; built on family, faith, and freedom, and we no one knows that better than Polish-Ameri- must renew those sources of our strength. cans. No one knows better the rewards of As Barbara and I count our many bless- staying strong and engaged in the world. ings, and we have a lot to be grateful for, 457 Mar. 16 / Administration of George Bush, 1992 we know that we can count on Polish-Amer- time that we see: a free Poland moving to icans to move this country forward to new strengthen its democracy, strengthen its glories. hold on freedom. And let me say this: When the economy Thank you for what you’ve done. You set is tough, and it has been, some suggest we a great example for the rest of the country.