On Giving a Good Account of Ourselves

Abstract

* Every American abroad is an ambassador of his country. Wittingly or unwittingly he contributes to the foreign image of the United States. With every passport it issues the State Department encloses a form letter from President Eisenhower informing the recipient that to all the varied peoples he may meet abroad, he will represent the United States of America-you represent us all in bringing assurance to the people you meet that the United States is a friendly nation and one dedicated to the search for world peace and to the promotion of the well-being and security of the community of nations. During the past few years it has been my job to help Americans prepare to represent their country abroad. While most of those with whom I have worked have been appointees of the United States Information Agency, I have also been concerned with the preparation of foreign service officers of the State Department, technical and economic experts, guides for the United States pavilion at the Brussels Fair, young people of the International Farm Youth Exchange, and numerous other groups. It is on the basis of this varied experience that I would make certain observations and suggestions to those Americans who would seek conscientiously to carry out the president's charge. First of all, Americans must organize their knowledge of America. During the 1957 youth festival in Moscow Soviet youths exclaimed in surprise when they found their American counterparts inarticulate, Surely, you must know your ideology better than that.